[ronT]

I replaced the seal (Whirlpool # 66929-32) on my side by side freezer compartment and the door still will not close properly. There is about a 1/4 inch gap halfway up from the bottom to the middle of the door. The new seal had a magnetic strip on three sides only where the old one was magnetized all the way around. I installed the new gasket with the non-magnetized side opposite the hinges. Is this correct or should it be reversed? Could the bushings on the hinges be worn? How do I check for this condition? Thanks.

[ronT]

I called the service depot where I bought the seal and checked the installation. It was correctly installed with the magnetic side away from the hinges. The bushings look tight and have no play. It looks like the door is warped and the screws holding in the seal are not overtighteded. Can I remove the bottom hinge plate and shim it out with some rubber stock? Are there proper shims I can purchase? It seems like the rubber seal at the hinge side is too thick. Any other suggestions on compressing it? Thanks. Ron

[ronT]

I took the door off and laid it on a table with shim stock under the ends and sides to compensate for the raised panel of the water and ice dispenser. I then loosened all the seal screws and retightened then in a torque pattern starting in the centre on both sides and gradually working out to the ends. While doing this I pressed down to ensure as much flatness as possible for the underside. This re-aligned the door and took out the warp. You must remove the door to replace the seal or the door will definitely warp in the tightening process. The defroster drain was also clogged and I cleared this with a long piece of wire and hot water as suggested in this forum.