KDS-18 Impeller Retaining Screw?

[gplewis]

Good Evening,

New to the group and seeking some help with the KitchenAid KDS-18 Superba. I am in the process of replacing the motor (which is making some loud whining sounds) and figured while I had it out of the counter, I would do some other upgrades as well.

At the moment I am trying to work on the wash and drain pump section inside the machine. I downloaded the Service Manual and have done some checking on the “blow-up” images of the parts on the parts sites. I have removed the lower rack, wash arm, strainer, and the wash arm support and this is where I am stuck. The next step says to “remove wash pump impeller retaining screw, spring washer, cap washer, key washer and wash pump impeller.” I don’t see an “impeller retaining screw” so either I am in the wrong ball park or I am missing the obvious. I have included a picture of the area where I am working and I cannot figure out how to get to the spacer washers, etc. as well as to the next level beneath this. All I am seeing is a “socket” for the pin on the end of the shaft. (btw - Those are scratches, not cracks, I checked!)

Any guidance would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Phil Lewis

 

[combo52]

Stuck Impeller Screw

Hi Phil, your SS shaft in the wash-arm-support came loose and wore the head off the impeller screw. You may be able to take a dremel type tool and cut a slot in what is left of the screw and turn it out with a flat blade screw driver, but it looks like you have a very tired pump assembly and you may be better off finding a low use KA KD18-20 DW for parts and taking the complete pump assembly out of it and putting a new seal in it and installing it in your DW.

 

[gplewis]

Hi combo52,

Thanks for the quick response. You have managed to explain why I was struggling to find a screw head which I kept thinking was on the blow-up diagrams’ parts lists. I guess 37 years of wear will do that (someone actually wrote ‘77 as the date installed on the junction box cover) I’ll have to discuss this with my wife in the morning. Not sure a “parts dishwasher” in on the gift list this Christmas. Before I go searching again, do you know if there are new parts available?

Again, thanks,
Phil

 

[stevet]

Whining sounds...

Phil,
John hit the screw right on the head! If you can't find a donor machine (any Kitchenaid 18,19,or 20 series machine pump will go right into your machine,) I know John and I both have pumps that we will be willing to ship out to you at a reasonable cost.

 

[gplewis]

Gotta love the internet

Good Morning stevet,

Thank you also for your quick response. Wife agrees that a used dishwasher, even a gently used one, is not the most romantic of gifts and certain not to please. On the other hand, she also agrees that the present dishwasher is too good a machine to replace. So, I am interested in more information from you and John about availability, etc.

In the meantime, wife says I can keep the machine out of the hole, in the middle of the kitchen floor rather than lug down to garage or manhandle back into hole.

Off to warm up the Dremel.

Thanks again,
Phil

 

[toploader55]

KDS 18

I think was KitchenAid's Best machine.

Keep it going. I have an KDS 18 and a KDS 20. Just can't beat the quality and construction of those older machines.

Glad to hear your wife is all for repairing it and not wanting something new and stainless.

I have a few extra spare random parts. Please feel free to ask.

 

[gplewis]

Hi toploader55,

Agree. The thing is a workhorse. Wife's father installed when they redid the kitchen and it has been used almost daily for 37 years. We inherited the house (plus one from my parents - in which we put a new d/w since the old one was a portable I had given them 50 years ago) and this KDS-18 was making the noise in 2007 when we moved in to care for them. After 7 years of shutting the kitchen door and escaping while it whined its way to cleanliness, we decided to repair rather than replace. As I dig deeper into the recesses of the inner workings, I am sure I will be back with more questions and appreciate the availability of other parts which I may need.

(And here I thought the pointy end was a design feature!)

Thank you,
Phil

 

[gplewis]

An update -

Thank you John (combo52). I finally got the time today to install the new stuff and wife and I can now hold a conversation in the kitchen while the machine purrs on...

And thanks to all on the board who contributed to this thread.

Gratefully,
Phil Lewis