Dishwasher Problem

[SevenCorners]

All,
My dishwasher is giving me some problems.
It does not drain. I noticed a couple of days back that at the end of a load the dishwasher still had water in it. Since then the water level in the bottom of the dishwasher has increased. I am thinking that maybe the drain line is clogged. I just ran it through a cycle and can hear a valve [or something similiar] open between the wash/rinse cycle and just a trickle of water go down the sink drain. Is there a pump that pushes the water out of the dishwasher? Does this sound like a clogged line? There is no visible clog inside the dishwashing area so I am thinking I will have to take the dishwasher out of the cabinet to check the drain line? Should I try and run a snake down the line? Blow it out with high pressure air? Or just call in the pros?

Thanks

 

[Bird]

Yes, there is a pump that pushes the water out of the dishwasher. Maybe a clogged line, maybe clogged pump or impeller or damaged impeller. I'm assuming you do not have any leaks; i.e., water on the floor under the dishwasher. I've only worked on a very few models, so I don't know what your problem might be, but it does sound as if something is clogged.

 

[SevenCorners]

No leaks so far just not draining. Any idea on how to best clean it out the clog?

 

[CurlyDave]

There is usually a valve which controlls whether water in the dishwasher is recirculated to the sprayers or sent to the drain.

Often times a piece of something, frequently broken glass, will prevent this valve from operating properly and can cause a lack of draining.

Also check the inlet basket to the pump--I have had this fill up with debris and cause draining failure.

 

[Farwell]

If you have a garbage disposer, check the line where the dishwasher drain hose fastens to the garbage disposer, this often clogs and is easily fixed by removing the hose at the garbage disposer and cleaning the inside of the garbage disposer fitting. Another area to check is the vacuum breaker, if your dishwasher model has one, it is the chrome thingy that is usually on the right side of your sink faucets.
If it is not either of these then it may be time for the repair man after you try all of the other things suggested by the other posters.
Farwell

 

[SevenCorners]

Thanks guys, I took out the dishwasher and cleaned out the drain port inside and below the dishwasher there was alot of crud I got out. I also blew out the main drain line, more crud. Seems to be draining fine now. Wife will have to do better job of pre-rinse. I will probably not mention it to her to preserve harmony. Why can't husbands make "friendly" suggestions to wives without starting an argument?

Thanks

 

[RobS]

I had to put a new pump on ours a couple of months ago due to leakage. It was full of gunk as well and the guy at the service center told me the following:

1: Prerinse
2: Do not use the liquid detergents
3: Make sure the water coming in is already hot (run the faucet ahead of time if you must)

Not doing any or all of those are the prime contributors to the gunk syndrome.

 

[Bird]

Rob, I'm afraid you're right. I know I'm certainly in the minority, especially where wives are concerned, but I always wondered why anyone would want a dishwasher if you've got to wash the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. To keep peace in the family, I've repaired a few dishwashers, but to me, they're the most worthless appliance ever invented.

 

[goaliedad]

bird- don't you know that a "dish washer" is really just a place to store extra dishes! The problem isn't dirty dishes- it's lack of cupboard space......

 

[Bird]

bird- don't you know that a "dish washer" is really just a place to store extra dishes! The problem isn't dirty dishes- it's lack of cupboard space......

Yep, you've got that right.

 

[rickmacheske]

There are dishwashers out there with food disposers in them. Cost me a little more but now I don't have to mention that the dishes need to be pre-rinsed. Haven't had a problem yet...

 

[Iplayfarmer]

...I always wondered why anyone would want a dishwasher if you've got to wash the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher...to me, they're the most worthless appliance ever invented.

Growing up we had a worn out old dish"washer" that came to be known as the "dishrinser". Mom insisted that we continue to use it, though, since it got the dishes out of sight for her. I guess it was worth what we paid for it ($0.00).

