How to Troubleshoot & Replace Ge AP2061695 / WR9X489 Defrost Timer

The evaporator was frozen up and the airflow was restricted to both sides because of it. Replaced defrost heater assembly and the defrost thermostat just to be sure. 

Defrost timer was delivered Fri. at 4:30 p.m. Was installed by 5:00. Everything has been cooling fine since. Will still be a month before I declare the repair a success, but so far so good. 

Replaced defrost heater, timer and thermostat. 

Replaced defrost heater and thermostat. 

Cleaned coils...still warm. Turned defrost timer...still warm. Replaced defrost timer and fridge is cold again! 

Replaced the Defrost Heater, Defrost Thermostat + Defrost Timer. 

Very easy fix to do myself. 

Using videos on this site and YouTube as a guide replaced the defrost heater and while I was at it replaced the Defrost timer on my GE side by side refrigerator as both parts were ~20 years old. Only tools required were a 1/4 inch nut driver and a Phillips head receiver. Most challenging part was the small space to work in in the receiver section. 

Your trouble tree indicated it could be the defroster timer, the defrost coils or the thermostat. I chose to replace the defrost timer first since it was the easiest to replace. Your video showed how to replace the timer and it went smoothly. While waiting for the timer to arrive we unloaded the refrigerator into ice chests and the freezer side into another freezer we had. We turned the power off to the refrigerator and let it defrost. The evaporator coils were encased in ice. Once it was thawed out we restored power and let the refrigerator cool down before refilling it. It ran well until the timer arrived since it takes several days for the evaporator coils to get coated in ice to the point the refrigerator performance is degraded. This is the third appliance we have repaired with your help. We also replaced the control board on the electric oven and the thermostat on the electric clothes dryer. 

My refrigerator needed a pair of coils, it came with an temp sensor, a thermostat. I also decided to go ahead and replace the timer as well. The two coils were detached and replaced in the freezer compartment and the timer was replaced in the refrigerator compartment.