KDS-16 KitchenAid Dishwasher Replacement Door

[washermatt]

Hi:

I have a KDS-16 Hobart KitchenAid dishwasher with the Soak Cycle. While the machine works fine, the inner door panel which was originally coated with white porcelain is very pitted. A number of months ago I posted a question asking how best to cover up the pitted area and I received some very helpful answers. Since that time however and most recently, I was able to purchase what I thought was an exact replacement door from a dismantled KDS-16 machine. I received it and, while it is in very good condition, I noticed one difference between that door panel and the one on my machine. Specifically, while the two holes for the rinse agent dispenser on my KDS-16 machine are located in a diagonal configuration on the inner door, the rinse agent dispenser holes on the replacement door panel I received are configured in a vertical fashion, meaning that one is located directly above the other on the door panel. In all other respects, the door panels appear to be identical. I have since learned that the KDS-16 machines came in two configurations, one WITH the soak cycle (which I have), and an earlier version WITHOUT the soak cycle. I was wondering whether the difference in the configuration of rinse agent dispenser holes in the two door panels is because perhaps the door panel I recently purchased came from an "earlier" machine without the soak cycle, or was there another reason? In any event, I was wondering whether I could use the door panel I just purchased (with the "vertical" configuration of the rinse agent holes) to replace the existing damaged door panel with the "diagonal" configuration.

In addition, if I do replace the door panel, I have some other questions. They are as follows:

(a) Can I use the old gasket from the soap dish dispenser when I move it to the replacement door panel? If the gasket does not seal properly, is there a way to get a replacement, or does anybody have any suggestions as to how to properly seal the old gasket? This same question applies to the gaskets for the rinse agent dispenser.

(b) In dismantling the original door, can I simply pull off the pushbutton controls, or is there another way to properly remove them?

(c) I purchased a new door seal which I want to put on the replacement door panel. It does not have any screw holes in it. Do I simply line up the new rubber seal with the screw holes in the replacement door and punch holes with a sharp object, or is there a better way?

(d) Are there any special precautions I need to take in dismantling the old door panel and installing the replacement?

Thank you all for your time in reading this, and any responses anybody can offer.

--Matt--

 

[bajaespuma]

I just did this so...

Yes, you can reuse the detergent dispenser round black rubber gasket if it's in decent condition; I did. Ditto for the gaskets on the rinse agent dispenser. Remember to mark the contacts and leads with colored tape or somethings so you know how to reconnect everything.

 

The pushbutton PIECES themselves are held onto the pushbutton armatures by friction only, so you can carefully remove them by pulling them straight back but why would you need to? The pushbutton cycle assemply is attached to the inner door with a couple of screws. They're interchangeable so if you remove the plastic/metal buttons, you should be able to put them back in any order. As far as the "inner door seal", do you mean the light blue colored rubber gasket?

 

It would be helpful and entertaining if you could post some pictures of the panel and parts in question, the control panel and the machine in general.

 

[washermatt]

I would like to upload photos of the KDS-16 doors

Hi: I would like to upload digital photos which I have of the existing KDS-16 door and the replacement. However, I don't know quite how to upload multiple photos in a reply. Can I upload more than one photo in a reply? In addition, if I upload them in JPEG format, how do I make them small enough so that they can be properly viewed? Any help you can provide would be appreciated because I would like to share these photos.

Thank you.

--Matt--

 

[DADoES]

 
One picture per post.  Post multiple replies if you have multiple pictures to share.  IIRC image files must be no larger than 300KB, and the system will resize the height/width within a range to fit.  What you see on the preview is what you get.  Use your own photo editing software to shrink pics if necessary.

An "easy" way to resize if you're running Windows XP or higher AND an e-mail client (Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird -- it won't work thusly with web-based mail services), is to right-click on the pic(s) and SendTo Mail Recipient (e-mail them to yourself).  Windows will offer to resize the pics on the e-mail, choose an appropriate size. Post the e-mailed versions when you receive them back to yourself.

 

[washermatt]

KDS-16 Dishwasher Replacement Door

Hi: As I indicated in my original posting here, I am attempting to replace the inner door on my KitchenAid KDS-16 dishwasher because the porcelain is severely worn away and pitted. I was able to obtain a replacement door from what I thought was a similar KDS-16 model, but the door from this other machine appears to be a different in terms of the configuration of the holes for the rinse aid dispenser. Specifically, the holes in the door to my machine are in a diagonal configuration, while the holes in the replacement door are in a vertical configuration. While my machine is a KDS-16 model with the SOAK CYCLE, the replacement door appears to have come from an earlier version without the soak cycle.

In addition, the replacement door has a terminal board on the back to which wires must be connected, while my machine (with the soak cycle)does not have such a terminal board.

My question is whether I can use the replacement door (which apparently came from an earlier model KDS-16 model), to replace the pitted door on my machine.

