[wyofan]

Hi there. First, thanks in advance for any help. I have a GE Nautlius (GSD2200G00bb) that's about 8 years old. Currently, it seems to be not filling with water at any point in the cycle. Based on some other internet research, I've taken apart the inlet valve and "cleaned" the screen (it wasn't clogged), checked the screens in the drain (not much there), and taken apart and cleaned the spray arm (again, not much there).

But, a little history. About 3 months ago, we replaced the flooring in our home. When I pulled the dishwasher out to replace the floor there, I noticed tell-tale signs of leakage. Upon further investigation, there had been a leak in the drain valve seal for who knows how long. I successfully replaced the seal and put the dishwasher back. Worked like a charm until about 2 days ago. I did notice while I replaced the seal that the solenoid underneath was VERY corroded. But it seemed to be working so I left it alone.

Now though, it looks like the solenoid shaft is stuck, and doesn't move smoothly when I force it. When the appliance is running, it doesn't move at all - like it did when I was trying to determine where the leak was coming from. So, I'm wondering if it's possible that the solenoid is "stuck" and sending a signal to drain the dishwasher while it should be filling. I do hear an awful grinding twice during the cycle when (I think) it should be filling.

So hopefully my sleuthing skills have proven effective and that's the issue. If not, what else should I consider? Everything else seems to be working appropriately.

Thanks!

[denman]

Here are your parts
Replacement parts for General Electric GSD2200G00BB Dishwasher | AppliancePartsPros.com

So, I'm wondering if it's possible that the solenoid is "stuck" and sending a signal to drain the dishwasher while it should be filling.
The drain solenoid does not send a signal back to the timer.
But if it is stuck in the down position (drain) then as it fills the water is also being drained out.

I do hear an awful grinding twice during the cycle when (I think) it should be filling.
The noise you hear may be just cavitation as the pump is sucking in air.
Note that theses pumps do not like to run when dry, they will burn up the seals.

So hopefully my sleuthing skills have proven effective and that's the issue. If not, what else should I consider?
One thing to check is that the plastic in the solenoid has not melted and is binding the plunger.
The way it is supposed to work is that the solenoid plunger is up in the wash position. When a drain is required the timer sends power to the solenoid for a couple seconds. This then pulls the plunger down (drain position), the water pressure then keeps the flapper valve the solenoid controls in the drain position till the unit is empty. The springs then pull it back to the wash position.
What can happen is that the timer contacts can stick and send power to the solenoid for too long. This then overheats and melts the plastic. So if the plastic is melted you probably need a new solenoid and timer.

[wyofan]

Thanks denman. So if I'm reading you right it sounds like I'm looking at the solenoid or the timer - or potentially both. I assumed since the plunger isn't moving at all during any cycle that it was corroded to the point of being stuck, but it may well be the timer.

When you say to look at the plastic to see if it's melted, where do you mean? When I pull the wiring harness off, the contacts there look ok, but I haven't actually removed the solenoid to inspect it yet.

[denman]

Yes you have to remove the solenoid to check it out.

Was the solenoid plunger stuck in the down position?
This is drain.

[wyofan]

So I pulled the solenoid out last night, and other than a bunch of corrosion, didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The black cylinder has a lot of corrosion at the bottom where it's attached to the plate, and the plunger looked like it had been left outside for a few years. I had to give it a good tug to get it out, and it was covered in corrosion. The hold that it rests in was also full of crud. I'd guess there was 1/8th of an inch of crap on the bottom.

So I cleaned the plunger as best I could, and cleaned out as much of the crud in the cylinder as I could. The plunger moved relatively freely, so I reinstalled the solenoid just to see what would happen. So far, the machine has run two cycles without issue.

To answer your question, yes the plunger was stuck in the down position. So I guess the machine was draining as it filled. But I'm not convinced that's the only issue, since there wasn't much water being thrown around at all. I am convinced that I need a new solenoid simply because of the corrosion, but I want to make sure I'm not missing something else that may be contributing to the issue. Any advice you can give about other potential culprits? Is it possible to purchase just the plunger?

Thanks!

[denman]

You may have another problem but I would replace the solenoid first and then see how the units is cleaning.