Strange dishwasher leak
 

While repairing a dishwasher for my wife at one of her rentals, I found
a metal plate (heat shield?)that is mounted above the motor/pump. This
plate is attached to the washer on plastic pillars that seem to have
been "mushroomed" to hold the plate onto the body of the machine.
There's a leak on one of the pillars, so I'm hoping a few of you might
have had some experience with these appliances, or even this very
problem. It's a Magic Chef model no. DU55BA-02, if that helps. It'd be
great if all I have to do is "put a cork in it". Tom

In alt.home.repair on 28 Jul 2005 17:04:21 -0700 "tom"
posted:

While repairing a dishwasher for my wife at one of her rentals, I found
a metal plate (heat shield?)that is mounted above the motor/pump. This
plate is attached to the washer on plastic pillars that seem to have
been "mushroomed" to hold the plate onto the body of the machine.
There's a leak on one of the pillars, so I'm hoping a few of you might
have had some experience with these appliances, or even this very
problem. It's a Magic Chef model no. DU55BA-02, if that helps. It'd be
great if all I have to do is "put a cork in it". Tom

No experience with dishwasher leaks, but seems to me the heat shield
should have been attached to the motor, not the dish enclosure.

If the tenants aren't the screaming type, I'd take off the nut, the
plate, the pillar, stuff as much as possible pc-70 around the base of
the screw (there is a screw and nut, right?) and tighten the thing
back down.

It takes overnight to dry. I guess be prepared to come back the day
afte rhtye do their dishes, if it doesn't work, unless they'll hold
off again, which they should for a few days. (It's possible to wash
dishes by hand, but I'm not sure anyone believes that anymore. It may
be as far out as alchemy now.)

Does this leak show inside the dishwasher? I'm sure you can find some
plastic patch light in color at an auto parts store or hardware store.


Meirman
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Meirman wrote: snip-(It's possible to wash
dishes by hand, but I'm not sure anyone believes that anymore. It may
be as far out as alchemy now.)-snip

Heehee! Thanks for the reply. Doesn't seem to be a screw and nut
assembly there, as I said, it's "mushroomed". I spoke with a local
service person, who thinks I may not be looking at the true source of
the leak. Thank goodness, the tenant is amenable to waiting another
week due to his work schedule. With the limited length of the water
supply pipe, it appears I'll need an inspection mirror to really see
the issue. Oh well, always wanted one of those... I'm not sure what
pc70 is, but I'm ready with some epoxy ... Thanks again. Tom

In alt.home.repair on 28 Jul 2005 19:53:25 -0700 "tom"
posted:

Meirman wrote: snip-(It's possible to wash
dishes by hand, but I'm not sure anyone believes that anymore. It may
be as far out as alchemy now.)-snip

Heehee! Thanks for the reply. Doesn't seem to be a screw and nut
assembly there, as I said, it's "mushroomed". I spoke with a local
service person, who thinks I may not be looking at the true source of
the leak.

Maybe not. Maybe try water with food coloring so you'll see the leak
as soon as it shows up.

I once bought a nudie ice cube tray, but it was hard to see the
shapes. So I made ice with food coloring in the water. IIRC all the
food coloring went to the bottom third of the "cube", not
physiologically but the third closest to the freezer shelf.

Thank goodness, the tenant is amenable to waiting another
week due to his work schedule. With the limited length of the water
supply pipe, it appears I'll need an inspection mirror to really see
the issue. Oh well, always wanted one of those... I'm not sure what

Yeah, they're good. They make a dental mirror with a telescoping
handle. I think it's for giraffe dentists. (might be hard to find)

pc70 is, but I'm ready with some epoxy ... Thanks again. Tom

Pc-70 is an epoxy and it's great. Sticks to anything, including
glass. Hardens while wet, while leak is dripping if you push it back
in place every time it moves for the first ten minutes.

It's dark grey. It can be smoothed with a wet finger, but it tastes
v. bad, so I try to use each finger only once.

Meirman
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