My Dishwasher Experience!!

[joefuss1984]

So for a while now I have been growing more and more unhappy with my cheap Americana dishwasher.  While I do not have to use TOL I do like some bells, whistles and gadgets, after all I am a techie.  I have been browsing through Craigslist looking for a replacement for this dishwasher without having to pay new price.  Last Friday I thought I had found just exactly what I was looking for.  I found a white (I prefer other colors but my whole kitchen is white and I feel my appliances have to match so the color white was a must) Kenmore for $40.  The dishwasher was made my Frigidaire and while I was a bit apprehensive about the manufacturer I noticed that the dishwasher had a 3 level wash, filtered water, heated water with sanitize and a food chopper.  For 40 bucks what did I have to loose.  I arranged to check in with the seller on Saturday to take a look.  

 

I arrived at the sellers home on Wednesday afternoon.  He was very friendly and had just moved to Central Arkansas from Texas.  He said he was upgrading the kitchen appliances and stated the dishwasher washed OK and would benefit from a cleaning tablet.  Upon looking at the inside of the dishwasher I noticed cakeup upon cakeup (my prefered terminology of the issue) of what looked like water deposits.  Looking further I notice this is not water deposits (we have great water in Central Ark) but indeed soap deposits by the mega-dose.  I agreed to buy it.  Here again I was thinking 40 bucks for a 5 year old machine with options, if it doesn't work I can always resell it for the same price.  

 

So I got Scummy (my new name for this dishwasher) home and unloaded.  Here I will pause for a picture of Scummy...

 

 

 

[joefuss1984]

And a picture of the options...

I always did get in trouble for pressing buttons as a kid

 

[joefuss1984]

So back to the story...

OK, So I start to try to clean up all of the soap-scum all over this poor dishwasher (you start to develop a bond with the appliance as you work so hard to make it mint condition again).  This led me to remove the lower rack and start dis-assembly of the glass trap and filters.  I find even more built up scum down here.

 

[joefuss1984]

As I am so diligently working on the fine mesh screen that is totally blocked with soap and the other parts something caught my eye.  I had to do a double take and then went to grab a flash light.  I did not want to mess anything up, I had never been this involved in working on a dishwasher before.  I found the solution to all of the soap buildup.  Can you?  

 

[frigilux]

Looks like a cap for a water bottle or something...am I close?

 

[joefuss1984]

Right you are!!  I don't know how this poor thing swallowed that.  I hooked it up in the garage and ran it through the rinse cycle.  It sounds great, lots of power, switches between the upper and bottom racks just fine and will be installed hopefully Sunday in my house.  I will let you know how it washes!

 

[joefuss1984]

The offending mechanism 

 

[ronhic]

Some people really do deserve a slap for being idiots....

 

[lebron]

I always did get in trouble for pressing buttons as a kid

Glad to hear it wasn't only me!

Nice d/w !

 

[mark_wpduet]

Cool! Be sure to post after pictures. Hopefully you will get some years out of it. I can't believe all that build up. Mine is seven years old and doesn't have any buildup, but I use citric acid or (Lemi shine) and you can also use those packets of sugar free (only) lemonade mix powder occasionally with the longest wash.

I will also add that I think Finish Quantum powerball is AWESOME. It not only beats the phosphate FREE Cascade versions by a mile but it also beats the Institutional Cascade with phosphates. I couldn't believe it.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Stand in front of it and push the quick wash button for a quickie.

 

[joefuss1984]

I really think all of that buildup is soap, it feel powdery. Mostly likely from the bottle cap stuck in the sump and the owners kept trying to use it anyway. I wish I could ask the dishwasher how that bottle cap got in there. I think just running it with hot water will help a lot but I do plan to use something in it to clean it out. Love the Finish Quantum detergent as well.

 

[pdub]

Wow, glad you found the problem and it does look like something simple. I don't see any openings in the guard big enough for that cap to get through. Maybe it was sitting in the bottom and someone removed the guard, didn't see it and down it went.

Reminds me of a GE Filter-Flo someone junked because it would no longer spin. All that was wrong was one of the wires to the lid switch was pinched and finally broke. The machine would do everything but spin and drain. Their loss.

You found a bargain Joe!

Patrick

 

[jaxsunst]

Where in LR are you? I'm from there and visit often.

 

[cuffs054]

Joe, I've had three of this design Fridg DW and been very happy with all three. The current one is going on 6 years and is used every day, plus. I think you'll be happy with your purchase.

 

[joefuss1984]

First loads and thoughts

I ran one load through with nothing on the sanitize cycle and that removed a lot of the soapscum.  The next load I ran with dishwasher cleaner on sanitize and that really cleaned up a lot of the gunk.

 

The third load I ran with dishes.  It is really quiet and my dishes came out really clean.....but....

 

there was a huge blob of ketchup on the floor of the dishwasher by the door this morning, which was a little discouraging.  The holes on the bottom of the sprayarm were stopped up when i got it.  I unstopped them but they might have stopped up again since all that gunk is coming loose.  I will check it out tonight.  Will get some gunkless pictures posted in the next day or so.

 

[joefuss1984]

jaxsunst, check your email, I live in West Little Rock not to be confused with Southwest Little Rock hahaha

 

[foo123]

"After" photos?