beekeyknee
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Top View. I'll show a fix for this later.
My Habitat ReStore find, KitchenAid KDS-20, March 2010.
- Thread starter beekeyknee
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beekeyknee
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Right front angle.
beekeyknee
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Front View
beekeyknee
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Upper Front Panel.
beekeyknee
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Sump Area
beekeyknee
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Manufacturer's label.
beekeyknee
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Air Vent
beekeyknee
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Top rack looking down.
beekeyknee
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Underneath View. Any thing missing?
beekeyknee
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Water Valve Removed.
beekeyknee
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Cracked Water Valve. Not fixable.
beekeyknee
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Motor Label. Didn't realize before the the 18, 19, and 20 all had the same motor.
beekeyknee
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Blower motor with thermostat directly below.
beekeyknee
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Fine Particle Strainer.
beekeyknee
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Screw Bowl. Some people like magnetic bowls. I like regular bowls with Post-Its for reference.
beekeyknee
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Odds and Ends.
beekeyknee
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Zoom-Spout Oil. A must have.
beekeyknee
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Kirby set up as blower. Nice when your Dad's air compressor is 60 miles away.
beekeyknee
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Text for KitchenAid D/W KDS-20
I've noticed lately that a lot of people have been asking questions about KitchenAid dishwasher switches. Here's a process I've gone through more than once to restore and revive old switches. In my zeal to get this machine going I forgot to take pictures during my repair process. If you already know how to do these things or are not interested, skip to the final pictures. Keep in mind it was several months ago when I did this so if I say "I believe" or "As I recall", you'll understand.
The problem that caused this machine to be rejected was loose screws around the detergent dispenser. It had been leaking for along time. A stalagmite of old detergent had formed around what appeared to be a small weep hole underneath the dispenser, between the inner and outer doors. There was a grey putty-like substance, like the rope caulk type weather stripping that comes from Ace Hardware (Ace). When the dispenser leaked it would run through the hole and back into the tub. I don't know if that little hole in the grey putty was deliberate, but it sure saved this dishwasher from the trash for along time. Eventually the hole went shut, the interior of the door would fill with water, and when the owner opened the door water would run onto the floor.
To fix the problem I removed the chrome strips from the sides of the door and slid the colored panels and cardboard from the door. I cleaned the strips and panels and put them in a safe place until reassembly. Then I removed the galvanized panel by removing the small screws around the outside perimeter of the porcelain side of the door. This reveals the interior chamber of the door. I removed the stalagmite, tightened the dispenser screws (not too tightly - plastic), replaced the grey putty around the bottom of the inter door with new putty from Ace and the problem was solved. I did some other cleaning and checked all the electrical connections while I was in there.
It's best to use powdered detergent in these old machines because they were not made to use the liquid type, it tends to all run out in the first cycle and I've heard that liquid detergent is hard on the gasket underneath the dispenser cup. Don't overfill the cups with powdered detergent as it makes it hard for them to open.
Since I'd gone this far I figured I might as well restore the whole thing, being it was in such good condition. I removed the bottom door panel and the brass colored metal strip at the bottom of the door that guards the wires when the door is opened and closed. This same strip also holds the bottom door panel on. The back edge of the bottom door panel slips under this strip. I took out the baffle by removing the rubber screw covers on the three screws at the inside bottom of the inter door and removed the screws on the bottom of the door inside the tub. Then I took off the door springs, sat on the ground, lowered the door down to my lap and removed the door hinge screws and slightly pulled the door toward me, away from the D/W. I pulled the baffle out by moving it around in different directions and finally got it at an angle where it would slip out, keeping in mind how it came out so I could get it back in. I put the door hinge screws back on, closed the door, and put the hinge springs back on. I took the baffle to the sink and started scrubbing. What a nasty mess. I soaked it in vinegar to remove the hard water deposits. On the D/W I used a damp rag and stuck it up in the slot where the baffle was and tried to clean as much crud out as I could. A lot of it was dry so I could knock it off. Then I reversed the process and the baffle area of the door was back together. Be careful not to over tighten the baffle screws, as you're screwing into plastic. What a job! I think it was the hardest part of the rebuild. Really hard on your back.
