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View Full Version : Lower spray arm in whirlpool dishwasher


Sher34
Nov 12, 2009, 07:40 AM
I have been trying to get the plastic bolt out of my dishwasher to release the lower spray arm and I've rotated it both clockwise and counter clockwise hundreds of times with no progress. What am I doing wrong that's keeping it from unscrewing from the spray arm?

A technician came to fix my dishwashwer about 3 months ago and it's doing the same thing
That it did before, which had something to do with the clean light blinking 7 times causing the machine to not start. He removed all the parts inside and basically cleaned the drains of hard water and food that may have been trapped. I just wonder if he done something else to cause it to break down again so soon.

ErnieM
Nov 20, 2009, 02:53 PM
If we have the same machine... this will work.

Remove both trays. Bottom just comes out, top one takes some fussing.

Don't try to get the spray arm off by itself, get the whole base & channel off in 1 piece. Look up the water channel running out the back of the base and up to the top of the unit. It has two Phillips screws. Remove them (don't drop!) and pull the channel out a bit so it is free to move, then rotate the whole base 1/4 turn to the right.

The whole base will pop off in one piece. Do the same to replace it.

Underneath is the chopper assembly, that is what usually goes wrong (especially if you're hearing a new buzz and the water isn't spraying like it used to). You have 4 torx screws to remove to get the first filter off. Mine is white. Put it aside.

Below that is one torx near the front to get off a water inlet plate, then back and to the left that is the curved chopper cover (1 more torx). The chopper cover may be stuck, it pulls straight up and you may need to pry it up.

Once that is off see if something is stuck in the chopper blades. Hopefully you can just clean it out and it is good so just put everything back.

My whole chopper blade wore out and needed to be replaced on my 6 year old machine, for under 30 bucks I had one shipped and in and now all is good.

RiaKnol
Apr 4, 2012, 09:53 AM
I got as gar as taking off the filter but could not get the chopper cover off. Fortunately I was able to pull a lot of stuff out, including glass, bones, plastic tape etc, using a pair of (Revlon) tweezers! Dishwasher works fine now, thank you so much!!