3 replies to this topic

[sgall]

I have a Kitchenaid dishwasher, model KUDT03FT that is not filling with water fully.  Initially I noticed that the upper arm was not spinning.  After cleaning the water outlet holes, taking it apart and cleaning the blade screen and making sure the upper arm was seating into the back spray tube I realized that the upper arm was still not spinning.

I read a number of comments on repair forums in which people said they had taken similar steps to the one I mentioned and that "yes, the tub was filling with water to just below the heating element."  I decided to check the water fill level on mine.

This is what I discovered.  Water trickles out of the side inlet.  The water level only reaches about to the level of the big circular gasket ring above the motor assembly - this is well below the bottom of the heating element.

I tried adding about a gallon of water, (by filling a pan from the sink and pouring it in) then restarted it.  Water sprayed like crazy, including out of the top arm - which was finally spinning.

The float is not stuck in the up position.  And like I said, some water does come out of the inlet.

How do I get water to fill to the appropriate level?

[RegUS_PatOff]

click on picture

[sgall]

I ordered the part mentioned in the reply above.  I installed it today. (It took under an hour.)  The dishwasher now fill with water perfectly and the top arm spins like crazy.  Upon inspecting the old water inlet valve (the one I took off) it did look like some lime had built up on the inlet screen.  I wonder if I could have just soaked the old one in vinegar and gotten it to work correctly.  I probably still would have chosen to go ahead and put a new valve on while I had the part off, but I just wonder if that would have fixed it.

[SANTA]

It's quite possible that cleaning the screen will fix the valve. You won't know unless you try it (it only takes less than an hour)  If it works you have a good spare.