|
Thread Number: 85325
/ Tag: Vintage Dishwashers
First time KitchenAid Superba owner seeking advice |
[Down to Last] |  |
|
Post# 1098671 , Reply# 1 11/29/2020 at 12:44 (1,243 days old) by coldspot66  (Plymouth, Mass) |
||
|
Chlorine based detergents will help with coffee/tea stains. Wash cycles on the older dishwashers are short, and modern detergents with enzymes and not chlorine bleach need longer main wash cycles. Plus chlorine based detergents help to keep the inner tank white. | ||
|
Post# 1098676 , Reply# 2 11/29/2020 at 13:31 (1,243 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
||
 Welcome and congratulations! I don't possess as trained an eye as others here, but your machine appears to be a KDS-20, which would have been produced sometime during the mid to late '80s.
The problem with cycles other than Heavy Wash could simply be related to poor or deteriorated connectors on the back of the rapid advance timer module. If you're handy it's not a big deal to access the timer module and inspect it. Replacement timers are hard to come by, but considering how fast your machine can process a load, even if the Heavy Wash cycle turns out to be the only one that doesn't get hung up, it would be the best one to be stuck with.
I suggest using a powdered detergent with phosphates, such as Cascade Fryer Boil-Out or something similar. You can't get plain old dishwasher detergent with phosphates anymore, but retailers that carry restaurant and institutional supplies will have products such as the boil-out powder. Since your machine runs much quicker cycles than modern ones, phosphates are necessary, particularly if water is hard in your part of the state. | ||
|
Post# 1098718 , Reply# 3 11/29/2020 at 18:40 (1,243 days old) by jons1077 (Vancouver, Washington, USA) |
||
KDS-20 (60)
I have the portable model of this dishwasher. I believe mine is from the early 80’s, about 1980 or 1981. The only issue I’d ever had with this machine was the filter screen in the inlet valve becoming clogged. Once I cleaned up the inlet valve, wash performance greatly improved.
Unfortunately, I have never done any work on rapid advance timers.
View Full Size
| ||
| Post# 1098737 , Reply# 4 11/29/2020 at 20:44 (1,243 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
Most likely the timer, more specifically probably one of the timer motors. There's a new timer on Ebay for $62.00. These timers have been obsoleted many years ago and went for around $200-250 when available so grab one now if you really like this machine. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Whirlpool-Dishw... I'd also spring for a new control switch since there are some currently available on Ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-FSP-Whirlpo... The screen on the fill valve can get plugged up overtime, especially if you don't have a water softener, which will underfill the dishwasher and hinder its performance. Next time you run the dishwasher and it has completely filled up on the main wash, stop the dishwasher and let the water drain for a minute or two. Pull the lower rack out and take a picture of the water level near the filter. We'll be able to tell you if the water level is correct. As stated above, these dishwashers have fast cycles and were designed for a chlorine based detergents, lots of hot water, and brute force. Tabs and pods will sudslock these machines and give poors results. Cascade fryer boilout is the only way to wash in these older machines www.amazon.com/Cascade-Ph... | ||
| Post# 1098752 , Reply# 5 11/29/2020 at 21:58 (1,243 days old) by Maud-LaFosse (California) | ||
|
Thanks everyone for the detailed comments and advice (with links!). I'm looking forward to treating my dishwasher to some TLC. | ||
|
Post# 1098756 , Reply# 6 11/29/2020 at 22:39 (1,243 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA) |
||
First off, congrats on the new home, as well as the KitchenAid!
As others have stated, the 20 series KAs were made between 1981 and 1984. I've been daily driving a KDS-20 now for about 5 years - two years in a previous house with hard water, and thee years now with mechanically softened water. Prior to that I was using a KDS-17A for about 5 years. While the KA was minty when I got it, the wash arm support and wash arm required replacements and were outfitted with NOS parts. This dramatically improved cleaning as the original wash arm support was binding on the arm. Who knows if the abuse of hard water did it in. After trying several different variations of dishwasher detergent over the years, this is the combo I swear by - a Costco Kirkland pack in the pre-wash side of the dispenser, and some old-school Cascade powder (branded Cascade Professional) in the main wash dispenser. I can finally put the scroungiest dishes in the KA, even let them set for a few days, and things will come out crystal clear clean using Heavy Wash. The enzymes of the Costco packet work well on the already pre-washed dishes during the Heavy Wash cycle, and then the long wash with the chlorine based Cascade really finishes things off nicely, even in the absence of phosphates. Make sure the water being fed to the KA is pipping hot. If you already have soft water in your home, you may want to try to find some of this chlorine based Cascade before going with the big guns others have suggested - Cascade Fryer Boil Out. I had to order it online in bulk as I'm unable to find any chlorine based detergent on a shelf, locally, and it was still quite a bit cheaper than the Fryer Boil Out. Good luck with your Hobart KitchenAid! Ben | ||
|
Post# 1098774 , Reply# 8 11/30/2020 at 02:57 (1,243 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN) |
||
 | ||
| Post# 1098817 , Reply# 10 11/30/2020 at 13:54 (1,242 days old) by johnb300m (Chicago) | ||
Six seventy nine, you outta yo mind?
Exactly!!!!
That is $1,775 in today money. Yet many KA dws are still going for $679. And everyone wonders why things feel so flimsy or why we don’t make things here anymore? Pressures, both market and non, pushed that price to stay the same. Commodities and labor all got more expensive with inflation and COL. Something‘s gonna give.... | ||
| Post# 1098818 , Reply# 11 11/30/2020 at 13:57 (1,242 days old) by Awooff (Peoria, Illinois) | ||
Stuck wash cycles | ||
|
Post# 1098868 , Reply# 12 11/30/2020 at 20:35 (1,242 days old) by jons1077 (Vancouver, Washington, USA) |
||
|
Water heating | ||
| Post# 1098925 , Reply# 14 12/1/2020 at 11:30 (1,241 days old) by Maud-LaFosse (California) | ||
|
Ah ha, how interesting. I will try some of the other cycles again and see. The water in my home does take a long time to heat up in general. | ||
| Forum Index: |
| Other Forums: |
|
|
|
|
|
Comes to the Rescue!
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}