Then I disconnected the wires to the rinse agent dispenser, unscrewed the plastic nut on the neck of the dispenser, and carefully removed the rubber washer underneath as the washer can stick to the porcelain and tear. There was a little rust under the washer, so I cleaned it off with some fine grade emery paper, cleaning both sides and running around the inside of the opening to smooth it up, being careful not to scratch the exposed porcelain. Then I wiped everything down with a damp cloth. There wasn't much rust so I didn't worry about sealing it. I figured the rubber washer would keep the water off when I reassembled it. I removed the bi-metal assembly from the top to wash out the dispenser. I filled the dispenser with hot water and covered the openings where water could escape, then shook it vigorously. I repeated this several times. On the last time, I turned the dispenser all different directions so the water would all run out. The dispenser is compartmentalized, so it's hard to get the water out. Then I took the bi-metal assembly apart to inspect, took out the plunger and rinsed it, dried it, reassembled it, and put it back on the dispenser. Note that the screws are different sizes and try to keep bi-metals dry as they'll rust. Then I put the dispenser neck back through the opening, put a small amount of turbine oil on the rubber washer so the nut would tighten down, put the washer on the neck, then the nut, tightened it down snugly, and reattached the wires.
On to the control panel:
First release the end caps by removing the two big screws at the top of the door on the white porcelain side, be careful during this part as the cast aluminum end caps can fall off and be broken or scratched and I don't think they're available anymore. Take the caps off and put the screws back in the holes on the caps to help me remember where they go.
There are four screws along the top edge of the door that hold the control panel cover on. Take off the door handle and screw (the handle is cast too) and put the screws, handle, and end caps in hot soapy water to soak while you proceed. After the top screws are out and the handle is removed I believe the control panel will separate from the door.
The lights that shine through the panel have to be disconnected now. The "rinsed only" light and the cycle sequence cluster have to be disconnected from the panel. The "rinsed only" light slides downward and the cluster comes loose by gently pulling the plastic hooks away from the sides. Don't pull too far it could easily break. Now the control panel will be free. Pull it toward you and it should drop down. Clean the front of the panel, the holes where the buttons were, and the hole where the handle goes. You can use a damp cloth or paper towels moistened with Windex. Use nothing abrasive. Watch for sharp metal edges on the backside.
If there is dirt where the acrylic meets the metal on the front use a toothpick to loosen and wipe clean. You can clean the metal on the back, but I wouldn't clean too much on the back side of the acrylic with the "KitchenAid" logo surrounded by the golden color and the burled wood design around the edges. The design is bonded to the back of the acrylic. If you rub it or try to separate the acrylic from the chrome panel it could be damaged and would appear unsightly when viewed from the front. Mostly, just clean the area where the lights shine through. You can also lightly wipe the front of the bulbs with a damp, lint free cloth and wipe the plastic cover on the sequence cluster so the lights will appear brighter.
Now to the switch and timer:
I pulled all the buttons off the switch by hand. For the 20 series D/W they're plastic with a faux chrome finish and pliers would damage them. If a tool must be used, use caution. The older ones may be real chrome, but pliers can also damage real chrome too. Soak the buttons in hot water and soap. Take the screws out of the selector switch and make a diagram where the wires attach to the switch. Take needle nose pliers and work the lugs off the terminals until the switch is free from the machine. Then soak the switch with WD-40 while working all the selectors one by one. Wrap your thumb in a towel and push in on the reset wafers on the left end of the switch. There are three wafers sandwiched together that pop out of the end of the switch when different buttons are pushed. When you push the wafers in, all the selector spades pop out and the switch is reset. Continue to spray WD-40 in the switch and work all the selectors until you're convinced the switch is clean and working well. Then press the reset wafers.
Hold the switch tightly and sling it toward the ground to remove the WD-40. If you have an air compressor with a dusting tool attachment you can use this to remove the excess fluid. Test the tool first to make sure it's not blowing out any dirt or water. Then use a lint free towel and wipe the switch down well. Be careful with the switch. It's made out of a hard type of material that will break easily if dropped or hit against something. The reset wafers are delicate too. Always push the wafers directly into the switch, not at an angle.
