My Habitat ReStore find, KitchenAid KDS-20, March 2010.

[rp2813]

Thanks Steve. It was a total bust with all the local appliance parts distributors. Except for one old-timer who tried to help, I dealt with young dudes who shut me down as soon as I provided a model number. Just a couple of years ago when I was shopping for stainless inserts for my KDI-21, everybody had them and it was a matter of finding the lowest price, which I believe was around $65.

I'll go to the Sears parts outlet here in town. If they'll order the inserts for me, I think paying sales tax would still be cheaper than the cost of shipping associated with ordering on line.

 

[beekeyknee]

Water Heating Pause

Is the water heating pause only supposed to happen during the first pre-wash on a KDS-20? Ours only pauses on the first pre-wash during regular cycles. Of course it pauses on Soak & Scrub and Sani-cycle during the final rinse.

 

[johncoveralls]

Awesome post! I am in the middle of restoring the same model. Where did you find the part in the photo below?

 

[beekeyknee]

At a locally owned independent parts store here in town. You've been diggin at those archives. Lol.

 

[johncoveralls]

thanks!

 

[audigr]

This looks like mine. Mine is model KDS-60. I am currently deciding whether to replace this with a new dishwasher, or fix the minor(?) things wrong with this one.

* both door springs broke (12 inch long springs, wow)
* dispenser doesn't open during cycle
* starting to get mold inside (our garbage disposal has been broke for 9 months now, could this be related???
* bottom rack needs replaced, rusting and missing one tine
* some rust on the right side of tub in circular pattern (not sure why)
* the purple wire underneath, going to blower motor(?) looks like it burnt off so isn't really connected to anything.

HELP.

 

[toploader55]

Welcome.

 

Wow... Seems you have a few issues.

 

Racks are tough to find, although you might be able to find some. You will pay dearly for them as well.  I have seen just a Upper Rack or Lower go for around $70+ dollars a piece. If your machine had only rack issues, I would say go for it and find some racks.

 

The rust sounds like it's the porcelain enamel could be shot in the tub. If it is blistering up, you have serious rust issues that might not be able to be repaired.

 

The detergent dispenser may be repairable, door springs are rare, but you may have to search for these also.

 

Mold is probably due to the fact that there is food soil in the machine and doesn't really have anything to do with your broken disposal being that the drain valve is in the closed position unless that is shot too.

 

My advice would be to look on Craig's list for another KitchenAid of a newer vintage.  There are quite a few available in the Shopper's Square Forum of this website. Some of these machines are in good shape and are being sold as people want to upgrade their kitchens for newer Stainless Appliances. Perfectly good machines, but they want New Stuff.

 

I personally would look for a newer machine and just give your old KitchenAid a proper send off. There will be many opinions posted here as what the other members feel about your situation.  This my opinion.

 

I wish you well and good luck with your decision.

 

[chachp]

My two cents!

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Here is my opinion and you're likely to get a few more:</span>

<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Springs are all over eBay and generally you can get a set in the $20 range</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Blower units are as well.  Those are likely more in the $50 range but if it's just the wire it could be an easy fix that costs nothing</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Yup, soap dispensers too.  Maybe $30 or so depending how greedy the seller is.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">The racks a bigger challenge but you could really watch for a donor machine on line in the $100 range that has better racks and maybe even good springs, blower unit and dispenser if the dispenser issue isn't a loose wire.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">I think your biggest challenge is the rust spot and the mold.  But honestly I have NEVER heard of mold inside a dishwasher.  Have you not used it in a while?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">So, it really boils down to whether or not you want to challenge these few things.  A picture or two of the mold and rust might help folks here to better assess how serious they are.  You won't find a new machine today that's built as well, washes as well or as quickly as your KDS-60.  Is this a portable or Sink combo unit?  You can search Craigslist for any Kitchen Aid machine in the 20 series for the parts you need if the rust and mold aren't issues that would retire the machine and then you'd have a machine you could use for other parts as needed or just swap them out.  It also depends on how much you like this machine and if it is a sink combo how much trouble it would be to get the dishwasher out.  As I recall some can be a real beast to remove.</span>

 

[audigr]

My dishwasher must have been a portable, but not now. We have lived here 15 years now, it was here when we moved in.

* I have found springs online, but not these that are 12 inches long, and have a rubber bumper around them.
* the purple wire goes to a themostat (see post #482206 reply #12 above)
* since the dispenser hasn't worked (5 years?) I just stick a Cascade pod in the open dispenser slot.
*lower rack will be my big expense, I have already looked around
*rust is surface only, not bubbly. along the same line as the upper spray arm.

see pics.

Thank you all for your input! I don't know how I will tell my husband I want to keep this one. He likes new things.

 

[audigr]

I run this 2-4 times a week.
The reverse color panel is brown. If I keep it, I like what beekeyknee did with the stainless steel panels!!!

 

[combo52]

KUDS-60

Your DW was a portable originally, and it has unique door springs that may be hard to find, we have found that the door springs from early 80s high end GE DWs fit fine [ the ones pictured are not correct ]

 

The rust stains in your DW are from washing steel items in the DW that should not be washed in a DW, the stains will clean off easily with a little cleanser.

 

The DD may just need an adjustment, or the DW may not be filling with enough water [ bad fill valve ] or you could have a clogged wash filter.

 

The burned wire on the heater unit just needs to be repaired.

 

[audigr]

Me again,

Apparently my dish washer is self healing. After reading more posts I went back to using powder soap, and I used the Lemishine. Now my dispenser is working again. Who knew? Thanks for the tips!