[gregshouseofmacs]

We bought this dishwasher at Sears in December 2007. We have never been happy with it in that the dishes never get dry, even using rinse aid. Glasses have water on the rims, etc. But now, the dishwasher makes loud buzzing noise while the unit is washing (it is quiet while draining). This model is a re-badged Frigidaire (I saw the same machine at Lowe's a couple weeks ago.) It has what looks like a cheap plastic-cased motor mounted sideways , and it seems the noise is coming from that area. I have removed the drain area inside to clean it out. I did get one small chip from a plate in there. That was it. And it still makes the noises. I see the motor is only $70 at ********************. I guess it is a cheap one, compared to the older vertical Kenmore motors. Do these things break that easily? Is this a chronic problem, assuming the motor is bad. Is is an easy switchout? Any help is appreciated. Also, there is no fiberglass insulation around the unit. Is there a special kind of insulation I need to buy to wrap the unit? It came with no insulation at all. I guess that's the reason it was only $270.

[TechnicianBrian]

If you are finding the noise during the wash cycle, then the wash motor is the likely problem. They are lets say low cost so it doesn't take much more than a plate chip to begin causing problems. The motor is easy to replace by pulling the dishwasher from the cabinet and laying it on it's back. Two screws and a wire harness is all there is to it. As for the insulation, I would suggest an insulating blanket from another model (like this one AP3875489) then just do any minor adjustments you need. This way you are using something that was designed for the purpose you are looking for and you know it will work.

[gregshouseofmacs]

Thanks for the input. Are there any gaskets/seals that need to be replaced when swapping out the motor?

If I had looked under the dishwasher at the store, I would have seen why it was so cheap, compared to what I'd spent in the past (around $450-500). Is there a solution to the drying issue? It seems that the heating element is terribly undersized, as the glasses don't dry, the plastic stuff has water all over them, and it also takes 3 hours to run a load in the sanitize-high-temp cycle. And I have the new water heater set at 140 degrees. We usually buy higher-priced appliances, and now I realize what I was paying for -- quality.

[TechnicianBrian]

The motor comes with everything you will need. As for drying, without the use of rinse aid in the dispenser, the dishes will never fully dry. A 3 hour cycle is not unheard of anymore in dishwashers, and yes, the better quality for the extra money is usually missed if you step down.

[gregshouseofmacs]

Brian, Would you recommend adding an insulation blanket around it to keep the noise down? Of course, this one has none. I see that Sears has a blanket part number 3381229 that worked for another Kenmore dishwasher owner. Are they all the same? And yes, even with rinse aid, the dishes don't dry well. I realize these mfrs are in on the green movement, but when it says "drying" I wish the machine would actually be doing it, instead of "reducing moisture level to an acceptable level so that drying towels still have a job."

[TechnicianBrian]

The blankets are not all the same, but close enough for getting stuck between the cabinet and the tub, and yes I would put whatever you want to reduce noise. Much of what you hear is not from the tub, but the motor noise bouncing off the flooring, so some insulation down behind the kick plate would work well too. Just don't put it down in such a way that it becomes a sponge if the unit ever leaks. Thats the kind of thing you want to know asap. And it sounds like you have already figured out the new way dishwasher work. It is difficult to explain to people when their old DW worked great, but they wanted to update the kitchen that now the DW'ers are energy efficient and conserve water so now you need to change the way you use them. The newest Whirlpool units can run for 4+ hours and that is considered normal.

My best advice is to run the water hot at the tap before starting a load, and limit adding plastic and wood items to normal glass and dish loads as their lack of thermal mass doesn't allow them to shed water like everything else. And the addition of an insulating blanket will allow the tub to retain more heat and thus, better drying of the dishes.

[gregshouseofmacs]

Thanks Brian. I'll let you know if any problems arise during the repairs.

[TechnicianBrian]

I'll be here.