Need Help with Whirlpool Refrigerator Door Closing Cams

Factual Questions
1

After studying online how-to videos, I replaced the refrigerator door closing cams on my Whirlpool Side-by-Side Refrigerator/Freezer, Model ED2YHGXLQ01, because the door wouldn’t stay shut. I also noticed that the top of the refrigerator door was ~1/4" lower than the freezer door. Although the refrigerator door now stays shut, it also makes a loud CLUNK noise when the door is opened greater than 90 degrees. I’m guessing that this has to do with the teeth of the upper and lower closing cams slipping past each other, but I’m not sure how to fix it as the cams are screwed into place and don’t move. After applying about 1 teaspoon of white lithium grease to the teeth of the lower cam, the door stopped clunking and operated smoothly. This lasted for a short time until the lithium grease got squeezed out from between the closing cams, then the clunking began again. I re-watched the how-to videos again but haven’t figured out what I’m doing wrong. Can anyone advise how to fix the clunking? Here are the steps I took to replace the refrigerator door closing cams:

  • Removed everything from the shelves in the refrigerator door.
  • Removed the refrigerator door by first removing the 5/16" hex head screw that holds the white plastic cover over the top door hinge parts on the top of the refrigerator.
  • Next, removed the three screws that secure the silver metal plate under the white plastic cover. Did not remove the center screw.
  • Lifted off the metal plate, which has a metal post pointing downward that inserts into a hole at the top right of the refrigerator door. The door pivots around this metal post.
  • Laid the refrigerator door on the ice chest that I put the food in from the refrigerator door.
  • The upper closing cam (P/N W2182179) is located underneath the refrigerator door at the bottom right. The old upper closing cam was missing. I think this is why the door wasn’t staying closed and why the refrigerator door was lower than the freezer door. Inserted the black tubular part sticking out of the new upper closing cam into a hole at the bottom of the refrigerator door.
  • Screwed in the 5/16" hex head screw that goes through the hole in the flat part of the closing cam to attach it to the refrigerator door. The side of the cam with the teeth face downward; these teeth will sit on the teeth of the lower closing cam.
  • The black plastic lower closing cam (P/N W10329686) is attached to a metal bracket at the bottom right of the refrigerator, just below the refrigerator door. The metal bracket is screwed onto the refrigerator frame (not the door). I did not need to remove this bracket since it was accessible by removing the refrigerator door.
  • The hole in the lower closing cam with the teeth around it slips over the metal post sticking up from the metal bracket. (Teeth side facing up.) A 5/16" hex head screw goes through the plain hole in the cam without the teeth around it; this secured the lower closing cam to the metal bracket, which has two holes in it. The screw for the lower closing cam goes through the hole on the left of the bracket (when facing the refrigerator). While the lower closing cam wasn’t broken, I went ahead and replaced it as well so the two closing cams were of the same age.
  •   Lined the refrigerator door up with the side of the refrigerator to make sure it was hanging straight then lowered it into place before tightening the screws on top.
  • I also adjusted the leveling screws in the bottom front behind the grill to help adjust the doors.
  • I didn’t have any of the recommended silicone lubricating grease to apply to the cams. The rep at my local Home Depot found they didn’t have any silicone lubricant grease in stock and said I could use WD-40 Silicone Spray instead. I already had some of this so I sprayed it on the cams. Unfortunately, the silicone spray did not provide enough lubrication to allow the teeth of the two cams to slide smoothly across each other as the refrigerator door opened and closed. The door made a loud clunking noise each time it was opened past 90 degrees. It sounded like something was about to break.
  • I got some multi-purpose White Lithium Grease. I removed the refrigerator door again and squirted a big blob of white lithium grease on the teeth of the lower cam. After reattaching the door, I found that it opened and closed smoothly and quietly. Unfortunately, the lithium grease squirted out the sides and the refrigerator door now loudly clunks again. :smack:
    I’d appreciate any suggestions on what I can do to fix this. Thanks!
2

Seems unlikely, but.
Is the top hinge hardware too tight against the top of the door? So when the door moves up on the cams, it is being clamped too hard between the top and bottom hinges? You need to leave some space at the top for the door to slide up and down on that hinge. Maybe some spacer was removed and not put back in at some point?

3

Hi Kedikat,

Thanks for your suggestion! I loosened the screws on the top hinge hardware. The door stills clunks but a slightly less so. I checked the parts diagrams for this refrigerator; there were no missing spacers or other parts.
It seems that there might be something obvious I’m missing as the DIY videos and reviews I’ve seen make it look so simple. :confused: Any other ideas?

Sincerely,
MrsP

4

You mentioned removing the bottom grill.
Is it maybe not seated fully back in? The door edge clipping it part of it when opened fully?

Does it seem the door drops down with the clunk, or does it maybe drop a bit towards the front when the clunk happens? As if it is shifting at the top hinge, coming outward a bit.

Also, the pins may have grooves worn in them. Might cause a hang up, then jump when opening.

5

Thanks for the additional ideas, Kedikat! I think I might have solved it.

In the process of figuring out how to solve the clunking problem, I learned that the cams rise when the door is open; the high points of the teeth on each cam are in contact with each other. When the door is closed, the teeth of the cams mate; that is, the high point of one fits into the low point of the other, thereby locking the cams together. This helps to hold the door closed. (Ref. Refrigerator Door Repair Guide)

With the refrigerator door open, I noticed that the lower cam moved sideways when the door was being opened/closed. I realized that if the cam were not secure, the high points of the teeth could not sit on each other stably when the door was open. With the white lithium grease lubrication, the force would cause the teeth to slide against each other as the cam moved. This resulted in the clunking. Using a 5/16" hex socket wrench, it looks like I hadn’t tightened down the screw sufficiently.

I removed the door again. Using a ratcheting wrench, I tightened the screws that attach the upper closing door cam to the refrigerator door and the lower closing door cam to the refrigerator bracket. The lower cam no longer moves when the door is opening & closing. The clunking has stopped! We’ll see if the door starts clunking again within the next day as it did when I first replaced the door closing cams. Hopefully, this repair project is now done. :slight_smile:

6

Since your project is done (Thanks for the Thread!), maybe the group will try this one:

I got a real deal on a side-by-side with through-the-door ice, crushed ice and water.

The refer side had, apparently, been used as a swing by small kids. The handle (what was left of it) was deformed and missing an end or two. There are also cosmetic dings in both doors.

Ebay provided a new handle but there is still a problem:
The refer door is no longer self-closing - it has to be firmly pushed closed

My back is shot and my muscles have atrophied from disuse, so I did not jump at the chance to wrestle the door.

This is a GE TFX24S, according to the label on the door (yes, I was surprised the label survived).
Any suggestions as to alignment or whatever problem this is?