Need someone to look over old dishwasher

Hi Evelyn

Congratulations on your new home and welcome to the group! I have the exact same dishwasher as you -- a Kitchenaid KDS-19. This machine was likely made around 1980 and is far far better quality than anything you can buy today. This dishwasher was produced when the number one priority of any dishwasher was to get those dishes clean, come hell or high water usage. Sheer power doesn't come quietly however!

There are many experts on this forum who will be able to help and advise you on the technical side of things, including troubleshooting any problems you may be encountering.

It looks like the dishwasher may have been used with hard water and could use a little cleaning, as you mentioned. However there is no need to do this manually yourself. The best way to clean everything out is with citric acid. Do not add detergent, just the citric acid. I filled both the detergent cups with Lemi Shine (it's just citric acid granules) and also added a large quantity poured directly into the machine. Then I selected the Pots & Pans soak & scrub cycle. The dishwasher will fill and spray, pause for quite some time to heat the water (the prewash and Sani lights will be on but pump will stop running) then it will spray again, pause again etc. This is a long cycle and it worked wonders with the Lemi Shine to remove a lot of the build up. I repeated this procedure a few times. After using up a couple of tubs of Lemi Shine, everything was then absolutely gleaming inside like brand new.

This machine should provide the most amazing cleaning, even with burned-on and baked on pots, pans etc. Do not pre-rinse your dishes or pans. Just scrape off the worst of the leftovers.

I have a water softener, so I have found that Cascade Complete powder does an outstanding job and leaves everything clean and gleaming. But if you have hard water, you may find that Cascade Platinum pacs work much better. You may find that adding a rinse aid will help.

Mark

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Post# 1088570 9/9/2020 at 04:13 (925 days old) by Chocho1234 (San Pedro Ca.)
Checkrate/Likes Hi this is evelyn, just joined this group.. have a kitchen aid 19? Moved into the house and I know it hasn't been used in about 20 years. I tried to run it but it smelled burnt, so I turned it off. Need someone to give it a good tune up. Live in san pedro, ca. Ps. Since I posted this I lifted the center piece, took off the arms, got to the strainer thing which says heat something. You know there was a paper stuck on it and the edges looked burnt! Then I soaked that dirty thing in vinegar and water, cleaned it with a toothbrush. It was so plugged up with all this paper lint. Man, its clean now its aluminum is clear and shiny, so gonna soak the tub with vinegar and water and try to get that part clean after that I dont know! Photos... < > Photo 1 of 4 View Full Size

Post# 1088573 , Reply# 1 9/9/2020 at 04:41 (925 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)
Checkrate/Likes *Did you hear any water inside?* I'm wondering if they turned the water off to the machine if it hasn't been used in a while?

Post# 1088574 , Reply# 2 9/9/2020 at 04:55 (925 days old) by marky_mark (From Liverpool. Now living in Palm Springs and Dublin)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Hi Evelyn Congratulations on your new home and welcome to the group! I have the exact same dishwasher as you -- a Kitchenaid KDS-19. This machine was likely made around 1980 and is far far better quality than anything you can buy today. This dishwasher was produced when the number one priority of any dishwasher was to get those dishes clean, come hell or high water usage. Sheer power doesn't come quietly however! There are many experts on this forum who will be able to help and advise you on the technical side of things, including troubleshooting any problems you may be encountering. It looks like the dishwasher may have been used with hard water and could use a little cleaning, as you mentioned. However there is no need to do this manually yourself. The best way to clean everything out is with citric acid. Do not add detergent, just the citric acid. I filled both the detergent cups with Lemi Shine (it's just citric acid granules) and also added a large quantity poured directly into the machine. Then I selected the Pots & Pans soak & scrub cycle. The dishwasher will fill and spray, pause for quite some time to heat the water (the prewash and Sani lights will be on but pump will stop running) then it will spray again, pause again etc. This is a long cycle and it worked wonders with the Lemi Shine to remove a lot of the build up. I repeated this procedure a few times. After using up a couple of tubs of Lemi Shine, everything was then absolutely gleaming inside like brand new. This machine should provide the most amazing cleaning, even with burned-on and baked on pots, pans etc. Do not pre-rinse your dishes or pans. Just scrape off the worst of the leftovers. I have a water softener, so I have found that Cascade Complete powder does an outstanding job and leaves everything clean and gleaming. But if you have hard water, you may find that Cascade Platinum pacs work much better. You may find that adding a rinse aid will help. Mark View Full Size

Post# 1088581 , Reply# 3 9/9/2020 at 06:52 (925 days old) by dermacie (my forever home (Glenshaw, PA))
Checkrate/Likes I would concur, I am wondering if its water source is blocked, or turned off. I would check to see if the water is turned on and go from there.

