GE Power Shower Top Loader Dishwasher Won't Drain Can't Remove Bolt

[dishwasherjan]

Hi everyone,

I've had this GE Power Shower dishwasher for about 2 years and it has been working great but today it didn't drain. The water did spray up all over the tops of the dishes but it wouldn't empty.

I looked up some how to videos and thought I could just take the sprayer arm off and look under it and maybe find a clog but I was wrong.

There is a bolt that I just can't get off. Can someone take a look and tell me if I need a special tool or some special trick or knowledge on how to get this off?

Here is a picture:

 

[dishwasherjan]

While I was waiting for someone to offer their kind advice, I flipped the sprayer arm over and noticed the inside of the spot that I think is the food chopper part was clogged all up with all sorts of good stuff....hair, paper, sticks, broken glass, plastic....

So, I cleaned that out but I imagine that if that part had all of that stuff in it, there is probably more further in the machine. I'm going to put it back together and try it out. I doubt that was enough to make it not drain, but I'll try it out anyhow.

Here is a picture of the think I'm talking about:

 

[dishwasherjan]

That didn't work. It sounds more powerful when it is spraying the water than it did before, and some water did drain after the first cycle but then it wouldn't drain on the other cycles. Maybe that is because I was turning the dial to get to the next cycles?

I don't know, but I think I have to take that bottom thing out to see if there is a clog.

It may be the outgoing water hose. I haven't figured out how to get to that so if anyone could tell me, I would very much appreciate it

 

[combo52]

Non Draining GE Axial Motor DW 1962-1966

See if you can blow back through the faucet cuppler easily, if not there may be a clog. The only likley place it will clog is at the faucet cuppler, when the DW tries to drain if it is clogged at the faucet cuppler you may hear a hissing noise at the cuppler.

 

If the cuppler is not clogged the problem is usually in the drain pump, the drain pump impeller just has two tiny ears that engage with the bottom of the wash impeller and usually these ears strip loose and the drain impeller will not turn fast enough to expel the washer.

 

This is where this repair gets challenging, you will need a new wash and drain impeller and a new new main shaft seal is real nice. You will possibility break the screw off in the motor shaft so you will probably need a another motor as well to fix this DW.

 

Since this DW design was only in production about four years these parts are long gone, this added to the fact that most GE plastic coated DWs tanks rusted out so few of the millions of these DWs that GE built ever got their pumps rebuilt, so there are not many parts around, about the best thing to do is find a donor machine with a good pump and motor and just transfer the whole assembly to your machine.

 

John L.

 

[hippiedoll]

Pictures...

Of your GE power shower dishwasher would be cool to see.
We likes to see pictures
)

 

[bigalsf]

Hi, on some models there is a metal tab which is bent against the bolt to prevent it from loosening on it's own. It may be hard to see with the red coloring on the impeller, but look closely. When you locate it use a screw driver to bend it down & away from the bolt head. You will then be able to unscrew the bolt. After the bolt is removed the wash impeller will lift straight up, but it may be stuck to the drain impeller & motor shaft. Loosen the impeller by gently rocking it back & forth and it will eventually loosen (this may take several attempts).

Before doing this you should check the drain hose to see if it's clogged or kinked somehow. Turn the unit over on it's back and you will be able to see the mechanism from underneath. Locate the drain hose & remove it from the the pump. Check the hose end and pump outlet to see if their is an obstruction (try to blow air through the hose to see if there is an obstruction. Check the pump outlet for a blockage using your finger).

If you don't find a clog you will need to remove the wash impeller as I described. As John said if the drain impeller is damaged you will be out of luck as the parts are NLA.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[dishwasherjan]

Thank you everyone...

Hi everyone, thank you for the advice. I haven't had a chance to try to fix it yet. I did blow into it and the air made the water that was still in the machine bubble so I will have to empty it and flip it over and check to see if there is a kink or anything before trying to disassemble the impeller thing.

I will post pictures of the machine sometime in the next few weeks. I sell things online and this time of year gets really hectic. Handwashing is not fun though

I will update when I try everything and hopefully, I'll be able to get it working again.