Dishwasher help!

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My Bosch SGS43T82GB dishwasher has taken to failing to pump the water out. First time, I tried to get to where the pump was and failed to find a way i n from the back/bottom. Then I just freed the pump by hand and it was OK fo r a while. Now it's done it again. The pump appears to be free, apart from the feeling that when you turn it with your finger it bounces back slightly as though the rubber drive belt was not letting it go freely. I don't thin k it's a programme/electrical fault because the machine just sits and hums. But how to get in to look at the drive and belt?

[Andrew Gabriel]

First time, I tried to get to where the pump was and failed to find a way in from the back/bottom. Then I just freed the pump by hand and it was OK for a while. Now it's done it again. The pump appears to be free, apart from the feeling that when you turn it with your finger it bounces back slightly as though the rubber drive belt was not letting it go freely. I don't think it's a programme/electrical fault because the machine just sits and hums.

Never seen a water pump with a drive belt in a dishwasher.

The pump-out pumps are often shaded pole motors with the armature sealed inside the water path. Eventually, debris can get washed into the water bearings. I have disassembled one and cleaned that out, which got it working properly again.

The other option will be a pump with a rubber shaft seal, and these do eventually fail and leak. If the leaking water gets into the motor bearings, it will rapidly destroy them, causing sufficient resistance to prevent the motor starting.

[Brian Gaff]

Dunno about this one, but one of unknown lineage belonging to a friend seemed to have a dc motor in it driven to the pump by a toothed belt. I'm sure they make domestic appliences these days with no care of what might go wrong and how to fix them.

Brian

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ut. First time, I tried to get to where the pump was and failed to find a w ay in from the back/bottom. Then I just freed the pump by hand and it was O K for a while. Now it's done it again. The pump appears to be free, apart f rom the feeling that when you turn it with your finger it bounces back slig htly as though the rubber drive belt was not letting it go freely. I don't think it's a programme/electrical fault because the machine just sits and h ums.

Ok, but how do I get at the motor/pump? I can't see how to dismantle the th ing, and I'm not generally incapable!

[Bob Eager]

On my Bosch, the side panels (well, one at least) come off.

[F]

First time, I tried to get to where the pump was and failed to find a way in from the back/bottom. Then I just freed the pump by hand and it was OK for a while. Now it's done it again. The pump appears to be free, apart from the feeling that when you turn it with your finger it bounces back slightly as though the rubber drive belt was not letting it go freely. I don't think it's a programme/electrical fault because the machine just sits and hums.

Try looking/asking in

Lots of good help speedily given.

[harry]

. First time, I tried to get to where the pump was and failed to find a way in from the back/bottom. Then I just freed the pump by hand and it was OK for a while. Now it's done it again. The pump appears to be free, apart fro m the feeling that when you turn it with your finger it bounces back slight ly as though the rubber drive belt was not letting it go freely. I don't th ink it's a programme/electrical fault because the machine just sits and hum s.

The water seal on the pump shaft has a slight leak. This has resulted in the lubricant being washed out of the oilite bearing by water/detergent mix leaking out. So it sticks. A temporary fix is WD40 spray. In days of yore pumps could be dismantled and a new seal fitted. Dunno about today, likely a whole new pump needed. The slight bounce may be a rubber coupling twixt pump and motor.

[Andrew Gabriel]

First time, I tried to get to where the pump was and failed to find a way=

a while. Now it's done it again. The pump appears to be free, apart from the feeling that when you turn it with your finger it bounces back slightly as though the rubber drive belt was not letting it go freely. I don't think it's a programme/electrical fault because the machine just sits and hums.

I managed to do this about 18 months ago for the main wash pump in a dishwasher. The challenges are getting the pump and motor apart sufficiently and non-destructively to get the seal out (given that they are not servicable parts), and then finding a supplier of the seal, who will sell you fewer than 1000 of them. You also have to get the shaft clean and polished again where it rubs on the shaft seal, or it's unlikely to work for long.

There are also pumps with a magnetic coupling - an older version of the type where the armature is entirely sealed in the impeller casing (both avoiding the shaft seal weak point).

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out. First time, I tried to get to where the pump was and failed to find a way=

OK for a while. Now it's done it again. The pump appears to be free, apart from the feeling that when you turn it with your finger it bounces back sl ightly as though the rubber drive belt was not letting it go freely. I don' t think it's a programme/electrical fault because the machine just sits and hums.

Thanks for your help everyone. The dishwasher help group was great, as was being told that the bottom plate is nibbed in rather than screwed. I was lo oking for screws.