18 replies to this topic

[mfreshley]

Recently our Whirlpool dishwashers' ability to clean has greatly diminished.  I've taken it apart and cleaned all of the filters and checked the spray arms and they are all clean and the holes are open.  There is still some food on the dishes but there is baked on food all over the top of the tub and along the sides where the rack slides are close to the sides.
There is no air gap device as they are not required in our area.
Since the dishwasher hasn't been cleaning, the dishes are piling up in the sink.
Do all dishwashers have a check valve on the drain line?  I'm starting to wonder if that is the problem.
How do I check the operation of the check valve without ripping it out?
Also I was told there should be a loop (180 degree) in the drain line before go enters the sink drain and this should be as high as possible under the sink.  I don't have this now.  Is this true?

Burried in dishes...

[certified tech group 51]

Are you getting enough water in to the D/W? It sounds like not enough water to fully spray everywhere........ Start a cycle let it fill, Open the door as it starts to wash and check the water level, should be below the heating element...... If low, check the water inlet valve screen, it could be partially blocked.  The D/W drain hose should be higher than the point of connection at the disposer/ drain line..Called an air gap. You do not want sink water back filling into your D/W..... No check valve that I know of, BUT with no air gap, grease and other sediments settle in the lowest part of your hose, causing slow or no drain.......

[RegUS_PatOff]

also, is the D/W water heater working ?  Does the "heated dry" function work ?

 

 

[mfreshley]

The heated dry does work and cooks on the food quite well thank you.

The water level is also filling up all the way.  Isn't that controlled by the float?  I wouldn't think that the screen being clogged in the inlet line changing much.

Thanks for the ideas guys.  But so far we don't have a winner.

I washed all of the dishes by hand today and scrubbed the dishwasher clean.  I have a small load in there now and we will see what happens.


Thanks again.

[grey shrek]

The d/w gets 2 min. to fill and then the timer moves on to the wash part ---  water or no water. The float is there to stop the unit ftom over filling --- like if the drain didn't work. With all the food in the unit , it sure sounds like food particles in the screen at the macerator(spelling). Some-one here should have a teardown manual for you if you need one. Scrape but do not rinse the plates before going in the d/w.

[RegUS_PatOff]

Whirlpool GU1500XT Service Manual  

[mfreshley]

I ripped everything apart as far as I could without having the manual and got down to the foreign object protector.  Now that I have the manual I see I should have gone at least down to get a look at the chopper.  The maserator (sp) was full of snot.  I got all that out of there and now it seems to be working fine.  I'll probably rip it apart again tonight down to the chopper to see if there is any junk in there.

Thanks for the repair manual.  That makes a big difference.

Anyone know how strict Whirlpool is with their warrantys?  This d/w says there is a 5 year warranty on the control panel.  The buttons on the control panel are cracked (plastic overlay) and you can't get just the overlay without the whole panel.  The buttons still work, but you can't exactly wipe them clean because water would get into the control board now.

Anyhow, thanks again.

[appl.tech.29501]

Try calling Whirlpool concumer @ 1-865-470-6800. Have your model #, Serial # and date of purchase handy as you will need this info.

[mfreshley]

after dealing with this thing for the past few months it is now getting worse, so I took it apart again.  This time I went all the way to the chopper.  There was food gunk dried onto everything.  Put it back together and ran a light load and it made everything on the top dirty.  Someone has to know what is doing it.  I've seen people that have the Kenmore and Kitchen Aid versions of this one and they are having the same trouble.

I even paid a repair man to come out and look at it and he said to switch detergent and it should get better.  He couldn't see anything wrong.

Dirt sensor or check valve is the only thing left.

Someone wise help me.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Awwite, some washability tips:

- Make sure it's circulating water. I know, this sounds pretty basic but you can't see inside the dishwasher so how do know it's really moving water around? Place a glass in the upper rack right side up. Should mostly fill with water after about a minute or so.

- Makes sure the water charge in the basin is at the right level. About a finger width below the heating element is about right on yours.

- Clean out the water feed tube to the upper spray arm.

- Clean out both spray arms. That means remove and blow out with compressed air.

- Use only powdered dishwashing detergent. Avoid gels and, whatever you do, avoid those goad-forsaken tabs like the plague!

- USE RINSE AID! This is not optional on these newer dishwashers.

[mfreshley]

The water level is up to the heating element (partially submerged).  Wash arms are spinning (if you open up quick they are still turning).  I switched to powdered after repair guy said to get rid of that other junk.  Didn't really make a difference though.  Filled rinse aid but it's still not cleaning the top rack.

I cleaned out the spray arms last time I had it apart.  There wasn't anything really in them that needed cleaned out though.  I do need a new flapper on the feed tube that runs up the back where you can adjust the height of the top rack.  The one is always open (the upper one which we use most of the time).  I've been puting it off since you have to buy the whole assembly which isn't cheap and I don't want to throw money down the drain on this sinking ship.

Any other ideas oh noble one?

[certified tech group 51]

How does the top spinner look, the little round disc??  spin freely?? It has the small plastic push pin holder, binding on the top spinner?? your unit has a new top spinner , was p/n 8268296 to p/n 8193768   ........  $ 6.00 for a new top sprayer , does the one pictured at repairclinic look like the one in the picture...     if you get down into the impeller area again, look at the impeller, is/are  the vanes free and clear of stuff..I have found beans and such, stuck in the ports of the impeller, which would cut down on the water volume to the spray arms.........................................

[mfreshley]

The spinner on mine is a circle with 2 holes in it.  It doesn't have the fan shape like the part # you listed.  Maybe an improvement?

I'm not sure what impeller you are talking about.  I took apart everything to the chopper and screen.  To get any further you have to remove the sump and I didn't go that far.  I just find it odd that it is recirculating these food particles.  Isn't there something that is supposed to stop the dirty particles from being recirculated?  That's why I thought the check valve might be the problem.

Anyone know if I can replace my supply tube that runs up the back with the newer ones that have the additional spray ports (power scrubber).  I've found these to be cheaper for some reason.  The only hesitation I have is that the recirculating pump might be stronger in these to compensate, but I'm not sure of this.

Thanks...

[certified tech group 51]

Next time your down cleaning the chopper assy. Remove the chopper assy and you will see a white vane gismo  attached to the motor, that is the impeller...that part is the part that move the water thru the system...if clogged with stuff, water volume is decreased.........I.E. beans, peas, bits of plastic...................  P.S. the upper spray arm, they could have redesigned the part because of bad washability??

[mfreshley]

Anyone know where besides the sticker on the inside of the dishwasher you can find the serial and model number for this whirlpool?  My sticker fell off long ago and I can't find the manual.  I looked at the paperwork under the toe kick but there's no mention in there.

 

 

[edwardh1]

how does whirlpool get to the top in DW sales?

[kdog]

They actually work quite well when you dont put a bunch of garbage in them - NO dishwashers like the trash

[RegUS_PatOff]

[user=2045]mfreshley[/user] wrote:

... model number for this whirlpool?   

post a picture ?

[mfreshley]

I know the model is a Gu1500XT but the rest of the numbers depend on the year and revision.  If I'm going to order parts to get this thing 100% I need the exact model.  This thing should just go to the dump but I think all of the D/W out there are junk so I'd just be throwing money away.

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