Set the switch aside to dry while you clean the buttons. An old toothbrush works well. Dry the buttons off and blow into the back of the buttons to remove the water. Set them aside for later. While the control panel is open, you can check the interlock switch at this time too, if you'd like. It's in the upper right hand corner of the control area. It can be removed, cleaned, adjusted and checked for continuity. Pushed in is closed; released is open.
After the selector switch is dry reattach the wires according to the diagram you made earlier. I don't move wires around a lot but if I can re-route wires where they don't crisscross each other or move them to an area where nothing else is, without having to bend them a lot, I'll do it. Sometimes I'll tuck a wire out of the way so it doesn't get in a bind or maybe rub something and cause a short. If the wires are old and stiff it may be better not to move them. They could break or the insulation could come off.
While I had the control panel apart I took the timer off to check it. I think it's held in by two screws with a ground wire on one of the screws. When I got it loose I detached the wiring harness. Then I slid the aluminum cover off the left end of the timer to check for dirt and lubrication. The timer should be clean on the inside with a light coating of lithium grease on the cams and the contacts should be dry and show no signs of burning or arcing. My timer was clean and in good condition, so I slid the cover back over it. Made sure the harness is fully seated and the interlock clip is clicked in. Put your timer back on the machine like it was.
Reassembly: Screw your switch back on to the machine until it’s not quite tightened down. Make sure the door latch is in the closed position. You may have to temporally put the handle back on for this. Put your fingers on the right side of the switch and push to your left. Hold the switch in this position while tightening the screws down the rest of the way. This puts the switch in the best position for reset.
With the switch reset (all wafers pushed into the switch) you can check for the proper adjustment of the switch cancel spring. The spring is not really a spring, per se, but a piece of plastic with a hole in the middle that gives a bit when pushed upon. When the door handle is opened a short metal rod that's rounded on the end drops down and pushes on the flat (back) part of the cancel spring which is near the rod, which in turn, pushes the rounded part of the spring toward the end of the switch. Latch the door and push one of the spades to select a cycle. Then unlatch the door. If adjusted properly the spring will push the wafers into the switch and reset it and another button can be pushed after the door is latched again. If improperly adjusted, the wafers will not be completely pushed into the switch and the spades won't pop back out. This can give the impression of a jammed or malfunctioning switch when it really just hasn't been reset.
The switch cancel spring hangs between the door latch and the switch. Above that is the cancel lever spacer, which is attached to the door above the cancel spring. The spacer is notched on one side and the spring is notched on the opposite side. These two mesh together by the notches and are held together by the cancel spring anchor. If the switch is not completely reset when you open the door, an adjustment should be made. To adjust, close the door handle, loosen the cancel spring anchor enough to allow the switch cancel spring to drop down one notch and then retighten the cancel spring anchor. Then open the door handle again and see if the switch cancel spring resets the switch properly. If the wafers disappear into the switch and all of the spades pop out, the adjustment is correct. If it does not, repeat the process again and lower the switch cancel spring one more notch. Usually one or two notches will give a proper adjustment if the original factory setting has not been changed. Don't over adjust the cancel spring. It should only push on the end of the switch hard enough to reset it. If it pushes too hard it could break the spring or put undo stress on the spring over time. Once the adjustment is correct check each cycle by latching the door, pressing each spade then opening the door to see if the switch resets on all cycles. Also, do this in combination with the Energy Saver setting. If the switch resets in all combinations it is most likely mechanically sound. You won't know if it's electrically sound until you plug it in.
Put your control panel back on by carefully snapping the cycle sequence cluster back in place and sliding the “rinsed only” light back. Then line up the four screw holes on the top of the control panel with the holes in the top of the door. Replace the screws and tighten them down snugly. Place the cast end caps back on, making sure they're properly lined up and snug on the ends. Then replace the screws on the backside of the door (the porcelain side) and tighten, but not overly tight. The screws have rubber under them which could be damaged along with the porcelain. A little dish liquid on the bottom side of the rubber facilitates tightening. Put the door handle back on.
