18081 (1988) Kenmore Dishwasher - Overview

Opened package from Parts Select.
Removed Silverware basket from package.
Opened Dishwasher.
Inserted Silverware Basket in rack.
Closed Dishwasher.
Discarded shipping package.
Told wife I fixed Dishwasher.
Sat down & had a beer.

I received my dishwasher as a hand me down, my Aunt never liked the way it cleaned. After it sitting for about 2 years i installed it in my house and found that it leaked all the time from where motor shaft went into the pump housing. After disassembling everything and scouring parts sites online, I found the parts, ordered them. 3 days later i had the parts, and the next day I had a fully functioning leak free dishwasher.

The repair went smoothly. There were actually instructions included with the parts, so that was nice. The only "gotcha" I found was that . . . after you take off the old food-chopper, you have unscrew the old impeller from the motor shaft. This was a bit difficult and you'll want some good pliers to do it. Don't worry about stripping where the food chopper screwed on-to, that part is attached to the impeller and there is a new one on the new impeller. When I re-installed everything onto the dishwasher, it rattled the first couple of times while the wear-ring was finding it's seat. Don't worry, that's normal. It went away by the third wash. I think I still have a small crack in the pump housing, though. The pump housing is two halves of molded plastic fused together along a seam, and I think the seam is starting to leak. It's about one drop every 45 seconds. I'm thinking JB Weld will fix it.