Alright all you fix-it types! Dishwasher Woes

[Brujahpriest]

Alright anyone able to help me out, this might be worth some tokenz.... might.


We have had a big issue with our Frigidaire dishwasher the last year. First it was coated with Calcium (we have some hard water and the Softener wasn't/isn't doing its job(its also dead).

After cleaning it out(tearing apart the arms and such) we got preassure back but nothing was getting cleaned. recleaned the arms and assembly to make sure that everything was calcium free. Then ran the following test.

Dirty dishes in specific spots in the top and bottom rack. positioned all three spinners and marked the position. Ran the dishwasher. Opened at several different intervals. Top and bottom arms spin, however the middle one does not. At first I thought, ok... pressure issue leading to the middle arms... then I noticed the dish that was positioned just above the middle arm... got clean. However the dishes above the bottom arm (the one that can actually spin) did not. So now I am really confused and after nearing a year of washing dishes by hand I am getting a little sick of it. Any ideas?

It may be of note to know that all the dishes were soiled with the exact same stuff during the test.. (home made vinaigrette)

 

[MoonOwl]

*pulls out my Cleaning Bible by Kim & Aggie*

Have you run a cup of vinegar in it yet?

From the Bible:

"You can also clean the machine by running it empty w/a glassful of distilled vinegar in the upper rack. At the end of the wash programme it will be left full of water. Examine the remaining water; if there are gritty particles in it the filters or spray arms may be blocked. Check both and run repeat cycles w/vinegar to help shift limescale deposits from the water jets until the remaining water is clear."

Since you've gotten most of it off, perhaps a few cycles w/vinegar will help it further?

 

[Burntblood]

Have your wife do them by hand the way the good Lord intended it.

 

[Alien Allen]

Here are some tips that might help.

Fixitnow.com Samurai Appliance Repair Man: Appliance Repair Wisdom for the Ages: Appliance Repair Revelation, Dishwasher Leaves Dishes Dirty

What is the problem with the water softener? Depending upon the make and model I might be able to help with that.

 

[JanieDough]

a new dishwasher is like $200...

 

[AUDRAA]

Have your husband do them by hand the way the good Lord intended it.

fixed that for ya

 

[Margene]

*pulls out my Cleaning Bible by Kim & Aggie*

Have you run a cup of vinegar in it yet?

From the Bible:

"You can also clean the machine by running it empty w/a glassful of distilled vinegar in the upper rack. At the end of the wash programme it will be left full of water. Examine the remaining water; if there are gritty particles in it the filters or spray arms may be blocked. Check both and run repeat cycles w/vinegar to help shift limescale deposits from the water jets until the remaining water is clear."

Since you've gotten most of it off, perhaps a few cycles w/vinegar will help it further?

That was my first thought Moonie. Vinegar does wonders with limescale. :nod:

 

[Codrus]

CLR works great on calcium, lime and rust build up

Jelmar | All Kinds of Dirty, One Kind of Clean

 

[Brujahpriest]

Here are some tips that might help.

Fixitnow.com Samurai Appliance Repair Man: Appliance Repair Wisdom for the Ages: Appliance Repair Revelation, Dishwasher Leaves Dishes Dirty

What is the problem with the water softener? Depending upon the make and model I might be able to help with that.

Thanks I will check that site out later when I go to attack it again (tonight).

The softener issue is the motor died or at least something in the motor died. My father in law had it torn apart when he was here, but we never got much further than that. Prior to that it just seemed as though the unit wasn't effective... (mind you for 2 years we had a by pass valve partially open so we may have compounded the issue )

*pulls out my Cleaning Bible by Kim & Aggie*

Have you run a cup of vinegar in it yet?

From the Bible:

"You can also clean the machine by running it empty w/a glassful of distilled vinegar in the upper rack. At the end of the wash programme it will be left full of water. Examine the remaining water; if there are gritty particles in it the filters or spray arms may be blocked. Check both and run repeat cycles w/vinegar to help shift limescale deposits from the water jets until the remaining water is clear."

Since you've gotten most of it off, perhaps a few cycles w/vinegar will help it further?

Been doing the vinegar as well as CLR. I've actually been thinking about tearing it apart again and soaking the individual pieces, but the problem is there is no visible deposits anymore.

a new dishwasher is like $200...

Yeah.. and with installation and delivery closer to $300. Without getting into the specifics that monetary outlay is just not an option at the moment. If we have to sell the condo, then yeah I will have to suck it up and put it on a card... but right now that's just not feasible.

 

[Thornless]

Have your wife do them by hand the way the good Lord intended it.

*slaps you upside the head to bring you down a notch like the good Lord intended.*

a new dishwasher is like $200...

It is only 2 1/2 years old. Unless you are offering to pay for it, we need a new water softener,water heater, and AC unit too while your at it.

fixed that for ya

Thanks Audra

*pulls out my Cleaning Bible by Kim & Aggie*

Have you run a cup of vinegar in it yet?

We've run a factory of vinegar through it, my Step dad has taken that fucker apart and scraped al the calcium off it.

 

[JanieDough]

is it under warranty? do you have a home owners shield insurance? where if an appliance breaks you only have to pay like $30 to fix or replace it?

 

[Thornless]

is it under warranty? do you have a home owners shield insurance? where if an appliance breaks you only have to pay like $30 to fix or replace it?

Got it from a scratch and dent pace, and no warranty.

 

[Burntblood]

fixed that for ya

Actually, I am the one that does the dishes and I do a fine job.

 

[Alien Allen]

Let me know the make and model of your softener. I might be able to help you out gratis depending upon what make it is.

Also depending upon the control there can be ways to manually regenerate them.

 

[Dakota Jim]

That was my first thought Moonie. Vinegar does wonders with limescale. :nod:

Anyone doubting the power of vinegar need only pour a small amount on a corroded battery in their car...clean in a heartbeat.



"It is only 2 1/2 years old. Unless you are offering to pay for it, we need a new water softener,water heater, and AC unit too while your at it. "

Ok.....Hows the furnace?

 

[Margene]

Anyone doubting the power of vinegar need only pour a small amount on a corroded battery in their car...clean in a heartbeat.

Does it make cool foam?

Hey, I just noticed your siggy! AWESOME!!

 

[AUDRAA]

Actually, I am the one that does the dishes and I do a fine job.

see my dishwasher is named Dave

 

[Brujahpriest]

Anyone doubting the power of vinegar need only pour a small amount on a corroded battery in their car...clean in a heartbeat.



"It is only 2 1/2 years old. Unless you are offering to pay for it, we need a new water softener,water heater, and AC unit too while your at it. "

Ok.....Hows the furnace?

Old.


That about sums up most of the stuff we have going on around here. The A/C unit + Heat Pump is from '94
The furnace is doing decently though.

 

[PoopaSwoof]

Did you take a toothpick to all the little holes in the arms that the water comes out of?

If you can remove the arms easily then soak them in vinegar overnight then poke out all the holes in the arms and maybe use
a garden hose to flush them out.

 

[Tim]

Vinegar works pretty good, but if you have a serious calcium problem then you need to pull out the tough cleaner.

This stuff works 10 times better than vinegar.


And as far as your water softener goes, are you sure it just doesn't need to be flushed out and have the salt replaced? There isn't much to go wrong with a water softener.