Now, on to the testing phase. If your machine is not one you have owned previously, it's nice to test it outside if you have close access to hot water, electricity, and a paved area. If no paved area, throw down a piece of plywood. If there's a leak, you'll need a hard surface to check for water drops. The machine should be level and the bottom racks should be in place. Since I wasn't the original owner of the machine and I had easy access to the things I mentioned above, I chose to test outside. I got a double female garden hose adapter and a double male adapter to fit onto the garden hose on one end and the D/W on the other. The double male fitting had a place for a wrench so I could tighten it to the D/W. I put thread tape around the small end that went into the D/W valve and tightened it lightly with the wrench. I put new hose gaskets in the double female connector and tightened one end to the double male on the D/W. I connected the garden hose to the hot water faucet where my washing machine hooks up. I purged the hot water hose until I was convinced it was completely clean. I wouldn't hook it up to your hot water heater unless it's brand new. Sediment in the heater can clog your D/W valve. Connect the other end to the double male on the D/W and tighten. Make sure both sides are tightened snugly. Turn on the hot water, and then go to the D/W quickly. Check for leaks on your connections. Tighten if necessary. Wipe up any water, if it has leaked. Check the sump area in your D/W. If there's any water or foreign objects there, soak it up and pick them out or suck it up with a wet vac. Check to make sure drain hose is connected and pointed away, and down hill from your work area. Make sure you're dry, the machine's dry, and the ground it's setting on is as dry as possible. Wear rubber sole shoes. Connect D/W to a grounded outlet; one with a GFI if possible.
The machine has to be tested with the bottom rack in place. There are white plastic tabs on the front corners of the rack that keep the machine from leaking by the hinge area. Close door and latch. Press "cancel cycle". It should advance, click and pump out, advance to the end of the cycle and stop. Open the door. You should hear a couple more clicks. Close the door. Press "rinse and hold". Machine should advance to last rinse. When filling stops, open door and check water level. It should be slightly below the wash arms and the fine particle strainer should almost be covered. If it's not, something is wrong. Low water pressure or clogged screen in water valve should be suspected. Don't run machine with low water level. I'm not sure what proper water pressures are for this machine. Most city water pressure levels are appropriate. 50-60 psi is acceptable. If water level is correct, close door and press "rinse and hold" again. Machine should rinse, pump out, and then advance through dry cycle to end. When you open the door the "rinsed only" light should come on. Close the detergent cups. Close the door and latch. Then select a full cycle, like, "low energy". Machine should advance to "low energy", fill, then stop and heat the water. You should hear a steaming or hissing type sound inside. That's the element heating the water. When the water reaches the correct temperature, it will start to run. Watch the machine closely during this time for leaks, sparking, arcing, or bad sounds, like grinding, scraping, screeching, etc. Track down the sound and see if you can fix what's wrong. Be alert for any burning smells.
Assuming everything is running properly just set the machine on the “low energy” cycle and watch the machine go through its paces. The front cover should still be off the machine. During the first trial run the detergent cups should be empty and closed. During the first wash, or pre-wash, as it is called, I believe the detergent dispenser on the left will open (as you’re facing the machine). It’s spring loaded. You’ll see a white plastic bar fly up and it will make a loud click. The cycle lights on the control panel will coincide with what cycle the D/W’s in. Next the detergent cup on the right will open at the same amount of time into the main wash cycle as the pre-wash one did. Then during the final rinse the rinse agent dispenser will open. It's not as noticeable and doesn't make any noise. The small black box on top of the rinse agent dispenser has a little hole in its top. During the last rinse, a little black rod will slowly lift above the top cover of the box and hold for a bit before dropping back down. If this happens, the rinse agent dispenser is working properly.
Run the machine through all of its cycles to make sure they all work. You can use detergent on the second run-through to clean the machine. If you want, you can use a dishwasher cleaner too, like "Dishwasher Magic". During one of the dry cycles, hold on to the back of the flo-thru drying unit. About a minute or so into the cycle, the metal should start to get hot. Then you'll know the heating element is working. When the testing is over open the door and let the machine dry out.
