Whirlpool dishwasher gasping for water

[pulsator]

My boyfriend's mother has a Whirlpool dishwasher from I'm guessing the late 80s or early 90s and it seems to be having a problem. My boyfriend says its done this since they got it but I'm wondering if there is something wrong? You know the classic (at least to me) Whirlpool dishwashers fill and run the wash pump at the same time and gasps for water until enough fills the sump until they can get a good burst of water through the spray arms and then begin building up again until they get another burst? Aren't they supposed to fill until they no longer gasp for water and can keep a constant flow of water pressure to the spray arms? This machine does not for any of the fills for washes or rinses. The water level doesn't even touch the heating element and the machine gasps for water throughout the entire cycle. Is it time filled? Is there something to be adjusted? I've already taken the water valve off and inspected it for blockages but its clean as a whistle! The machine gets water less than a foot away from the water heater which is set to its absolute hottest setting, could something have been damaged by how hot the water is? I'm at a loss for what's wrong! If I add around a gallon of water to the tub it stops gasping, sounds much better, and cleans better. Even then, the float switch has not been lifted enough to click its switch!

 

[pulsator]

Whoops, kinda blurry...

Close up of the control panel.

 

[pulsator]

Model and serial tag, it's pretty worn away so I don't think it'll be much help...

 

[mrb627]

Time Fill

These are time fill machines. Sounds like you have a blocked fill valve screen or the overflow float is out of adjustment.

Malcolm

 

[yogitunes]

Malcolm beat me to it....and he knows what he's talking about

but yes, start checking from the valve, thru the tubing, and the valve, as well as any tubing from the valve to the airgap....your checking to make sure you have full pressure all the way thru....

but most likely, as we all have found once and again, the screen in the valve is clogged.....since it has been doing it since day one, most likely no one flushed the pipes before installing....

I just installed a new faucet for my MIL, within seconds of turning on the spigots, the water dwindled down to a trickle.......grit and such clogged the valves, the spring unit for the sprayer, and the aireator!.....live and learn

 

[dustin92]

All I can guess is a clogged fill valve screen, or just not enough water pressure to the machine. Our Kenmore ultra wash (basically the same machine) was doing the same thing, just needed the fill screen cleaned. Ours fills before the motor ever starts though.

 

[e2l-arry]

Even with a clean filter,

Sometimes it's just a bad inlet valve. I had a Kenmore that always gasped. Never had enough water. The screen and valve looked fine but I ordered a new one from Sears anyway. It's not an expensive part so I thought I'd give it a try. That solved the problem.

Larry

 

[appnut]

PowerClean-based (WP & KM Ultrawash) are esxtremely sensitive to having the proper amount of water in order for it to function properly.  In fact, I think they are the most sensitive of all brands with regards to this. 

 

[magic_clean]

Jamie, the

heating element should be submerged with the "full" 2.2 gallon fill. Sounds like you are not getting enough water. That machine was manufactured the 17th week of 1989!

 

[washer111]

A Small Possibility

Is it possible: The machine has a "Low pressure mode" that can be used to overcome this problem? I know that some dishwashers have a switch that allows them to use gravity fed water supplies, or there is an option in the computer to extend the fill time by some degree (as seen in Asko machines from way back).

 

[appnut]

The machine has a "Low pressure mode"

Absolutely no!!!

 

[washer111]

In that case then: Disregard what I said.

I'm surprised dishwashers like these don't have a low pressure mode or some way of lengthening the fill! Perhaps the Euro's caught onto that and stopped putting the option on their machines.

 

[thor]

Remove the flow regulator

Pulsator, I had the very same problem with an older Whirlpool dishwasher, problem was solved after I removed the flow regulator from the water valve. From then on, the dishwasher washed like it had never done before.

Please, I don't want to be responsible for flooding nobody's mother kitchen, so first time you run the dishwasher without the flow regulator stay by the machine for the whole duration of the cycle.

I hope this helps,
Emilio

 

[roto204]

Check all of the fill system

Sometimes you can get away with adjusting restrictors, but Roger once had a machine that underfilled because--guess what--there was a chunk of crud at the end of the fill hose, where it meets the cabinet. Not in the squeaky clean valve. You never know...

Once the obstruction was removed from the hose, it worked as advertised.

We run into this a lot here, where the lime from the water crystallizes on the ends of things, and builds up an obstruction over time.

 

[combo52]

BAD INLET VALVE

Jamie replace the inlet valve, I am surprised so many of you guys are suggesting cleaning the inlet valve screen after Jamie already said he did this?. After repairing DWs for almost 40 years I have found that poor filling performance is more than  90% of the time caused by a bad inlet valve,  just replace it and stop wasting time and risk causing a flood by fooling around with an old valve.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

dishwasher sounds

Iremember the time when my baby sitter started her whirlpool dishwasher, it would make that gasping noise when it filled. This was when I was a child. I can tell you that the dishwasher was not to be messed with!

 

[laundromat]

Mine is a convertible. When I first got it, it did the same thing. While trouble shooting, I removed the intake unscrewing the hose from the male threading. In its screen filter,I found residue back up food particles. I removed them and it works great now. I did this three or four years ago. Not recently. No need to.