Refrigerator Vent Leaking

Joy M · 09-16-2009, 08:40 PM

I suspect the wet floor behind the refrig. (viewed by opening compartment door street side) is from a leak in a worn out gasket on the exterior refrig. vent. The service manual left this vent out, and I can't figure out how to replace the gasket without having to remove the cover & rivets. In the short term, I've applied vulkem over the old gasket, to the top and bottom, but that leaves the sides open cause I can't reach them. Have read only a few mentions of this vent in the forums and no one mentions there being a gasket to replace. Can anyone tell me how to fix this? If the only way is removing rivets, I'll figure out a way to get more vulkem in there.

This being my first question to ask, I'll mention that I've been working on my restoration for 16 mos. and have found an answer here to just about every problem I've come up with. I really appreciate all of you who take the time to help people like me.
Thanks in advance!

Zeppelinium · 09-16-2009, 10:34 PM

wow, just went out and looked at my '72 vent. I never realized there was a gasket.

Yes, you would have to remove the rain cover AND then the inside 2" "chimney" to fix the gasket. I'd just make sure I had Vulkem on the upper edge and both sides. I know the sides are impossible to get to with the Vulkem nozzle, so you'll have to get creative with a tongue depressor or something similar. Good luck.

Zep

Joy M · 09-19-2009, 08:21 AM

Zep, so I did just that. Used a skinny old steak knife to press vulkem around that old gasket. Why they would put a permanent cover over a temporary thing like a gasket doesn't make sense. Guess that's why I thought I was missing something. Maybe they didn't plan on those refrigerators working 36+ years and that the whole system would be changed out? Oh well, just glad I'm not having to do that yet! Thanks for your reply!