BrandMaytag:
Model Number:MDB9959SKZ 0
Main Symptom:Lower arm rubbing
What happens & when:one side of the bottom arm rubs on the bottom of the dishwasher when running. It doesn’t seem to be excessive but may be enough to keep it from turning properly. When dishwasher is finished , the arm always stops in the same exact location where it rubs.
Error Code (if any):
Parts or tests already tried:
Photos / video link:
Does the diverter plate look like it may be warped or damaged to cause the spray arm to sag that much? W11679656 Diverter (Directs Water To Upper Spray Arm) | Genuine Whirlpool OEM In Stock
Hi,
Def check the spray arm itself, could be worn, cracked and that is why the arm is wobbling and hitting the bottom.
Next would be the support for the spray arm. Could also be cracked, worn or broken.
#16 is the diffuser.
#33 is the pump base.
jeff sr.
Thanks for the reply. Doesn’t seem to be warped by looking at it but the spray arm does have some wobble to it
Spray arm itself does have some wobble
Would you be able to provide a picture of the lower spray arm and where it is hitting? A spray arm can have some wobble, but it should not be enough to hit anything.
Not too good at posting a pic on here but I gave it a try. Let me know if that worked. You can see the marks on the bottom where it has dragged and seems to stop in the same area when it’s finished washing.
Either the lower spray arm is damaged at the mounting stem, the lower spray arm is loosely connected to the diverter plate, or the diverter plate has been damaged and is allowing the spray arm to sag like that.
Diverter Plate- W11679656 Diverter (Directs Water To Upper Spray Arm) | Genuine Whirlpool OEM In Stock
Lower spray arm- W11550888 Lower Spray Arm | Genuine Whirlpool OEM In Stock
Please do keep us posted as to what you find/see.
jeff sr.
I see it on there now so it did
You found the trouble maker?
jeff sr.
I believe so. I’m going to replace both parts. While on the subject, take a listen to this noise. When we first bought the dishwasher, it was totally silent even standing right beside it now this is what happens every time it runs. Well I tried to send a video but couldn’t get it to upload. It makes a high pitched humming noise the whole time it is washing. You can hear it all over the house. Does this dishwasher have some kind of food grinder that can go bad?
Did you resolve this? Ours (Maytag MDB4949SKZ0) does the same thing. There are wear marks on the left side. I replaced the spray arm, but the problem still exists. The dishwasher pan is level. I’m not seeing any cracks or warping or anything, but it appears to be little wiggle room between hitting the basin or the lower rack with as sloppy as the spray arm is when ‘seated’.
I’m hesitant to buy any more parts without trying to identify the cause
If you remove the spray arm, does the base look like it might have stretched out at all? From what I can find, the port for the spray arm should be about 1 1/2” in diameter.
It does not. But I put a level on top of that spindle and it was way out of whack too high on the right side. I can’t believe I didn’t notice it before (Damn my aging eyes) but the rearmost right side torx bolt was completely backed out?! Not sure how the hell that happened, but I tightened it down and wallah! Nice and level like it should be.
Very odd, as I have never worked on that before… There was a crew that came out and did some recall work on the heater bar a few years back and perhaps they never tightened it back down? But the rubbing and knocking just started a few months ago… must’ve just needed to take a while to back out.
Thank you for giving me the idea to check that spindle more thoroughly.
Wow…a great catch!
Nice job.
jeff sr.
