7 replies to this topic

[oncemyway]

hey guys-

i have a 4 year old kenmore, model 665-15832000. it doesn't do a very good job of cleaning dishes.

i started the washer and let it go until i could hear it washing (or spraying) and i opened the door to see what level the water was at. i read it's supposed to be at the bottom of the heating element but i'm not sure what the heating element is. is it the metal (tubular) bar that runs around the bottom of the washer? if so, the water is a good 1/2" under that when full. the water temp is about 115 degrees.

also, when i start the washer, the display says 85 minutes. about 10 minutes later, it says 83 minutes. it takes a long time to wash a load, like almost 2 hours.

any ideas?

thanks

[Ron]

Hi there,   that tubular thing is your element.   Your water temp in the dishwasher should be a minimum of 120 degrees,  130 would even be better,  Run your hot water faucet before starting the dishwasher,  this way you are filling with hot water.  The element will only heat that water 1 degree every 5 minutes,  this is why your cycle is taking so long....stoke up that water temp and I think you'll see much better results....Ron

[oncemyway]

thanks.

i tried running the water but still had problems with it not cleaning. the water is at least a 1/2" under the heating element when fully loaded. should it be this way? if the water isn't up to the element it wouldn't get heated would it?

i see one of the recommended fixes if not enough water is in the washer is to replace the water inlet valve. think i should try that?

[Pegi]

That is always the first thing we replace for a not cleaning well problem.....if it appears there is not enough water in the tub to spray the water for good cleaning.

[exsearsguy]

Is your water cutting off before your d-w starts washing,or does it fill the entire time?It's possible a restriction is in the way. Dirty screen,mineral buildup at water inlet(especially if you are on well water).

[oncemyway]

it seems that it stops filling for a few seconds, then it starts washing. i am on well water and have had problems with cold water screens in the washing machine getting clogged. i haven't had any problems with hot water screen yet, i assume the water heater is catching all that.

where is the screen on a dishwasher? in the water inlet valve area?

regardless, i've got a new inlet valve on order just to see if that fixes it. everything else in the machine looks good, spray arms are clear, the machine seems to drain fine, etc.

[oncemyway]

well, replacing the water inlet valve helped immensely.

thank you all for the tips.

[Pegi]

;)