KichenAid Wishwasher - noise while draining solved but bigger issue now

[Red_Monkey]

Hello,

I have a KitchenAid KDFE104DSS5 that was making a rattling noise when it would drain. A couple of days ago, I disconnected the drain hose and found most of a penny inside the drain pump housing. Without removing the pump, I was able to remove the penny thru the drain hole and then reconnected the hose. Feeling victorious and baffled on how a penny got there, I went to ops and leak check the washer. I put some water on the bottom and turn the washer back ON knowing that the first thing is does is attempt to drain. Here’s the problem, it turns ON sounds like it’s trying to drain but now it’s not. I can put my hand on the pump and feel it running but not draining. I pulled power from the DW for 5 minutes hoping the power reset would reset it and maybe prime the pump, but no luck. Today I removed the pump, the impeller spins (with a little bounce, maybe magnetic?). I also rang across the terminals on the and got 35 ohms, which sounds ok for a motor. 

Sorry for the long post but this has me stumped and frustrated.

Thanks,

RM 

[16345Ed]

You need to ensure entire drain line is clear. What could have happened. Pump impeller damaged from penny, if so you need new pump. 

[Budget Appliance Repair]

This is the new Whirlpool GWS (Global Wash System) built style and it has been found that when you get an obstruction in the pump it really scares up the pump impeller housing area, which is the dishwasher sump.  For some reason with all the scaring it makes to much turbulence and the pump isn't able to build up enough force to get the water flowing.

I've had good luck with using a fine emory sanding clothe and cleaning up the walls of the impeller housing area and haven't had to replace a sump yet in this situation.

Another thing that can also cause one of these not to pump out correctly is if the check valve that is in the black elbow of the drain hose gets something caught in it so the check valve won't close it again can't create the force needed to keep the water moving up and out the drain hose, (to much water back pressure coming back down the drain hose to the pump).  

To check the check valve remove the drain hose from the pump and vacuum all the water out from the drain end of the hose then remove the drain hose from the pump - make sure you can blow from the pump side OK, then try to blow from the drain side to the pump and you shouldn't be able to get air flow in that direction.

 

[Red_Monkey]

Hello,

Thanks for the replies. The impeller is scared, but the weird thing is that it was draining until I removed the penny. I was not aware that there was a check valve in the drain hose elbow. I will check that out later today and will report back. 

Thanks!

 

RM

[Red_Monkey]

To update my saga....I disconnected the hose and drained all the water out of it. I can freely push air out to the air gap and I can also close the check valve by reserving. Once I put all back together and knowing what to look for, I put water in the washer and started it. I can see the check valve flopping a little and trying to open, but it not. I don’t let it go very long to avoid too much water from accumulating but I’m not sure if it needs some water weight on the washer side to help the pump getting primed. Any thoughts on that?

Aside from trying to clean up the blades on the impeller (they are pretty chewed up), I thinks it’s a pump change. What I’m stilled baffled by is why it was working up to the point when I removed the penny. 

RM