[tracthompson]

just over 5 years old- it has stopped cooling enough to freeze anything - I've cleaned the coils- very dusty- and can see the fan start sporadically and run for 20 secs and then stop- anything I can fix?

[PS Volunteer - Appguy]

Need your model # please.

[tracthompson]

PLHT217TA

I cleaned the fan even more and now it will kick on and even blow cool air for several minutes but not consistently. I feel like the compressor? Motor? something is shorting out or causing it to shut off.

[PS Volunteer - Appguy]

You have a compressor shutting down on it's overload. A good possibility your compressor has contamination like sludge and varnish, either that or burnt run winding. Usually check compressor current to verify.
A technician can inject Supco88 into the compressor to fix that, but the system will need to be vacumed out and recharged with refrigerant.