Unplug the machine. Replace the galvanized door cover. Slide the colored panels and the cardboard back into the channels on the front and replace the chrome strips on the sides of the door. Put the buttons back on the switch. They don't slide on the spades exactly in the center, but a little off center, either to the left or right. Let the holes in the control panel guide you. The buttons may seem to be on all the way, but I've found if you give the buttons a slightly firmer push, they will slide on a bit farther and seem to be more locked in place. When you open the door the buttons should all stick out the same distance. Then you will know they're all on correctly. If the drain solenoid makes a buzzing noise, you can try spraying it and the lever it operates with WD-40 and then operate the lever by hand a few times. Put a rag behind the valve and blow off the excess WD-40 and then wipe off the hoses and the underneath side of the D/W. I'm not sure if WD-40 is the best cleaner-lubricant to use on a switch, but I couldn't think of anything better that would clean and lubricate, yet be thin enough to run out of the switch easily. It's worked well for me more than once. If anyone has a better idea, let me know. Here is the finished product.
I've noticed lately that a lot of people have been asking questions about KitchenAid dishwasher switches. Here's a process I've gone through more than once to restore and revive old switches. In my zeal to get this machine going I forgot to take pictures during my repair process. If you already know how to do these things or are not interested, skip to the final pictures. Keep in mind it was several months ago when I did this so if I say "I believe" or "As I recall", you'll understand.
The problem that caused this machine to be rejected was loose screws around the detergent dispenser. It had been leaking for along time. A stalagmite of old detergent had formed around what appeared to be a small weep hole underneath the dispenser, between the inner and outer doors. There was a grey putty-like substance, like the rope caulk type weather stripping that comes from Ace Hardware (Ace). When the dispenser leaked it would run through the hole and back into the tub. I don't know if that little hole in the grey putty was deliberate, but it sure saved this dishwasher from the trash for along time. Eventually the hole went shut, the interior of the door would fill with water, and when the owner opened the door water would run onto the floor.
To fix the problem I removed the chrome strips from the sides of the door and slid the colored panels and cardboard from the door. I cleaned the strips and panels and put them in a safe place until reassembly. Then I removed the galvanized panel by removing the small screws around the outside perimeter of the porcelain side of the door. This reveals the interior chamber of the door. I removed the stalagmite, tightened the dispenser screws (not too tightly - plastic), replaced the grey putty around the bottom of the inter door with new putty from Ace and the problem was solved. I did some other cleaning and checked all the electrical connections while I was in there.
It's best to use powdered detergent in these old machines because they were not made to use the liquid type, it tends to all run out in the first cycle and I've heard that liquid detergent is hard on the gasket underneath the dispenser cup. Don't overfill the cups with powdered detergent as it makes it hard for them to open.
Since I'd gone this far I figured I might as well restore the whole thing, being it was in such good condition. I removed the bottom door panel and the brass colored metal strip at the bottom of the door that guards the wires when the door is opened and closed. This same strip also holds the bottom door panel on. The back edge of the bottom door panel slips under this strip. I took out the baffle by removing the rubber screw covers on the three screws at the inside bottom of the inter door and removed the screws on the bottom of the door inside the tub. Then I took off the door springs, sat on the ground, lowered the door down to my lap and removed the door hinge screws and slightly pulled the door toward me, away from the D/W. I pulled the baffle out by moving it around in different directions and finally got it at an angle where it would slip out, keeping in mind how it came out so I could get it back in. I put the door hinge screws back on, closed the door, and put the hinge springs back on. I took the baffle to the sink and started scrubbing. What a nasty mess. I soaked it in vinegar to remove the hard water deposits. On the D/W I used a damp rag and stuck it up in the slot where the baffle was and tried to clean as much crud out as I could. A lot of it was dry so I could knock it off. Then I reversed the process and the baffle area of the door was back together. Be careful not to over tighten the baffle screws, as you're screwing into plastic. What a job! I think it was the hardest part of the rebuild. Really hard on your back.
Then I disconnected the wires to the rinse agent dispenser, unscrewed the plastic nut on the neck of the dispenser, and carefully removed the rubber washer underneath as the washer can stick to the porcelain and tear. There was a little rust under the washer, so I cleaned it off with some fine grade emery paper, cleaning both sides and running around the inside of the opening to smooth it up, being careful not to scratch the exposed porcelain. Then I wiped everything down with a damp cloth. There wasn't much rust so I didn't worry about sealing it. I figured the rubber washer would keep the water off when I reassembled it. I removed the bi-metal assembly from the top to wash out the dispenser. I filled the dispenser with hot water and covered the openings where water could escape, then shook it vigorously. I repeated this several times. On the last time, I turned the dispenser all different directions so the water would all run out. The dispenser is compartmentalized, so it's hard to get the water out. Then I took the bi-metal assembly apart to inspect, took out the plunger and rinsed it, dried it, reassembled it, and put it back on the dispenser. Note that the screws are different sizes and try to keep bi-metals dry as they'll rust. Then I put the dispenser neck back through the opening, put a small amount of turbine oil on the rubber washer so the nut would tighten down, put the washer on the neck, then the nut, tightened it down snugly, and reattached the wires.