On the flip side, though, I work in the food manufacturing industry. I have seen dishwashers the size of a small house that you put machinery parts and pieces in absolutely filthy and they come out "sparkly clean" and ready for the next production run. Count up the man-hours that saves you and the ROI comes in pretty quick. Now there's a usefull appliance. I think the most significant difference between the two is in the 6 inch drain line and on-site industrial waste water treatment facilities.

I have to also add (since I've admitted to working in the food industry) that household dishwashers do serve a purpose in that they can wash with water much hotter that the average housewife or considerate husband might tolerate. If a dishwasher uses water in excess of 165 degrees it sanitizes the dishes too.

 

[MossRoad]

Ours started dripping lots of water out the front panel a couple weeks ago. We've been hand washing for two weeks. I had forgotten how many loads of dishes we have to do every day in the sink compared to one load every other day with the dishwasher. What a time and water saver.

I finally had time to get into it today, as I've been spending all my free time with the kids' monitoring their 4H projects and working on the backhoe I'm building. I took out the eight screws that hold the inside of the door to the door frame. YUCKY! Lots of limey stuff and food particles blocking the drain ports behind that panel and the vent that lets the steam out the front. After a hose out in the driveway, I put it all back together and it is working fine.

We never pre-wash our dishes. Just dump any large scraps into the trash and stick the dishes in the dishwasher. If there is lots of red stuff like tomato sauce and we aren't going to run the dishwasher for a day or two, I'll run the rinse and hold cycle to get the red color washed out to avoid staining anything.

 

[midlf]

We had some friends that kept their cereal, potato chips, crackers and etc in their dishwasher. They had sponged all the water out of the bottom before doing this. When asked why she said "I don't have enough cupboard space and I have two teen-aged daughters so I don't need a dishwasher". The daughters were not allowed a vote on this procedure.

 

[Bird]

Steve, that sounds like the kind of family I grew up in. I guess I was 6 years old when my mother had an appendicitis attack and the doctor came to the house that evening (yeah, doctors really did make house calls back then). When the doctor arrived I was standing on a stool at the sink washing the dishes, one younger sister was also standing on a stool drying the dishes and the other sister was putting them away. Mother always loved to tell about visiting the doctor later and the doctor telling his nurse how she "had those babies on stools doing the dishes." We didn't know there was anything unusual about it; I always had to wash the dishes and my younger sisters dried them until I was 10 years old. That's when I was able to quit washing dishes because I had to take over the milking chores and the girls were old enough to do the dishes from then on.

 

[firemanpat2910]

It was always a heated debate at home when I was a kid, when I was born mom said "look, a dishwasher!" Dad said "no woman thats a TV remote."
How old does it make me to remember why they call it "TURNING" the channel on a TV.

 

[Bird]

I don't know how long TV remotes have been in existence, but I sure do remember the first one I ever saw. It was 1965, my wife and I were assistant managers of an apartment complex, and the manager got a new TV with a remote control. If you dropped a key in the floor, if the phone rang, or if the doorbell rang, the TV either turned off or changed channels. I think they had it about 2 weeks before they sent it back and got one without a remote control.

 

[bdb121]

make sure that you have an anti syphon loop in the drain line to stop any water from comming back from garbage disposal (drain line should be looped up higher than the bottom of the sink)

 

[MarEng]

My best DW was one left on the side of the road when my neighbors remodeled. Seems it made too much noise. Once I pulled the chunks of broken wine glass out of the impeller it was quieter than the grumbling noises I made hand washing. I miss that machine. When I got married my wife came with a Maytag. Don't believe the ads - what a piece of junk. When it finally died I bought the cheapest model at Lowe's - my usual approach. It does as good a job as my Mom's $600 version and I won't feel near as bad when it dies in 5 years.

In the mean time, I clean the suction screen when my wife starts complaining about dishes being as dirty coming out as going in. I also run a load with vinegar every month or so - just to get the gunk out.

 

[rickmacheske]

Good point on the expensive ones..... Our Jenn Aire stainless steel version is not near as good as the GE (mid grade) that I used to have. I'd buy another GE in a heartbeat but would never buy Jenn Aire again.