1987 Kenmore Limited Edition Washer Dispenser Issue

[philcobendixduo]

Lately, I am finding that the bleach and/or fabric softener dispenser is FULL of water at the end of the cycle.
I don't use the fabric softener dispenser but I DO use the bleach dispenser.
What might be causing this issue and how do I fix it?
I DO dry out the dispensers after wash day and they STAY dry until next time I use the machine.

 

[stevet]

What machine do you have:

I had a similar problem with our Duet TL machine and it turned out to be the connectors on the cold water valves that began to fail and did not dispense the water to the proper compartment when it was supposed to. Most of the times the bleach would remain in the dispenser undiluted until the last rinse and then it would go in at that time. Made for some really pungent clothes at the end of the cycle.

The way the wires attach to the valves is thru a set of fine wire contacts and they lose their tension. I removed the connectors and spliced in some small slip on connectors and slid them on to the prongs of the water valves and have not had a problem now in over 2 years. Crappy design from the get go by WP if you ask me.

 

[washdaddy]

If your machine has the side by side dispenser with the stair step divider between the two reservoirs to use as a measure guide.....there is a siphon tube under each side of the steps that can become partially blocked over time if you don't pullout the steps and clean it thoroughly once in while. If it becomes blocked the dispenser will hold water thru the end of the cycle.

When I had my machine from that time frame I would have to do this once in a while to the dispenser to keep it working properly.

 

[philcobendixduo]

Rick has the answer....

....to my problem.
I DO have the dispenser he describes AND I didn't even know that the "stair steps" were removable so consequently, I have NEVER cleaned the tubes out in almost 30 years of use!
I'll take it apart and take pictures!
THANKS, Rick!

 

[philcobendixduo]

I Cleaned The Dispenser....

.....and it wasn't really that dirty under the "stair steps" so no pictures.
Mostly a "waxy buildup" from fabric softener.
All the tubes looked open and clear.
I ran a cycle today and the dispenser worked as it should but I didn't add bleach or softener today.
I'll have to keep an eye on it - sometimes, when I add the bleach (slowly) before the wash cycle, it runs right through the dispenser and into the tub.
Siphonic action!

 

[appnut]

When I had mine, I'd be very careful with bleach.  Make sure the dispenser was completely empty.  I'd add at most 3/4 c. bleach so that the siphon wouldn't happen. 

 

[yogitunes]

there are markings to avoid overfilling and premature dispensing....even if bleach does, its dispensed into the outter tub section...

 

[appnut]

premature dispnse..dispensed into the outter tub section

That defeats the whole reason why I chose the LK--last of timed dispensers and you end up having a machine no better than an 80 or 70 series. 

 

[yogitunes]

Lady K's and Limited's both had the same triple timed dispenser setups....in fact the only one's that were 'timed'.....

premature dispensing was never a fault of the machine....

everything else just poured the bleach directly into the machine...

by rare chance you would find on a Whirlpool version, a timed 'Smart Bleach' dispenser that would hold the bleach in a container on the side of the outter tub, solenoid activated to release its contents...

on the Limited version....the softener dispensed its contents on the last rinse, if a second rinse was selected....2nd rinse could be added to any cycle...

 

[philcobendixduo]

I find that....

.....the "premature dispense" is less likely to happen if I pour the bleach into the dispenser VERY slowly.
I usually use no more than 1/2 cup since I started measuring it a few weeks ago.
Before that, I'd just try and pour directly from the bottle into the dispenser which is hard to do slowly unless the bottle is 1/2 full or less.
I think our OLD Whirlpool Imperial belt drive from the early to mid 1960's had the bleach dispenser with the reservoir that dispensed via solenoid valve. The bleach was poured into a "grate" at the front left and just disappeared.
It also had the "Magic Mix" detergent dispenser/lint filter (which looked like a brush and had to be cleaned after every cycle with a comb!).