My refrigerator's cooling fan was making a noise. It wasn't loud; in fact, it was barely discernible. However, it was just loud enough to annoy me. The fan blade was hitting the shroud every now and then, creating a subtle, yet annoying sound. I'd tried tightening all the screws back there, and it helped-for a while. The noise came back. After looking at the fan motor, I noticed the bushings; it occurred to me that they might be the culprit. And why not? They were the originals installed at the factory over 16 years ago.
I did a Google search using my refrigerator's full model number; that was found on the rear cover. APP's website came up, and they had the bushings-YES! I ordered two pair of bushings: one to fix the problem, and one for a spare. I decided that, while I was at it, I might as well replace the original fan motor and fan blade too; after all, they too were over 16 years old. Who knows how long they might last? I kept the old motor, old fan blade, and the extra pair of bushings as spares. This way, if anything happens to the motor I installed, I can use the old one as a stopgap while waiting for a new one to come in. This way, I don't lose my food. After the COVID craziness of the last three years, I make it a point to have extras of anything necessary.
The job was easy. In their order confirmation email, APP had helpful videos listed for each facet of the job. I watched them, and I had no questions about what to do or how to do it. I used a 1/4" nut driver to remove the rear cover. I then unplugged the motor. After unplugging the fan motor, I removed the fan blade. I used a 5/16" to remove the fan motor mounting bracket. When removing the mounting bracket, I only removed the one screw that was easiest to remove; I merely loosened the other one (the one harder to access), and let the bracket hang there. At this point, I was able to remove the motor. The old, dry rotted bushings came right out.
To put things back together, I basically reversed the process. I put the new bushings on the new motor. Then, I mounted the motor, and I secured the mounting bracket by reinstalling the 5/16" screw, and then tightening both of them. I attached the new fan blade, and it went on just like the APP how-to videos said it should. I plugged in the motor. Before reattaching the cover, I double checked the plug and the screws to make sure they were secure and correct. Finally, I reattached the cover.
The new motor WORKS GREAT! It's quieter than it was before, and the annoying noise was gone. For slightly less than $100, I was able to save the price of a new refrigerator! Thanks to APP (not only having OEM parts but helpful how-to videos too), I was able to do the job myself and save some money. Thanks, guys!