Help Me Diagnose My Dishwasher

[Bibliophile 13]

My 8-year-old Whirlpool dishwasher has gotten wimpy lately. It’s worked like a champ until just recently. Now stuff on the top rack doesn’t get clean at all. It’s like the spinny thing under the top rack isn’t spraying, or doesn’t have any velocity any more. Bottom rack still cleans okay.

I really don’t know much about how dishwashers are put together inside. I guess I’m wanting to figure out if I should be finding a repair person or finding a replacement.

[Robert Adams]

My 8-year-old Whirlpool dishwasher has gotten wimpy lately. It’s worked like a champ until just recently. Now stuff on the top rack doesn’t get clean at all. It’s like the spinny thing under the top rack isn’t spraying, or doesn’t have any velocity any more. Bottom rack still cleans okay.

I really don’t know much about how dishwashers are put together inside.  I guess I’m wanting to figure out if I should be finding a repair person or finding a replacement.

          Clean the filter in the bottom of the unit. Its under the rack. Like the filter on washer drains no one cleans them.

[Baumholder]

My 8-year-old Whirlpool dishwasher has gotten wimpy lately. It’s worked like a champ until just recently. Now stuff on the top rack doesn’t get clean at all. It’s like the spinny thing under the top rack isn’t spraying, or doesn’t have any velocity any more. Bottom rack still cleans okay.

I really don’t know much about how dishwashers are put together inside.  I guess I’m wanting to figure out if I should be finding a repair person or finding a replacement.

Robert is right about cleaning the filter.  In addition, sometimes stuff gets through the filter and clogs the spray holes on the rotating water spinner under the bottom and top racks.  You should be able to remove the spinner and poke, prod and rinse to get the stuff out.  DAMHIKT

[Woodenfish]

Cleaning the screen and sprayers should be part of regular maintenance in the owner’s manual.

[MarkSingleton]

Yup. Time to clean the dishwasher. It is amazing what you will find in the filter.

As in..........ugh....!!

[chrisntam]

All dishwashers have filters?

[hbmcc]

I always make sure the top basket 'plugs' into the water spigot. That's my biggest headache. It's a Kenmore, which I assume is a rebranded Whirlpool. Plus, orange and lemon seeds do a number on the spray ports. 

I have never found filters in 30 years using dishwashers.....

[Robert Adams]

I always make sure the top basket 'plugs' into the water spigot. That's my biggest headache. It's a Kenmore, which I assume is a rebranded Whirlpool. Plus, orange and lemon seeds do a number on the spray ports. 

I have never found filters in 30 years using dishwashers.....

               Every dishwasher has a filter. In the cheaper and older ones it is under the bottom spray bar and may be just a simple plastic screen with holes in it. The newer units like Bosch have a cylindrical filter. 

              https://www.whirlpool.com/blog/kitchen/f...lters.html


             https://www.google.com/search?q=dishwash...26&bih=626


                     Some of the older ones it is located under the big grate that keeps the big stuff out of the filter.

[K. L. McReynolds]

Cleaning the holes in the spray arms is important. Be aware chunks of lime/etc. film can break off and be loose inside the arms---you do not see them but water pressure forces them against the holes during operation.

Also, cleaning the filter will be one of the nastiest jobs you will ever do. If you ever changed an old P trap under a sink----you have an idea of the DW filter job.

[chrisntam]

As a former insurance adjuster, I got to mingle with my share of plumbers.

They always said working on the kitchen (drain) line is ALOT worse than working on a line that carries poo.