Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Kenmore Dishwasher Fill Valve Assembly?

My Kenmore 665.15934 is not bringing in enough water. It brings enough to throw some water around, but it makes a slow straining sound when it does. If I add another 2-4 cups of water, it sounds fine. After checking a number of things, I discovered that the inlet assembly and the fill valve assembly had some gunk in them and the filter in the fill valve assembly was clogged. I cleaned everything out, but I still have the same problem. The overflow float and switch work fine. Do I need to replace the entire fill valve assembly?

Thanks!

First you have to make sure the water is even getting to the fill valve itself in sufficient volume.

Problem could be associated with: rust scale, or a pile of deteriorated hot water tank dip tube plastic, or a washer came off the shut off valve to the dishwasher or someone closed the valve down (often located under the kitchen sink), or ?.

Thanks for your message. Could you please clarify:

"rust scale" Do you mean in the copper tubing leading to the dishwasher?

"or a pile of deteriorated hot water tank dip tube plastic" I'm not sure what you mean here.

"washer came off the shut off valve to the dishwasher or someone closed the valve down" The valve is open, but I can check the washer.

Thanks,
Sue

Rusty scale would be from if you have any galvanized piping in the supply line leading even up to the shut off valve under the sink.

Simply put...no matter what possible causes for the low water condition you have, you need to find out that you have good water flow before it enters the screen to the fill valve.

Undo the line coming into the fill valve after you shut the water valve to it , under the kitchensink. It is possible the copper line got kinked during installation, even. With someone helping you turn on the water, briefly...as it may really try to fly out!...you'll have to guide the water into something to catch it/reduce a flood possibility.

If THAT is not where the problem lies, you are back to exploring other possibilities *in* your dishwasher.

But if the water test DOES show restriction...then you need to go to that shutoff valve under the sink and...the easiest thing you can do first is to first make sure it is open the whole way, for starters.


If it is...then go in the basement and shut off the house water, then back drain some water from a fixture lower than the valve under the sink. After you do THAT, then undo the valve stem nut on the shutoff valve itself and unscrew the valve stem out to make sure that the washer is on the end of it. Often these are not screwed on the end of these stems but are forced over a piece of plastic. And while you are laying under there with a flashlight, look into the hole in the line and see if you see anything.

If all appears in order, screw the valve stem back in woith the valve stem backed in towards the nut (the open position) before tightening the nut. If you don't do that you can create a bind.


But now you still need to find out if water is getting *through* this shutoff valve. (All this work of course is only necessary if you were NOT getting good water flow out of the incoming line at the dishwasher's fill valve.)

Now you can turn the water back on in the basemnt to make sure you have no leaks at the valve stem.

Now, turn the shutoff valve off under the sink and undo the copper line coming out of it heading to the dishwasher. Then you have to rig something up to catch the water when you briefly open up the valve to see if water flows out of the valve real good as it should.


..........................

Explaining about the plastic pieces, you asked about:
In water heaters are these plastic tubes that make the incoming cold water go to the bottom of the tank. These can crumble apart after years. I just had one go bad (most likely)in a rental and had to clean the plastic pieces out of the shower head where it blocked it entirely, and two faucet aerators that caused the water to be reduced and squirt out weird.

Thank you SO much for the detailed description. I will work my way through that. I wouldn't be surprised if we have a plumbing issue. The guy who plumbed our house did a number of suspect things - several of which have had to be re-done.