KitchenAid Superba leaks due to rusted sump

[bobbyderegis]

Hi All:

Well, after 33 years of use the KDS 20 has finally sprung a leak due to rust in the sump. Ironically, the rust is on the vertical wall of the sump, about the size of a quarter. It is easy to access. What can be done to seal it? The rust is pretty deep- if I pressed the spot, I know my finger would go right through. Since the water heating element is right there, the material has to be heat resistant. Any thoughts on how to fix it? This DW is my baby!

Bobby in Boston

 

[danemodsandy]

I Don't Know....

....That machine as well as some others, but a bolt-and-washer repair sometimes works on holes in tubs.

Essentially, what you do is to get two stainless washers large enough to cover the hole, plus a stainless bolt that fits through the hole in the washer, plus a stainless nut that fits the bolt. You also need some rubber sheet material, not too thick.

You cut two pieces of rubber a little larger than the washers, with holes cut in the middle of them, then put one washer on either side of the hole, with a piece of rubber underneath each washer. You then put the bolt through the washer holes, fit the nut to the bolt and tighten everything up. The rubber pieces act as gaskets, so that water doesn't work its way around the edges of the washers.

This might or might not work, depending on clearance for moving parts in the sump, and on the curvature of the area. If there's much curvature, sheet stainless, with holes drilled in each piece, might also work. Hard to say.

The only really "factory" repair would be a tub transplant from a donor machine. Laborious as all hell, but it would restore your baby to perfect shape, if you can find a donor machine with a good tub.

 

[machinehead]

Another idea

I had an emergency rust through repair in the forced-air exhaust port of the kds-17a I'm using at the moment. I fabricated a piece of dryer vent tubing as a sleeve insert for the inside of the cast cylinder/hole in the tub the blower fan attaches to underneath. That bolstered up the fragile metal: now, what might help you is what I did next. I carefully sealed up the inside diameter and the outside diameter with a thin film of RTV sealant. Allow this to cure for xx time, varies with the maker of the sealant, and retest. RTV is very forgiving for irregular surfaces, and is waterproof. In your case, I would suggest using high-temp RTV as a thin film on your sealing surfaces during assembly, using danemodsandy's ideas. I was an auto technician for 12 years, and used RTV with great success on stuff that was a BIT%H to seal up. When used sparingly (no massive RTV globs/boogers) it works well. No issues here so far. Make sure your surface is as clean and dry as possible before applying! Humid air (as in any dishwasher) accelerates curing of the sealant, and with no flexion/movement of the surfaces, theoretically, it's all good! Theoretically, mind you... ;-)

 

[bobbyderegis]

Hey guys:

I went a great old hardware store and found lots of rust treatments and sealers. I picked up some JB Weld Steelstick, steel reinforced epoxy putty. It is designed for repairing rust spots, sealing, heat and acid resistant, and OK for drinking water containers. Has anyone used this before? Any advice for or against?

Bobby in Boston

 

[epixstar128]

Ive used it lots of times. Pluged a leaking pipe going into my slab of my house. Hell i even sealed a rusty oil pan on a old pick up i had.
Just prep prep prep. Clean the area with brake parts cleaner the cleaner the better. If you need to make a patch and then jb weld the patch even better

 

[epixstar128]

Dont use the stick get the two mix tubes if u can

 

[bobbyderegis]

Epicstar:

The tube putty looks kind of stiff. Does the two tube mix have better flow?

Bobby in Boston (who's really getting sick of washing dishes by hand!)

 

[epixstar128]

Yeah mix and hardener much easier to work with

 

[danemodsandy]

Bobby:

Have you seen the thread on the free, just-come-and-get-it 20-series machine in Oklahoma? It's a long way away, but it has what appears to be a pristine tub:

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?48459_12~1

Transport would be an issue, I grant you, but this could be the donor machine that puts yours back in shape for the next thirty years. To say nothing of the fact that said transport would not cost as much as a new, nearly worthless dishwasher.

If any members have a way to help Bobby, that would be great.