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Caution:
Please read our safety
information before attempting any testing or repairs.
Before testing the drain valve assembly, unplug
the dishwasher or shut off the power at the fuse
box or breaker
panel to avoid an electrical shock hazard.
Dishwashers either have a single
direction motor or a reversing motor. Only those with a single
direction motor have a drain valve. Models with a reversing motor,
pump the water out of the dishwasher when the motor runs in the
reverse direction. If your motor has two or three wires, it is
a single direction motor. If the motor has four wires, it is a
reversing motor and you can skip this article.
To access the drain valve remove
the lower panel located beneath the door. The panel is usually
held in place with two screws either above or below the panel.
It may be necessary to first open the door to the dishwasher to
reach the screws over the panel, then close the door to remove
the panel.
The drain valve is typically near
the motor although it can be located elsewhere. Look for a water
hose running from the motor or underside of the tub. The hose
should lead to the drain valve. The valve consists of the the
gate arm mechanism and a solenoid (also called a coil). The gate
arm allows the water to flow out of the dishwasher's tub through
the drain valve. You should be able to move the gate arm up and
down easily and smoothly. The gate arm also has two springs attached
to it. If either of the springs is missing or damaged, they should
be replaced.
The gate arm mechanism is engaged
by the drain valve solenoid. The solenoid is connected by two
wires. Label the wire placement on the solenoid before disconnecting
the wires. The wires are connected with slip on connectors. Firmly
pull the connector off of the solenoid's terminals (do not pull
on the wire). You may need to use a pair of needle-nose pliers
to remove the connectors. Inspect the connectors and the terminals
for corrosion. If the connectors are corroded they should be replaced.
Test the solenoid for resistance
using a multitester.
Set the multitester to the ohms setting X1. Place a probe on each
terminal. The multitester should change from a reading of infinity
to roughly 40 ohms when the probes touch the terminals. If the
reading is infinity or substantially different from 40 ohms, the
solenoid should be replaced.
 Click
Here to Order a Multitester from Ace Hardware
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