whirlpool adp7406 dishwasher top spray arm not moving around

Andy From Sligo

Hi there just become owner of a second hand Whirlpool ADP7406 Dishwasher. Seems to work fine except for when I opened door quickly I noticed bottom spray arm was going around but top arm was not moving. As a test I positioned both spray arms in same position, closed door then opened up the door. Bottom spray arm had moved and top one stayed in the place i left it, but water was pouring out of the holes in the top spray arm for a bit after opening door so water is getting to it. Took out upper spray arm and prodded all holes with a paper clip, a little bit of food in the holes (rice!) but nothing substantial.

Put back in washer still didnt turn around, then took it out again threw caution to the wind and split the top spray arm apart and out fell a bit of black electrical insulation tape!! - how on earth did that get all the way up to the top spray arm? - its beyond me, anyway no wonder it didnt go around with that in it. Tried supergluing it back together, but failed and still not going round

- so now I have just ordered a reconditioned top spray bar from the net. Do you think thats all it needs or is there other common problem on these Whirlpool makes why top arm doesnt spin. If it dont spin round when i get this reconditioned one could it be wash pump fault? - ie not pumping enough force to turn top spray arm? - although if that were the case would not the bottom one not turn around too? - many thanks for help and suggestions, apart from that top arm not spinning it looks a decent machine.

I had a similar fault a couple of years ago http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=73304995
One of the symptoms was a noisier than usual pump.
In the end I changed the pump motor

The Red Ace

most likely fault as dolanbaker says is a worn circulation pump, extremely prone to wear, not the cheapest replacement part either, ideally if you can find an older scrapped one in a recycling centre that says made in Germany it will go forever, it will look totally different but will fit, to check its present motor for wear pull off the hose between pump and heater, if you find a looseness in the impellar it has passed the sell by date

Andy From Sligo

I think I may have found the culprit why the arm wasnt moving this afternoon I tipped up the machine, undone the tray underneath and took off the hose to the recirculating Pump and was greeted with this:

And this is what I got out - something that resembles a clump of dishwasher powder, a piece of clear plastic, could be a wrapper off a dishwasher tab, and also this grey Rubber Bung!:



Now can anyone tell me where this grey rubber bung was supposed to live inside the dishwasher please? - because I have looked all around inside the Dishwasher top and bottom and I cant see where its come from but its obviously got sucked into the circulating pump!

The Red Ace

Andy, hard to make out from the photo the size of the plastic piece but check the roof of the d/w and see if a hole has appeared, some of the w/p washers had a bung fitted which tends to disintegrate over time, if you find it so don't use it until replaced, when stuff finds it way into the pump its because the filter is not screwed down properly. check it for leaks when you reassemble it.

Andy From Sligo

Thanks to Whirlpool Ireland technical support they tell me that its the gasket that fits where the Rinse Aid door is and not a cabinet Gasket - now its just a chore of finding one at a decent price, dont fancy paying 12euro for such a small item..... or just try and repair the one that I rescued from the pump