Post# 1088585 , Reply# 4 9/9/2020 at 07:18 (925 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *KDS-19* Hi Evelyn, and welcome When you start this DW it should fill the sump with water and start heating it, as soon as the heating light comes on open the door and see how much water is in the sump, there should be at least one and 1/2 gallon of water, this should cover the floor of the DW. If you want to see how much water 1 1/2 gallon looks like in your DW before starting it poor 1 1/2 gallon of hot water in the machine. If the DW is not filling properly on its own you likely have a bad inlet valve [ a BIV is the single most likely failure on an older KA DW like yours ] If this seems to be the case REPLACE the IV do not try dissembling and cleaning it unless you want to test your homeowners flood insurance . IVs are still avabible for this DW, the problem is finding someone to replace it, if you buy one on line you may be able to get a plumerias to install it, this might be easier than finding a repairman old enough to work on this DW. Marks advice about cleaning the inside of your machine is excellent, but e sure you are gettin enough water before doing the cleanings. John L.

Post# 1088732 , Reply# 5 9/10/2020 at 04:15 (924 days old) by Chocho1234 (San Pedro Ca.)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Kitchenaide 19* Hey everyone thanks so much for your replies. Man I'm excited about this machine. I'm gonna check out all of your suggestions. I bought the manual for it from your site, very interesting. Hope next time I can post its humming like a mother. God bless, take care everyone! Oh I think I have water, gonna fiddle with it some more to be sure

Post# 1089072 , Reply# 6 9/11/2020 at 22:31 (923 days old) by Hippiedoll ( arizona )
Checkrate/Likes *marky_mark/Mark...* When using the Cascade Platinum pacs, which detergent cup do you put the pod in? Does it go in the prewash/soak cup or the main wash cup? (Wait... did I just answer my own question there?) 🤪😄

Post# 1089838 , Reply# 7 9/18/2020 at 20:44 (916 days old) by Chocho1234 (San Pedro Ca.)
Checkrate/Likes *Cleaned some of junk in my KAD 19* Ok . Cleaned out all kinds of greasy gunk, so much from bottom of of the door to dishwasher. Removed heating element not used to dry dishes part, its cleaned. Removed the black piece , held by 4 philip screws, scraped allof hard water build up. BUT WHAT I CLEANED OUT BY THAT black hot water heating pipe and whats aroundi it, that plastic round part. Anyway scrubed it with toothbrush. I had poured a gallon of hot water and white vinegar and a sqirt of dawn. After letting it soak 1/2 hour. I poked out a silver piece, looks like a nut cracker part. A rusted broken wing nut, and some plastic piece. Have picture of all this crap minus a 1/2 inch broken piece of glass i pulled out later. Ran a wash. Made noise heard no water go in. The line is open, I felt the rubber hose that leads to dishwasher from under the sink and it was hot. It released the water into the garbage disposal, but I think that was the initial gallon I put in it to clean.no other water came in after that. Tomorrow gonna shut off power to it and go under more to next piece, which I cant see how to remove, but I'm taking it off one way or another. See whats in there clean some more, You guys suggested new intake valve, I'm gonna try and order one and see where that belongs. Kind of dissapointed. Thought after taking out all that crap it might work! Back to the drawing board. Wish me luck and your advice. Thanks Evelyn Photos... < > Photo 1 of 4 View Full Size

Post# 1089839 , Reply# 8 9/18/2020 at 21:06 (916 days old) by DADoES (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes � I wouldn't change the inlet valve until first checking that there's not a wiring or timer problem involved (no power to it), and then confirming that the valve is bad (no continuity on the solenoid(s)). There's nothing for the pump to spray around if water doesn't fill into the machine.� Debris in the pump has no relation to filling. I don't think the water inlet line to the machine would reasonably be hot if no water has flowed through it into the machine ... other than via conduction of heat via hot water through the sink faucet.

Post# 1089890 , Reply# 9 9/19/2020 at 13:01 (915 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes *If The inlet line gets hot or warm* And you do not have 2 gallons in the bottom of the DW you have a BAD inlet valve, change it, It is very rare to have a DW this old that does not have a bad inlet valve unless it was already changed, if you look closely at your IV you can see the date code on it to see if it was changed and approximately when. John L.