KDI-18 Lower wash arm jamming

[Blazeword]

I noticed recently that when I open the door of the dishwasher up the lower wash arm has elevated itself up and gets jammed against the lower rack wheel guides. I checked the nozzles and they aren't clogged. It seems like the pressure is pushing the whole arm up instead of just rotating it. The arm spins fairly free when I spin it by hand and the resistance doesn't seem to have changed from before when it did work correctly. Any help would be greatly appreciated. It still cleans and the top and middle arm are spinning but without the rotation of the bottom arm it doesn't do as good of job on extremely dirty dishes.

 

[countryguy]

How can the lower arm get jammed against the wheel guides for the lower rack?  The arms don't extend that far....at least not in my KA. 

 

Gary

 

[gansky1]

Sounds like the pin for the wash-arm support is loose and the whole wash-arm is floating up with the force of the water.  You likely just need a new wash-arm support kit, and maybe a new wash arm.  If the machine has had enough use for the support to be bad, the bearing in the arm is probably shot too, especially if it's been running loose for a while now.  They show up on ebay often enough and it's a very simple repair.

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[Blazeword]

OK. I have some more detail, perhaps it is missing something. If I pull the lower rack out onto the door I can reach in and lift up on the lower wash arm and pull straight up and lift it completely off of the pin. Not sure if that is normal or not. The wash arm has what looks like a copper or brass sleave inside of the plastic housing that mounts onto the pin. The pin itself will move slightly if I wiggle it and if I grasp it and pull up with a fair amount of force I can pull the whole pin out that containes what looks like a copper or brass round rest that the wash arm rests on. When I notice it is jammed the wash arm is lifted up slightly and somewhat cocked to the side on the pin with two of the arms resting against the lower rack wheel guides. The pin itself is not lifted nor is the copper rest ring that the arm sits on. If I jiggle the wash arm it will slide back down onto the pin and rest in the normal position. Closing the door and turning it back on will immediatly produce the same results. If the washer is drained and filling it seems like it doesn't always get jammed. It is almost as if when full the initial surge of the pump turning on full of water shoots the arm up and jamms it like you said but the pin doesn't move. I can take pictures when I get home. Perhaps something came loose though I didn't notice anything when I removed the arm, pin and outer strainer.

 

[combo52]

Washarm Problems on a KD-18 DW

Hi you need a new or good used wash arm support and probably another wash arm, the shaft should not be loose at all ,it is not removable.

 

[Blazeword]

That sucks. The shaft pin is flush with the top of the wash arm assmebly so I don't see how it would be fastened on since there is no room for any additional hardware at the top. Strange thing is it always just lifted off for cleaning since I moved into my house over two years ago and just now started to raise during wash cycles and jam. How is it normally supposed to come off so you can remove the mesh strainer? I have already fixed the heater assembly and wash cups. I can't seem to find any wash arm assemblies or supports. Time to pull it out and give it to the junk man. Being it is from the 80's it has lasted well above and beyond its intended life.

 

[rp2813]

I can understand your frustration, as you have already made repairs to this machine.   If you are done fixing it and want to replace it, be advised that modern dishwashers will not clean as well and will take three times as long to get the inferior job done.  You might want to cruise Craigslist for a later model KitchenAid ranging from series 21 through 23.  Whirlpool took over this division from Hobart starting with series 21 and immediately made improvements to the detergent dispenser system that made it less prone to trouble.  The In-Sink-Erator brand dishwashers from this period are KitchenAid clones, so they are an option for you as well.

 

If you like the way your KDI-18 has performed for you up until this latest issue presented itself (and there are legions here who will tell you the 18 series was the best KitchenAid dishwasher ever), I can assure you that you'll be disappointed if you replace it with a brand new machine, even if it happens to be a KitchenAid.

 

[Blazeword]

I guess it just needs a new wash arm support and arm assembly like previously stated. I will keep an eye out for one. Any harm in running it without the bottom arm rotating other than it not cleaning as well until I find a replacment? Water still sprays out of the nozzle holes.