*Sigh* More problems with my dishwasher...

[vrusp1]

Hi, I posted a few years ago about my 70's/80's Caloric dishwasher. That issue was solved, but this one isn't so simple. The motor seems jammed. I was running it and there was a loud noise and then after stopping it and looking inside, it wouldn't run again - just made a humming noise.

The sprayer spins freely and the water will flow into it, but the machine doesn't run.

I'm in New York City and would love to find a tech who could maybe fix it. I'm not above trying to fix it myself. I'm handy, but don't have a lot of experience with appliances.

Can anyone help? Thanks...

 

[egress]

if it abruptly stopped like that, makes me think the pump sucked something in like a piece of glass or hard food and just got stuck, maybe you could pull it apart & see if theres just something simple like that? dunno how easy these are to disassemble however.

 

[cfz2882]

may be fixable from inside dishwasher-need to get spray arm off and dissassemble pump to find cause of the jam.

 

[combo52]

Early porcelain tub 18 inch D and M dishwasher

It sounds like you certainly have a pump and or motor problem, it can be repaired from inside and underneath you don’t have to remove the machine.

It may have gotten something caught in it or the pump may have self-destructed and jammed it also could just be bad motor bearings from water leaking into the motor.

If you were closer, it would be easy to fix, if you want to bring the machine to Maryland, we will fix it for you, it also might be a great time for a new 18 inch dishwasher. These were not great long live machines in the first place.

You will need to find an older technician with gray hair if you want to get this fixed. We still have boxes of parts around for D & M dishwashers although every time I sort things out I throw more the parts away. There’s just no demand for them many more.

John

 

[vrusp1]

Thank you for your responses... So if I were to look into the problem, should I open up the lower front panel or go inside the machine and open up the bottom?

 

[vrusp1]

I'm considering my other options if I can't get this fixed or fix it myself. I've been looking for another machine like it, but they're not so easy to find. This one was in a rental apartment and the tenant rarely used it, so it was in very good shape. I've been using it for 10 years now, so it's been quite a reliable machine. I'm worried that another that I might find might be further into its useful life and I might have more problems with it.

I'm also considering getting a new 18" panel front dishwasher with controls on top of the door, and building a panel that looks like the front of this one by cutting up the door and using the pieces.

I guess it will depend on whether I can get this one to work again. Advice on how to begin would be great. Thanks again.

 

[combo52]

To fix this one

Start by taking the lower trim plate and lower panel off and examine the motor check for signs of water that may have been leaking into the motor and possibly ruined it. If everything looks great there then take it apart from the inside the wash arm and diffuser under it it comes off in one piece, it’s a bunch of little 5/16 inch head screws.

What’s on the front of your current dishwasher? Is that wallpaper or some type of paneling? I like it whatever you have done and in theory it could be pieced together, but it would look like it’s pieced together probably on a new dishwasher .

John

 

[vrusp1]

Here are a couple of pictures... It doesn't look like there's been leaking into the motor to me.

I took the wash arm off. Do I unscrew the screws on the round thing sticking up or on the plate the round thing is attached to?

 

[bpetersxx]

In picture 2 take out the screws on the wash tower thing

You can then get to the wash impeller

See if the wash impeller is jammed turn it back and forth

Be careful in that area in case there is glass or anything that can cut

 

[vrusp1]

Well, I took the parts off (pic #1) and the round thing sticking up (pic #2) doesn't turn at all. Jammed...

 

[bpetersxx]

ok that is the shaft of the drain impeller I think

You need to take the plate off to get the drain impeller off

That shaft does not look centered

Maybe others can chime in as well

 

[combo52]

Good progress, lift the stainless steel plate out now and see if there’s anything caught that will expose the drain impeller which is under it if there’s nothing wedged on the impeller, the motor may have seized up.

I noticed you also took out the outer screws if you remove the drain hose from underneath the machine from the pump and disconnect, the four wires might be five counting the ground You can lift the entire pump assembly out of the dishwasher now and rebuild replace the motor.

You’ve done the hardest part so far if the motor is bad, I can sell you a whole rebuilt motor and pump assembly if you like.

John

 

[vrusp1]

There's nothing caught, so it seems like the motor is siezed.

That sounds like a good solution. I will see if I can disentangle the motor and pull it out to examine more closely.

Do you want to email me directly about a replacement? I can provide my email address.

Thanks...

 

[rollermatic]

you can do it!

i've fixed a bunch of these d&m machines, parts are plentiful on ebay at least, probably other places too.

i see seal kits all the time, and motors as well. don't get suckered in to paying a huge price, seal kits are usually under 20 bucks and a used motor around 20-50. at least from my experience.