On to the control panel:
First release the end caps by removing the two big screws at the top of the door on the white porcelain side, be careful during this part as the cast aluminum end caps can fall off and be broken or scratched and I don't think they're available anymore. Take the caps off and put the screws back in the holes on the caps to help me remember where they go.
There are four screws along the top edge of the door that hold the control panel cover on. Take off the door handle and screw (the handle is cast too) and put the screws, handle, and end caps in hot soapy water to soak while you proceed. After the top screws are out and the handle is removed I believe the control panel will separate from the door.
The lights that shine through the panel have to be disconnected now. The "rinsed only" light and the cycle sequence cluster have to be disconnected from the panel. The "rinsed only" light slides downward and the cluster comes loose by gently pulling the plastic hooks away from the sides. Don't pull too far it could easily break. Now the control panel will be free. Pull it toward you and it should drop down. Clean the front of the panel, the holes where the buttons were, and the hole where the handle goes. You can use a damp cloth or paper towels moistened with Windex. Use nothing abrasive. Watch for sharp metal edges on the backside.
If there is dirt where the acrylic meets the metal on the front use a toothpick to loosen and wipe clean. You can clean the metal on the back, but I wouldn't clean too much on the back side of the acrylic with the "KitchenAid" logo surrounded by the golden color and the burled wood design around the edges. The design is bonded to the back of the acrylic. If you rub it or try to separate the acrylic from the chrome panel it could be damaged and would appear unsightly when viewed from the front. Mostly, just clean the area where the lights shine through. You can also lightly wipe the front of the bulbs with a damp, lint free cloth and wipe the plastic cover on the sequence cluster so the lights will appear brighter.
Now to the switch and timer:
I pulled all the buttons off the switch by hand. For the 20 series D/W they're plastic with a faux chrome finish and pliers would damage them. If a tool must be used, use caution. The older ones may be real chrome, but pliers can also damage real chrome too. Soak the buttons in hot water and soap. Take the screws out of the selector switch and make a diagram where the wires attach to the switch. Take needle nose pliers and work the lugs off the terminals until the switch is free from the machine. Then soak the switch with WD-40 while working all the selectors one by one. Wrap your thumb in a towel and push in on the reset wafers on the left end of the switch. There are three wafers sandwiched together that pop out of the end of the switch when different buttons are pushed. When you push the wafers in, all the selector spades pop out and the switch is reset. Continue to spray WD-40 in the switch and work all the selectors until you're convinced the switch is clean and working well. Then press the reset wafers.
Hold the switch tightly and sling it toward the ground to remove the WD-40. If you have an air compressor with a dusting tool attachment you can use this to remove the excess fluid. Test the tool first to make sure it's not blowing out any dirt or water. Then use a lint free towel and wipe the switch down well. Be careful with the switch. It's made out of a hard type of material that will break easily if dropped or hit against something. The reset wafers are delicate too. Always push the wafers directly into the switch, not at an angle.
Set the switch aside to dry while you clean the buttons. An old toothbrush works well. Dry the buttons off and blow into the back of the buttons to remove the water. Set them aside for later. While the control panel is open, you can check the interlock switch at this time too, if you'd like. It's in the upper right hand corner of the control area. It can be removed, cleaned, adjusted and checked for continuity. Pushed in is closed; released is open.
After the selector switch is dry reattach the wires according to the diagram you made earlier. I don't move wires around a lot but if I can re-route wires where they don't crisscross each other or move them to an area where nothing else is, without having to bend them a lot, I'll do it. Sometimes I'll tuck a wire out of the way so it doesn't get in a bind or maybe rub something and cause a short. If the wires are old and stiff it may be better not to move them. They could break or the insulation could come off.
