Dishwasher pump blocked

loadz

Hi
Can anyone tell me how i can unblock the pump of an indesit dishwasher after the filter as my wife thinks that it might be blocked with broken glass. The filter seems clear. That is if there even is a pump after the filter. The situation is that it turns on and runs for 5 or 10 minutes and then it comes to a stop with two lights flashing and a pool of water left in the bottom. To take the dishwasher out is going to be a bit of a dose as the tiler tiled around it and so the legs will have to be adjusted to get it out as its an integrated washer. Can it be unblocked without having to completely take the dishwasher apart. Any advice please or if i had to call someone out to look at it how much would it cost.

knighted_1

Post what two lights are flashing and the model number if you can

loadz

it is the Di620 and lights 1 and 2 are on

pslat

Hi, lights 1 and 2 flashing on the Di620 implies a drainage problem. If you are sure it is glass then you will have to get the machine out and remove the pump to get the glass out. I have heard people using a net curtain wire to try to dislodge items from the waste pump but if it's glass it may break into smaller pieces and end up causing more damage to the pump.
There are two pumps btw, the main wash pump that drives the spray arms and the smaller waste pump attached directly on to the drain hose.
You will need to access the drain pump, unclip it from the intake and unscrew the pump housing to acess the rotor and remove the object blocking the pump.
You are likeley to get wet:rolleyes:, angry:mad: cut:( and/or fried:eek: during this process so unless you are sure, call a tecchie. Sorry, don't know what it would cost for a call out now. Good luck.

loadz

Thanks for that. I knew in my heart that i'd have to take it apart but was hoping not. The filter should be catching anything like that and not letting it pass. Cheers

knighted_1

where are you located ?

loadz

In Cork city area

ButchHarmon

Hi, I just had the same problem with my indesit di 450. It made strange noise at the end of the cyle last night as if the drainage pump was blocked. It vibrated loudly twice so I turned it off. In any case the dishes seemed to be more or les done.

Today I started a new cycle. It filled with hot water then 5/10 minutes in it made a click noise and stopped working. Lights 2 and 3 were flashing. I tried on off etc and it hums quietly for a few minutes but does nothing and the same error code eventually flashes.

Anyone any idea what might be the problem. Did you have any luck unblocking yours?

loadz

I managed to take the washer apart and there is no sign of any glass. The pump looks clear but i will take it apart to be sure. You need star head drivers to take the pump apart. Is there another reason that the dishwasher doesn't drain if it isn't the pump

ButchHarmon

Thanks for the update and sorry for my delay in responding...in the meantime i have been hand washing evrything. Haven't gotten around to looking at dishwasher yet.

No other eason i am aware of why it won't drain. i checked connection to sink for blockages so looks like i may need to take the machine apart...

Do you have any tips? I presume i slide out dishwasher, tip it back and attack from the bottom?

Did you take the pump apart yet?

loadz

Sorry haven't been on for a while. Just take out the dish washer from units and lie it down (try to get rid of any water first) and take off panel. The pump is clipped on to the drain hose so just unclip this and take off the wires which are just push on connections. You need star head drivers to take the pump apart. Good luck.

Avns1s

Before you lash in and go taking the pump off and apart, I have come across a couple of cases of the outlet pipe (usually grey) being blocked by fat.

When you remove the outlet pipe from the plumbing under the sink (usually), after cleaning the end, see if you can blow back into the dishwasher. I think you usally should be. If you can't then you should remove the outlet pipe from the pump and check again. At this stage, you should be easily able to blow through the pipe.

If you can't then it's blocked and this is your problem.

Try pushing something that wont come through the side of the pipe through it to clear the blockage. It might help once you get a flow through it to run through with as hot a water as possible and some drain cleaner.

Let us know how you get on.

ButchHarmon

Hello all,

Finally after handwashing for a couple of months i finally got around to having a go at the dishwasher last night.

I turned of power and disconnected pipes (making sure to turn of water tap first). The drain pipe drained successfully with gravity (thankfully because it didn't smell the best after so many weeks). I threw a few pints of water into the washer and these flowed through too. I reconnected everything and reset the machine by holding down programme button, set a wash and it all seemed to work...

But then at the drain stage it stopped again, soft humming noise (A few montsh ago it been more of a grinding), light 2 and 3 flashed again. I manually drained the dishwasher again having disconnected everything. I tipped the dishwasher onto its side (using a towel for excess water leakage), screwed of the bottom (probably no need to unscrew screws in middle of base these seem to connect to some sort of safety mechanism but will remain attached to a wire so carefull when removing base). I had a look around and figured out which was the pump. Using a pliars i unclipped the clamp around outlet pipe and unscrewed a single screw which allowed me remove the pump by rotation....

At first glance i didn't see anything inside, but then after a little shaking and poking with a screw driver out popped the culprit! A little peice of glass!! So i was delighted. I put everything carefully back together again, ran a cycle and i am glad to say the dishwasher is fixed!

I have left it pulled out of the kitchen unit for a few cycles just to make sure nothing is leaking.

Another point to note is that i had some trouble removing the dishwasher from kitchen unit - screw legs at back were difficult to access and i had to raise them for wooden floors....

pslat

Wow, nearly 3 months without a diswasher -You saved yourself a lot of electricity anyway. Good result in the end.

loadz

ButchHarmon, I must say that i am worse than that. I have brought home *head scewdrivers to take the pump apart and they are still sitting in the boot and the wife is giving out because we have to manually wash the ware. I thought i was waisting my time going at it again so now that you have found glass in your pump you are after giving me the motivation to give it another go. Cheers

ButchHarmon

Great i must tell my missus that! Although was thinking of pretending it was still broken!
Before you start with the star head screw drivers (and assuming both sides of pump fully disconnected i.e. the pump is in your hand) stick a screw driver in and try spining the mini turbine around inside at first it moved a little and i though nothing was there, but then i looked inside and shuck/spun the glass out without having to open it all up....

loadz

Hi All

I finally went back to look at the dishwasher tonight thanks to the efforts of ButchHarmon who gave me the hope i needed and i took out the pump. When i took out the pump i wired it up to see if it would run and it did but it was noisy. I couldn't see anything impeding it so i took the pump housing off and i still couldn't see anything. I ran the pump again with the housing off and it ran smoothly and then i spotted a broken piece of plate the same colour of the pump in the housing. It was really stuck to it and i had to scrape it off with a screwdriver. I put it all back together and the water hose started to leak but i sorted that and thank god the dishwasher is working again. No more hand washing:).
Cheers lads

ButchHarmon

Excellent! Very satisfying!