Also, does anybody know if I could have the damaged door to my machine refinished by a porcelain refinisher.

In any event, I have a number of photos which I will attach to this and subsequent replies, showing my existing KDS-16 door and the replacement.

This photo shows the existing door to my machine with the damaged porcelain finish.

--Matt--

 

[washermatt]

KDS-16 Dishwasher Replacement Door

This photo shows the replacement KDS-16 door with the rinse aid dispenser holes in a vertical configuration. This is DIFFERENT from the configuration of the rise aid dispenser holes in the damaged door (which are in a diagonal configuration) and which is currently on my KDS-16 machine (with the soak cycle).

--Matt--

 

[washermatt]

KDS-16 Dishwasher Replacement Door

This photo shows the back of the KDS-16 replacement door which has what appears to be a wire terminal connector on it. As will be seen in later photos, this is DIFFERENT from the back of the existing KDS-16 door on my machine which does NOT have a wire terminal connector on it. The wires appear to be connected in a different way.

--Matt--

 

[washermatt]

KDS-16 Dishwasher Replacement Door

This is the photo of the back of the existing door on my KDS-16 machine with the soak cycle. The back of this door does NOT have the wire terminal connector on it which is attached to the rear of the KDS-16 replacement door. Please notice that the wires appear to be connected in a different way.

--Matt--

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[washermatt]

KDS-16 Dishwasher Replacement Door

This is a photograph of a portion of the wiring diagram on the back of my existing porcelain-damaged KDS-16 interior door. Please notice that the diagram indicates that my KDS-16 machine is with the soak cycle.

--Matt--

 

[washermatt]

KDS-16 Dishwasher Replacement Door

This is a photograph of the wiring diagram from the back of the KDS-16 replacement door. Please notice that this diagram indicates that the machine to which this door was attached apparently did NOT have the soak cycle.

Thus, it appears that the doors on the earlier NON soak cycle machines had a different rinse aid dispenser hole configuration than the later soak cycle machines, and the earlier doors also had a terminal block connector system for the wires, while the later soak cycle machines had a different wire connection method.

So my question is whether I can use the earlier model replacement door on my later model soak cycle machine, and whether anybody here has replaced the doors to these machines as I am attempting to do.

Ideally I would still like to have the existing door refinished by a professional procelain refinisher, but I don't know whether such companies exist, and who wuld do a job like this.

I would appreciate anybody's thoughts about the issues I have raised in this posting.

Thank you all for your time.

--Matt--

 

[bajaespuma]

Do you own the new door? If so, just invest the time and see if everything fits. As far as I know, the configuration of the rinse dispenser holes will make no difference. My KDS-16 has the vertical holes as in your replacement door, and the machine does have the Soak cycle, but the terminals are configured like the ones in your old door. Go figure. If you find someone who can do porcelain-on-steel baked refinishing, would you please let us all know? I have about 4 washbaskets that I'd love done. Also, are the plastic collars and fronts of those Rinse-Aid dispenser fill and outlet ports actually blue or have they discolored? If you're going to change the door gasket I'd do it before you install the door.

 

[stevet]

Nothing to worry about!

I doubt you would have to worry about the configuration of the dispenser holes in the replacement door. As long as it has the same detergent dispenser, that is, the round one and it looks like it does, you can simply transfer the components from the old door to the new door. Do it one part at a time and don't be suprised if you will have to use or make new holes in the supports on top to mount some of the parts.
It may be easier, too, to remove the components with the harnesses from the door and leaving them hanging down and out of the door while you remove the old door. Then install the new door and then reinstall all the parts back into the new door.

If you need the gaskets for the rinse agent dispenser, use Hobart part number 115840 which is available from your local Hobart office. They cost 3.10 each.

 

[washermatt]

KDS-16 KitchenAid Dishwasher Replacement Door

I would like to thank Bajaespuma and Stevet for their responses. With respect to Bajaespuma's questions, I do own the KDS-16 replacement door which I recently purchased. The plastic collars on the rinse aid dispenser are actually blue in color, but I believe they were replacements for the original collars.

With respect to the gasket for the detergent dispenser, is there a way to obtain a replacement? And, if not, is there anything I can use to help to seal the existing used gasket?

Thank you again for your time.

--Matt--

 

[bajaespuma]

is there anything I can use to help to seal the existing use

Yes, go to Home Depot or a great NY hardware store and bring the old gasket with you. Use it to find the closest sized toilet or other plumbing rubber gasket for 2 bucks, buy it, bring it home and punch holes in it with a stationery hole puncher, the old kind that looked like a pair of scissors. That's what I did. You could also look in an auto parts store.

 

[combo52]

KDS-16 Detergent Dispenser Gasket

If the old gasket is mostly in one piece I would carefully clean it let it dry and just coat both sides with 100% silicone sealant [ you can get all kinds of great products like this at auto parts stores ] then reassemble the dispenser into the door opening, I have done this at least a hundred times with no problems.