While I had the control panel apart I took the timer off to check it. I think it's held in by two screws with a ground wire on one of the screws. When I got it loose I detached the wiring harness. Then I slid the aluminum cover off the left end of the timer to check for dirt and lubrication. The timer should be clean on the inside with a light coating of lithium grease on the cams and the contacts should be dry and show no signs of burning or arcing. My timer was clean and in good condition, so I slid the cover back over it. Made sure the harness is fully seated and the interlock clip is clicked in. Put your timer back on the machine like it was.
Reassembly: Screw your switch back on to the machine until it’s not quite tightened down. Make sure the door latch is in the closed position. You may have to temporally put the handle back on for this. Put your fingers on the right side of the switch and push to your left. Hold the switch in this position while tightening the screws down the rest of the way. This puts the switch in the best position for reset.
With the switch reset (all wafers pushed into the switch) you can check for the proper adjustment of the switch cancel spring. The spring is not really a spring, per se, but a piece of plastic with a hole in the middle that gives a bit when pushed upon. When the door handle is opened a short metal rod that's rounded on the end drops down and pushes on the flat (back) part of the cancel spring which is near the rod, which in turn, pushes the rounded part of the spring toward the end of the switch. Latch the door and push one of the spades to select a cycle. Then unlatch the door. If adjusted properly the spring will push the wafers into the switch and reset it and another button can be pushed after the door is latched again. If improperly adjusted, the wafers will not be completely pushed into the switch and the spades won't pop back out. This can give the impression of a jammed or malfunctioning switch when it really just hasn't been reset.
The switch cancel spring hangs between the door latch and the switch. Above that is the cancel lever spacer, which is attached to the door above the cancel spring. The spacer is notched on one side and the spring is notched on the opposite side. These two mesh together by the notches and are held together by the cancel spring anchor. If the switch is not completely reset when you open the door, an adjustment should be made. To adjust, close the door handle, loosen the cancel spring anchor enough to allow the switch cancel spring to drop down one notch and then retighten the cancel spring anchor. Then open the door handle again and see if the switch cancel spring resets the switch properly. If the wafers disappear into the switch and all of the spades pop out, the adjustment is correct. If it does not, repeat the process again and lower the switch cancel spring one more notch. Usually one or two notches will give a proper adjustment if the original factory setting has not been changed. Don't over adjust the cancel spring. It should only push on the end of the switch hard enough to reset it. If it pushes too hard it could break the spring or put undo stress on the spring over time. Once the adjustment is correct check each cycle by latching the door, pressing each spade then opening the door to see if the switch resets on all cycles. Also, do this in combination with the Energy Saver setting. If the switch resets in all combinations it is most likely mechanically sound. You won't know if it's electrically sound until you plug it in.
Put your control panel back on by carefully snapping the cycle sequence cluster back in place and sliding the “rinsed only” light back. Then line up the four screw holes on the top of the control panel with the holes in the top of the door. Replace the screws and tighten them down snugly. Place the cast end caps back on, making sure they're properly lined up and snug on the ends. Then replace the screws on the backside of the door (the porcelain side) and tighten, but not overly tight. The screws have rubber under them which could be damaged along with the porcelain. A little dish liquid on the bottom side of the rubber facilitates tightening. Put the door handle back on.
Now, on to the testing phase. If your machine is not one you have owned previously, it's nice to test it outside if you have close access to hot water, electricity, and a paved area. If no paved area, throw down a piece of plywood. If there's a leak, you'll need a hard surface to check for water drops. The machine should be level and the bottom racks should be in place. Since I wasn't the original owner of the machine and I had easy access to the things I mentioned above, I chose to test outside. I got a double female garden hose adapter and a double male adapter to fit onto the garden hose on one end and the D/W on the other. The double male fitting had a place for a wrench so I could tighten it to the D/W. I put thread tape around the small end that went into the D/W valve and tightened it lightly with the wrench. I put new hose gaskets in the double female connector and tightened one end to the double male on the D/W. I connected the garden hose to the hot water faucet where my washing machine hooks up. I purged the hot water hose until I was convinced it was completely clean. I wouldn't hook it up to your hot water heater unless it's brand new. Sediment in the heater can clog your D/W valve. Connect the other end to the double male on the D/W and tighten. Make sure both sides are tightened snugly. Turn on the hot water, and then go to the D/W quickly. Check for leaks on your connections. Tighten if necessary. Wipe up any water, if it has leaked. Check the sump area in your D/W. If there's any water or foreign objects there, soak it up and pick them out or suck it up with a wet vac. Check to make sure drain hose is connected and pointed away, and down hill from your work area. Make sure you're dry, the machine's dry, and the ground it's setting on is as dry as possible. Wear rubber sole shoes. Connect D/W to a grounded outlet; one with a GFI if possible.
