ATTENTION Handymen of CF- Dishwasher

**wartknight** · 01-04-2012, 05:16 PM

Because CF'ers know all things, and so far I've fixed a car, garage door, washing machine, dryer, and a different dishwasher courtesy of information found here, I offer up my newest "case."
Maytag Performa model # pdb3600awe
Fills with water, then goes through the wash cycle making just a hum sound, then drains. Doesn't spray or wash anything. Almost like its not getting enough power to send the water through the jets.
Called my local maytag guy, he told me it was a timer issue. I bought a new timer and installed it and it still does the same thing.
I'm hoping he'll take the timer back otherwise I'm out $140 and I don't want to spend anymore on this when it would probably work out just as well to get a new one.
Thoughts anyone?

**Ms3r4ISU** · 01-04-2012, 05:23 PM

Roll up your sleeves so they don't get wet. Use a cream-based lotion so your skin doesn't get too dry. That's what I would tell my dishwasher.
(Sorry, couldn't resist

)

**ruxCYtable** · 01-04-2012, 06:06 PM

Could be as simple as the intake being clogged and the water not getting through to the spray arm or tower, depending on which design you have. I think you will find they are pretty intuitive to disassemble and clean out. I remove the spray arm one piece at a time, top to bottom (no other choice) and put each piece in order in a row on the floor. Go as far as you can go and clean out any gunk along the way (should be pretty obvious what shouldn't be there.) When you think you've gotten as much as you can, start putting everything back one piece at a time again.

My old dishwasher this used to happen a couple times a year. Several times I followed the procedure above and cleaned a bunch of junk out (there was even a filter screen deep inside the mechanism that was trashed). There were also a couple times where I didn't see much but for whatever reason taking it apart and putting it back together fixed whatever was going on.

If you're not afraid of wrecking it, give it a try.

**CYEATHAWK** · 01-04-2012, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by wartknight

Because CF'ers know all things, and so far I've fixed a car, garage door, washing machine, dryer, and a different dishwasher courtesy of information found here, I offer up my newest "case."
Maytag Performa model # pdb3600awe
Fills with water, then goes through the wash cycle making just a hum sound, then drains. Doesn't spray or wash anything. Almost like its not getting enough power to send the water through the jets.
Called my local maytag guy, he told me it was a timer issue. I bought a new timer and installed it and it still does the same thing.
I'm hoping he'll take the timer back otherwise I'm out $140 and I don't want to spend anymore on this when it would probably work out just as well to get a new one.
Thoughts anyone?

**isulive2train** · 01-04-2012, 06:34 PM

If its new the only thing I can think of is a mistake with the packaging and there is material blocking the spray arm's water supply.

**CyinCo** · 01-04-2012, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by ruxCYtable

Could be as simple as the intake being clogged and the water not getting through to the spray arm or tower, depending on which design you have. I think you will find they are pretty intuitive to disassemble and clean out. I remove the spray arm one piece at a time, top to bottom (no other choice) and put each piece in order in a row on the floor. Go as far as you can go and clean out any gunk along the way (should be pretty obvious what shouldn't be there.) When you think you've gotten as much as you can, start putting everything back one piece at a time again.

My old dishwasher this used to happen a couple times a year. Several times I followed the procedure above and cleaned a bunch of junk out (there was even a filter screen deep inside the mechanism that was trashed). There were also a couple times where I didn't see much but for whatever reason taking it apart and putting it back together fixed whatever was going on.

If you're not afraid of wrecking it, give it a try.

I've had something similar happen with an older dishwasher. The rotating spray arms have holes about 2 or 3 mm in diameter. They were mostly plugged with junk. I'm not sure where it came from or how it got past filters but it was in there and it plugged the water from coming out. Cleaned it out and it worked fine.

**cstrunk** · 01-04-2012, 07:41 PM

My last dishwasher talked too much, so I just ended up getting a new one. Worked out perfectly.

**Cyfan4good** · 01-04-2012, 07:56 PM

I'm guessing it's one of two things: The shwamus valve is plugged or the stellner linkage has become disconnected. You'll need a 7" gangly wrench to get at either one, so if you don't have one you're screwed because they don't make 7" gangly any more just a 5" which way too short. That's a whole other thread topic though. Good luck.

**Clone1450** · 01-04-2012, 08:11 PM

IT may be that it's stuck on a particular cycle (won't drain) so it never gets to a cycle where the arms would spray. I had something similar happen and when I tore in to it I discovered that the drain valve selenoid had somehow gotten so hot it had melted and was stuck in the "closed" position and would not allow the dishwasher to advance cycles. Spent about 45 bucks on a new one and it worked like a charm.