Dishwasher makes crackling noise

[jayjr1105]

Older dishwasher makes a crackling/scraping noise during it's first few cycles. I've double and triple checked that a fork didn't fall and get stuck or something like that. Anyone have this happen before?

We are patiently waiting for some plans to be drawn for our 1940 kitchen and some of the appliances are on their last leg as you can tell.

 

[pezzy669]

Many of the older dishwasher have the equivalent of a mini garbage disposal to chop up food bits but no real filter so anything smaller than say a pumpkin seed will be flowing through the grinder and pump, most newer ones have a decent filter system that stops the food particle before they even get to the pump.

If yours has the old rock catcher strainer it might be worthwhile to see if you can remove the main strainer and stick a magnetic pickup tool down into the pump and fish around, there might be a pot screw or something metal that went down in there. My 20 year old GE just has one screw to pull the main strainer basket off and pump inlet is right there.

 

[jayjr1105]

That's good advice, thanks. We really need these appliances to last 4-6 more months. Fridge is hanging by a thread too. It's a $90 part to fix it but I'm trying to stretch it out.

 

[bullwinkle]

The pump on mine makes a grinding noise when it's running before there's any water in it, and it's done it since new. I wouldn't worry too much unless it starts leaking.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

The pump is my guesstimate too.

 

[ecotourist]

Not a bad idea to replace it before you redo the kitchen. Then you know exactly how big a space you'll need. Our Electrolux dishwasher of unknown vintage needed a $200 part about 6 months before our kitchen re-do. Bought a new Bosch (+/- $600) and haven't looked back. We had a Kenmore brand dishwasher, made by Bosch, in our last house and really liked it too. They're great.

We re-used our kitchen stove and fridge in the re-do but sized the fridge space for a much bigger model when this one goes. [We don't like this one all that much so it'll probably last forever.] There are side and top panels that give a finished look, but come out with 2 screws each. The opening without the trim pieces is sized for the common brands we'd be looking for.

I know some people have to have everything new but that's not us. If things look good and work well, we run them 'till they drop.