The machine has to be tested with the bottom rack in place. There are white plastic tabs on the front corners of the rack that keep the machine from leaking by the hinge area. Close door and latch. Press "cancel cycle". It should advance, click and pump out, advance to the end of the cycle and stop. Open the door. You should hear a couple more clicks. Close the door. Press "rinse and hold". Machine should advance to last rinse. When filling stops, open door and check water level. It should be slightly below the wash arms and the fine particle strainer should almost be covered. If it's not, something is wrong. Low water pressure or clogged screen in water valve should be suspected. Don't run machine with low water level. I'm not sure what proper water pressures are for this machine. Most city water pressure levels are appropriate. 50-60 psi is acceptable. If water level is correct, close door and press "rinse and hold" again. Machine should rinse, pump out, and then advance through dry cycle to end. When you open the door the "rinsed only" light should come on. Close the detergent cups. Close the door and latch. Then select a full cycle, like, "low energy". Machine should advance to "low energy", fill, then stop and heat the water. You should hear a steaming or hissing type sound inside. That's the element heating the water. When the water reaches the correct temperature, it will start to run. Watch the machine closely during this time for leaks, sparking, arcing, or bad sounds, like grinding, scraping, screeching, etc. Track down the sound and see if you can fix what's wrong. Be alert for any burning smells.
Assuming everything is running properly just set the machine on the “low energy” cycle and watch the machine go through its paces. The front cover should still be off the machine. During the first trial run the detergent cups should be empty and closed. During the first wash, or pre-wash, as it is called, I believe the detergent dispenser on the left will open (as you’re facing the machine). It’s spring loaded. You’ll see a white plastic bar fly up and it will make a loud click. The cycle lights on the control panel will coincide with what cycle the D/W’s in. Next the detergent cup on the right will open at the same amount of time into the main wash cycle as the pre-wash one did. Then during the final rinse the rinse agent dispenser will open. It's not as noticeable and doesn't make any noise. The small black box on top of the rinse agent dispenser has a little hole in its top. During the last rinse, a little black rod will slowly lift above the top cover of the box and hold for a bit before dropping back down. If this happens, the rinse agent dispenser is working properly.
Run the machine through all of its cycles to make sure they all work. You can use detergent on the second run-through to clean the machine. If you want, you can use a dishwasher cleaner too, like "Dishwasher Magic". During one of the dry cycles, hold on to the back of the flo-thru drying unit. About a minute or so into the cycle, the metal should start to get hot. Then you'll know the heating element is working. When the testing is over open the door and let the machine dry out.
Unplug the machine. Replace the galvanized door cover. Slide the colored panels and the cardboard back into the channels on the front and replace the chrome strips on the sides of the door. Put the buttons back on the switch. They don't slide on the spades exactly in the center, but a little off center, either to the left or right. Let the holes in the control panel guide you. The buttons may seem to be on all the way, but I've found if you give the buttons a slightly firmer push, they will slide on a bit farther and seem to be more locked in place. When you open the door the buttons should all stick out the same distance. Then you will know they're all on correctly. If the drain solenoid makes a buzzing noise, you can try spraying it and the lever it operates with WD-40 and then operate the lever by hand a few times. Put a rag behind the valve and blow off the excess WD-40 and then wipe off the hoses and the underneath side of the D/W. I'm not sure if WD-40 is the best cleaner-lubricant to use on a switch, but I couldn't think of anything better that would clean and lubricate, yet be thin enough to run out of the switch easily. It's worked well for me more than once. If anyone has a better idea, let me know. Here is the finished product.
