Wow, a KDS18 with black panel front.  Lucky you and for only $10.  Wonder what it lopoks like inside.  That's what I would need for it to match my kitchen, black panel fronts. 

Often described as the best dishwasher Hobart/KA ever produced.  Three wash levels with an extra spray from the ceiling too keep any pesky yiblets off the cup bottoms.

If you decide to install this one, don't jump to the conclusion that it doesn't work when you cycle it up for the first time.  It will just sit and do nothing while it heats the water, then start when the water reaches the right temperature.

Don't be intimidated by all the buttons.  Just like on your KDB21, you can select the "normal" cycle and be on your way, but for those tough or specialized jobs, you'll have other options.

A steal at $10.  I hope the interior is decent.  Give the 4-way Hydrosweep spray arm at the bottom a spin by hand and see what it does.  If it doesn't spin smoothly, you may be looking at repairs sooner rather than later.

Ralph, the 18 series didn't heat any water prior to the final sani-rinse just like the previous 15, 16, and 17 series.  The 19 series Energy Saver IV was the firs KA to heat water several times during the cycle.  Since I have to keep my eloectric water heater temp lower to save expense, an 18 with automatic water heating would be perfect--evgen more so if, as Tomturbomatic has stated NUMEROUIS times, if KA had kept the water circulating while it delayed to heat the water, it would have even better washability.  Now to somewhat contradict what I've posted, the Soak & Scrub cycle did heat the water durinmg that cycle.  Based upon the service manual or user guide, that cycle was about 40 minutes longerr than the 73 minute Normal cycle.  The 18 seies finally lengthened the main wash phase severAL minutes more than the 9 minutes on the 16 and 17 series Superbas.  Even as a teenasger I was concocting BobLoads that my mom's friends KAs didn't fully clean that my more modern dishwashers have managed to de beautifully.  See what opportunities Hobart missed by not hiring me as a consultant back then.  Just think of what even more of a K.A. dishwasher a KA would have been lol.

Are you referring to the 4-way hydrosweep arm at the bottom of the tub?  If so, that oculd mean the wash-arm support has been worn down and will significantly reduce cleaning performance.  we'll have to cross that bridge when approached then.

NOT the motor shaft, that's the upper support shaft.

A new upper support can be had. I recently bought and sent one out to a member from Trinidad and Tobago for his KDS-19. They're getting a little tricky to find, but not impossible. Part# is 4162724.

It looks like the shaft was wearing into the Phillips head screw of the wash impeller. You may need to change that out too. I'm seeing upper support parts inside the wash arm, lol. Hopefully the wash arm is still good.

I LOVE my KDB21 don't get me wrong, but I just couldn't let this one slip away for $10.

You'll LOVE this one a hell of a lot more! Guaranteed!!

I'm very surprised it still retains the original upper constant rinse arm. Those are extremely fragile and usually broke a few years after the machine was new. Someone took very good care of it and was incredibly careful loading the upper rack. The newer designed constant rinse is part # 4162658, just for future records.

Here's a place that claims to have one in stock. Keep looking, you may find one that's cheaper.

Let me clarify here since you are spliktting hair.  First, KitchenAid dishwashers would have the the "lesser" heating element (I don't know the official name of it) run to maintain and slightly heat the water during  water circulation (wasshing and rinsing) phases.  This is NOT automatic water heating it's simply maintaining water temperature and slightly raising it.  On Superbas up through the 18 series, only the SaniCycle had the final rinse whereby the machine shut off water circulatoin so all heating element maximum watts could be applied to raise the water tempererature to 18 degrees.  BUT beginning with teh 198 Series, the machine paused (depending upon cycle selected) 2 to 3 times (if not more) to heat the water to a specified thermostatic hold target.  With the 19 series through teh 23 series, one was able to lower their water heater to 120 degrees and still have the dishwasher heat the water to 140 degrees.  Prior to the 19 series, to get very clean dishes and cookare taht was heavily soiled, incoming water ha t be a minimum of 140 degrees.  Thus for the 19 seris and above, true automatic water heating.

Glad to help, but believe me, you're no dummy. Not only have you found our little side of crazy here on the internet, but you quickly nabbed a highly coveted dishwasher that some have spent years to get in their hands.

As far as KA knowledge goes, I'm a complete retard compared to Stevet.....aka The Hobart Master Extraordinaire.

A big X2 on that!