[SOLVED] refrig compressor clunk on shutoff

**Raylo** · 06-10-2009, 04:10 AM

My 14 year old GE fridge is still working fine... except half of the time when the compressor cycles off it makes a horrific clunk/bang kind of sound. The other half of the time it shuts off quietly. It starts and runs quietly all the time and the fridge works fine otherwise. The clunk sounds like if you pick up a compressor and jiggle it and it bangs on the housing, but much louder, I guess, since the internals are moving pretty fast. What could be causing this in an operational compressor? Is it a sign of imminent failure?

sethvel1 · 06-10-2009, 01:38 PM

Chance are your internal springs (in the compressor) are weak or one is broken. The compressor may continue to work for 5 more years or break next week, all depends on what exactly is happening inside the compressor. Those compressors are not repairable, they just get replaced. If it was mine, I would fix it soon just so I don't come home one day after a weekend trip to find a fridge full of rotton food. Good luck.

**Raylo** · 06-10-2009, 05:20 PM

Thanks for the input. I suspect that is more expensive a repair than I will be willing to undertake on such an old unit. So I may let it RTF and just get a new refrigerator. I want to get one with the freezer on bottom anyway....

sethvel1 · 06-10-2009, 07:02 PM

now you have a reason to get one!!

**Raylo** · 07-31-2009, 07:24 AM

Lowes had a 10% sale plus an addn'l 10% for using their credit.... so I did get a nice new Samsung. I gave "old clunky" to some friends who will use it in the craft room of their summer day camp operation and let it RTF there. Hopefully it'll give them a few good years of service..... But for me I have a quiet kitchen and no more bending over to get at stuff in the top mount refrigerator... and 2 ice makers. :-)

06-10-2009, 04:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
Raylo TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 523 OS: XP Desktop, Vista HP Notebook, XP Notebook	[SOLVED] refrig compressor clunk on shutoff My 14 year old GE fridge is still working fine... except half of the time when the compressor cycles off it makes a horrific clunk/bang kind of sound. The other half of the time it shuts off quietly. It starts and runs quietly all the time and the fridge works fine otherwise. The clunk sounds like if you pick up a compressor and jiggle it and it bangs on the housing, but much louder, I guess, since the internals are moving pretty fast. What could be causing this in an operational compressor? Is it a sign of imminent failure?

06-10-2009, 01:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
sethvel1 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Morrisville NC Posts: 26 OS: windows xp pro	Re: refrig compressor clunk on shutoff Chance are your internal springs (in the compressor) are weak or one is broken. The compressor may continue to work for 5 more years or break next week, all depends on what exactly is happening inside the compressor. Those compressors are not repairable, they just get replaced. If it was mine, I would fix it soon just so I don't come home one day after a weekend trip to find a fridge full of rotton food. Good luck.

06-10-2009, 05:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
Raylo TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 523 OS: XP Desktop, Vista HP Notebook, XP Notebook	Re: refrig compressor clunk on shutoff Thanks for the input. I suspect that is more expensive a repair than I will be willing to undertake on such an old unit. So I may let it RTF and just get a new refrigerator. I want to get one with the freezer on bottom anyway.... Last edited by Raylo; 06-10-2009 at 05:30 PM.

06-10-2009, 07:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
sethvel1 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Morrisville NC Posts: 26 OS: windows xp pro	Re: refrig compressor clunk on shutoff now you have a reason to get one!!

07-31-2009, 07:24 AM	#5 (permalink)
Raylo TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 523 OS: XP Desktop, Vista HP Notebook, XP Notebook	Re: refrig compressor clunk on shutoff Lowes had a 10% sale plus an addn'l 10% for using their credit.... so I did get a nice new Samsung. I gave "old clunky" to some friends who will use it in the craft room of their summer day camp operation and let it RTF there. Hopefully it'll give them a few good years of service..... But for me I have a quiet kitchen and no more bending over to get at stuff in the top mount refrigerator... and 2 ice makers. :-)