Dishwasher Quit

[Bob_Roller]

My 17 year old dishwasher quit yesterday .

I've had problems with it on and off since I've had it .

The pump wouldn't work at times .

The last month the timer knob got quite difficult to turn, needed a pair of pliers to rotate it .

Well, yesterday the timer knob became quite easy to turn like it was before and now the pump doesn't work at all .

A replacement timer is in the $60-70US area to replace, only about 15 minutes of work .

I'm wondering, if it is worth putting any money into the current washer, or just replace it, the washer has not gotten a lot of use, on average once a week .

Any thoughts or recommendations .

[darrylri]

If you use the washer regularly, you'll probablysave money by buying a new one that is more efficient with both water and electricity.  But if you only use it once a week, it would be harder to argue the savings.

[Bob_Roller]

I've got tomorrow off of work, I need tp pull the washer out and comfirm whether or not I have power to the pump during a wash cycle and make my decision then .

I can't complain, I moved  into this house in November,'94 and this is the first problem with any appliances .

I'm waiting for day that everything  quits in the same week !!!!

[montmil]

Let's see... $60-70 for the timer and maybe the pump will function for awhile longer. Maybe not. What's a new pump cost? $100.00? BTW, I love the pliers as a kitchen tool. That would never work for my wife at our casa.

At Home depot, new, name-brand, built-in dishwashers start at $279.00. Catch a sale- factor in repair parts- and you may get into a new appliance for a C-note or less. With a warranty. Treat yourself to a Christmas present.

Seventeen years is beyond the normal life cycle of a dishwasher; even a lightly used machine such as yours. Rust and corrosion from the dish detergent goes on 24/7.

Whatcha do, Bob... drive-thru for your eats?  [smiley=wink.gif]

Monte

[Bob_Roller]

I was overly enthused when I got home this afternoon and pulled the washer out .

I turned the control knob to a wash cycle and got power to the pump motor, so the timer is good .

Drained the washer and turned it on its side, problem became quite obvious, the seal on the pump had been seeping for years, the motor shaft had corroded at it's bearing and seized the assembly .

Got it freed up, but it's quite obvious the pump requires replacement .

I'll stop by the appliance parts store tomorrow, but I think it's obvious that it probably won't be cost effective .

With living by yourself, I can go about 6 days before using the washer, I cook all of my own meals, haven't eaten in a restaurant in about 11 years, 20 some cases of food poisoning have made me wary of any food, that I didn't prepare myself !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [smiley=lurker.gif] [smiley=lurker.gif]

[fastcataz]

Wow, it died after ONLY 17 years? What a piece of... A couple of months ago my Real Plastic {TM} multimeter died. Hard to fix without a, um, multitmeter. After a few days of being pissed, I mean I paid 4.95 for it about 30 years ago, I gave up and got a cheap one from Harbor frieght for 6.95. Somtimes you just have to let go.

[montmil]

... I mean I paid 4.95 for it about 30 years ago, I gave up and got a cheap one from Harbor frieght for 6.95. Somtimes you just have to let go.

 
[smiley=ROTFLMAO.gif]

[Bob_Roller]

I found that my 25 year old Radio Shack $9.99 special multimeter won't work on the AC volts scale yesterday .

Looks like it's time for a Harbor Freight replacement .

I checked on a price on a pump assembly today, $190US .

Looks like I'll need to start looking for a replacement washer .

[Bengt_Phorqs]

And I thought Monte was "frugal" with his knowledge of free coffe sites!  Good show Bob!

[wilcom]

Craigslist has dishwashers from $100 on down to free. Energy star , yada yada . When Mom changes her kitchen and the washer no longer MATCHES..it's next to worthless and they go for a song.

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/app/2761281738.html

My wife wanted a new black faced dishwasher for $469 and there was a new white faced washer on craigslist for $125...........when I found out she couldn't come up with the $344 difference , she got the white one from Craigslist.

[fastcataz]

When we moved into our "new" HUD repo in Mesa we needed to replace the 25 year old ( 2 dead burners, broken hinge and seldom cleaned) stove. I found an almost new one on craigslist for 75.00. When I got it home the wife said " it's nice, but black would be better". Set me back 8.95 for a can of appliance paint. You can't win for loosing.
Are we the " The CHEAPEST place" on the web yet?

[nhmaf]

This thread reminds me of one of my older neighbors - he is a nice enough guy, but he always seems to have terrible luck.

Last month, his clothes washer quit working, and he &his wife didn't have the cash to buy a new one at the time.  So, another neighbor (not me) gave him a used one that he had still sitting in his basement to use until a new one could be bought.  Well, the "free" washer worked for a couple weeks, and this week developed a serious leak which caused a flood in the house, ruining the floor, wallboard, etc.  that now has to be dried and out replaced.  Now, less than a week before Christmas and he has had to drag half his furniture outside, tear out a wall, carpeting, and rip up the flooring in one room of his house.    They say "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth", but I'd have to add "Never accept a gift used-appliance"!  Sometimes "Free" is alot more expensive than "New"..

[DeeG]

The day we set out to replace our 10 year old d/w, the washing machine quit.  decided that we needed a clothes washer more than a dishwasher.  Picked up a new Bosch w & d.  That was 9 years ago.  The d/w has since been pulled out and sent to d/w heaven.  I now use the empty spot as storage for my "larger than the cabinet will hold" canning pots and pressure cooker.

Don't really mind doing dishes by hand.  they come out cleaner, and the hot water feels so good on my hands sometimes.

[Lucky_Lou]

This thread reminds me of one of my older neighbors - he is a nice enough guy, but he always seems to have terrible luck.

Last month, his clothes washer quit working, and he &his wife didn't have the cash to buy a new one at the time.  So, another neighbor (not me) gave him a used one that he had still sitting in his basement to use until a new one could be bought.  Well, the "free" washer worked for a couple weeks, and this week developed a serious leak which caused a flood in the house, ruining the floor, wallboard, etc.  that now has to be dried and out replaced.  Now, less than a week before Christmas and he has had to drag half his furniture outside, tear out a wall, carpeting, and rip up the flooring in one room of his house.    They say "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth", but I'd have to add "Never accept a gift used-appliance"!  Sometimes "Free" is alot more expensive than "New"..

Living in the "Land of Litigation" will he sue the neighbor who gave him the washing machine for damages ??
Lou

[suecanada]

My word! I just asked Derek how old our (his) washer and dryer are...41 years old! No wonder I felt I had to be nice to the washer today and pull out one of the fleece sheets before the spin cycle got going...that one queen sized sheet weighed about 20 pounds all wet! I felt 2 of those wet sheets might have been 'curtains' for the old washer.
I had a Westinghouse washer and dryer that was over 30 yrs. old. My mum's very first set in 1953! The dryer had a music box that played "how dry I am" when the cycle was over! neat eh?? The music box finally melted, hard 1950's plastic, when the only heat level left was 'scorch'! Never put your jeans on with a metal zipper right out of that dryer
Derek and I are so old that we have so many clothes now we go 2 weeks between washes. I too like to wash dishes to stay warm up here in my igloo!!