Kitchenaid KDS-17 Help

[jessed]

I just got my first Kitchenaid dishwasher made by Hobart. I have not tested it yet for proper operation but I do believe that it was lightly used. I got it from a convent that closed a few years ago.

I need a new door gasket for it and also one of the buttons. I was wondering if anyone could point me toward a door gasket.

Also how can I tell if the glides in the wash arm are good?

 

[stevet]

gaskets galore! LOL But no buttons

Go to the link below and purchase the door gasket that Hobart moved to for their KD-16/17 derived WM series commercial dishwasher back in the same time frame that your machine was built.
Order part number 00-121030-00002, which is the gasket and if you need them, the small clips that retain the gasket to the door. That part number is 00-024677 and they are quite pricey.

The only place to find the button(s) would be if someone on here has them in their stash or maybe on eBay. The went obsolete decades ago.

http://thesmartpartsestore.hobartservice.com/

 

[combo52]

KDS-17 Questions

Hi Congratulations of getting your first KA Dw, this was the last single wash-arm KA DW, It was a very popular model for KA, it was said that this model was the single best selling DW in the US in the early 70s.

 

Door gaskets are hard to come by but almost never wear out, is your really bad. You might be able to get a white one from Hobart's commercial division.

 

The wash arm should turn easily and not wobble too much, and the SS post it turns on should be tight in the wash arm support.

 

Keep us posted how it works out, John L.

 

[jessed]

The gasket has gotten hard from not being used for 3 years since the convent closed. Thank you for the quick responses. I will try to get some pics tomorrow. Also would it be worth saving a KDS-18 with a bad motor for other parts.

 

[rp2813]

If you remove the gasket and soak it in the hottest possible water, it may soften up and become viable again.

 

This rejuvenation technique is used with considerable success on the rubber main seal in the sump area (but it doesn't have to be removed -- just dump the hot water into the bottom center of the machine).  This is probably something you should do anyway before running the machine since it has been sitting for three years.

 

[jessed]

What else should I look for when I start working on this dishwasher? I want to clean it up good and replace my Whirlpool with it.

 

[combo52]

KDS-17 Questions

I would not remove the door gasket to try to soften it up, you can clean it up in place and it may soften up somewhat when the DW is run, just poor a quart of hot water in the machine and run it and see what happens.

 

PS, don't ditch you WP DW yet, John L.

 

[jessed]

Here are the photos.

 

[cycla-fabric]

Congrats on getting a Kitchenaid kds17. I agree with JohnL and don't ditch your WP dishwasher for this one. I have a KDS17 as a backup machine and being that it only has one wash arm on the bottom of the tub does have its limitations, especially when loading it as you have to make sure that nothing on the bottom rack blocks the water getting to the top rack. The machine has its limits as to what can go in it and where you can put it. The cycles are short, but they do the job. I use the Full Cycle all the time and most of the time it gets everything clean(again its how you load it, and it's hard to do a quote "Bob Load" in it, I feel that the Soak cycle (recommended for pots) is a joke on this machine as it really can't clean a really dirty pot, the other cycles are ok and do the job. I hope that all goes well with your machine, they are vintage and do a good job, but nothing special. I would take the KDS18 too, as that is a better machine than the 17, but that is my opinion. Good Luck with your new project.

Doug

 

[jessed]

More Problems

I just plugged in the dishwasher to see if it would run and I believe that the timer is bad. Something shorted right when I went to turn it on. Also I believe that the soap compartment is bad too. It looks like it has been leaking.

 

[jessed]

Does anyone have a timer and a soap door.