DU18J4 Maytag Dishwasher - Instructions

I looked under and found that 2 brass nuts that secured the heater element through the base housing of the dishwasher has split down each side of the nut and no longer was tight enough to keep water from leaking around either end of the heater element. I powered down the dishwasher at the circuit breaker and then reached under the dishwasher and pulled away the 2 wires that were attached to each side of the heater element. I removed the two nuts and replaced them with the parts I ordered from partselect.com. I then put the appropriate wires back at the end of the heater element and ran the dishwasher to check for leaks. No leaks... it was fixed.

Removed lower trim covers (2 Phillips screws) disconnected power supply at breaker box. Removed wire from heating element, removed (broken) brass nut, unclipped heating element and removed. Removed flat washers and replaced with new grommets. Kind of tricky getting them in there. Also had to lube them with silicone to get the element back through. Installed new brass nuts and installed wire connectors. Reset breaker and started diswasher to verify repair. No leaks, working just fine, reinstalled lower trim covers

Unplugged dishwasher, removed the 2 wires clipped to the heating element, removed both cracked nuts, replaced with new nuts from PartSelect, clipped on wires, plugged in and did a test cycle. Based upon service quote from Best Buy, I saved myself $125.00 for just the call out, not including parts and labor.

I turned the power off at the circuit breaker. I then took the access panel off the dishwasher at the bottom. I pulled the wire off the connector. I used a plied to remove the broken washer and replaced with new part. I put everything back in reverse order and ran the dishwasher. I than checked for leaks over two days while the machine was running and everything was fine. Thank you Parts Select for saving me $500!

First I removed the two screws that hold the dishwasher in place, I pulled out the dishwasher and on the bottom right located the leak. The two brass nuts that hold the heating element in place. The wires had been rusted to the element so I cut the wires (and later spliced them back together) and unscrewed the brass nuts. I ordered the part after finding them very easily on partselect.com and 2 days later screwed them back on to the dishwasher. Spliced the wires back together and put the dishwasher back in place.

Easy Fix.

I read the instructions that others had posted and completed the repair in less than 5 minutes!

My dishwasher started leaking at the beginning of the summer. We didn't know what to do, but didn't want to call an appliance repairman. Towards fall, a friend came over and pulled it out and found the heating element brass nut which was broken. We put it back in and washed dishes the old-fashioned way for another 3 months after that. I asked at my local hardware store for the part, and thought about trying one of those big-box do-it-yourself stores but never got around to it. Finally after getting sick and tired of doing all the dishes in the house by hand, I found your site, and the part I needed and ordered two (just-in-case). A few days later, we got the part, I pulled the dishwasher out again, screwed on the new nut by hand and put it back into place. We're in business!

Isolated the leak and found the nut had split thereby allowing a loose seal and water penetration. Ordered 2 nuts just in case the other goes and the installation was easy. Unplug the unit, remove baseplate, remove screws under the countertop, and slide the unit out a bit. Use needlenode pliers to remove terminal connection and replaced nut. Reverse it for assembly. 3 minutes tops $6 later it is done. Easy money saved by a DIY.

DISASSEMBLY
- Switch off circuit breaker for dishwasher.
- Remove lower front covers from washer to observe motor (for later steps) and to clean-up water.
- Remove top and bottom dishracks.
-You may want to take pics of the placement/orientation of components in the following steps as you disassemble them for reference during reassembly.
- Remove spray-arm base from pump housing.
- Remove and discard impeller— put a screwdriver in the impeller grooves to prevent it turning as you loosen the screw.
- Remove impeller, O-ring, and blade. Discard impeller and O-ring, but keep blade (I couldn’t find the O-ring; it had probably disintegrated).
- Remove pump housing, pump plate, and gasket.
- Use two flat-head screwdrivers on opposite sides of the rotor to pry it off the motor shaft. Be cautious not to damage the area around the motor shaft—wood can be used to protect the area and provide better leverage. If the rotor can’t be removed, a chisel or hacksaw can be used to split it before prying it up— be cautious of the motor shaft when splitting the rotor. Discard the rotor.
- Locate the upper seal, note its orientation (cup-side-down), remove it, and discard it (my upper seal was in the recess in the bottom of the rotor).
-Drive the shaft-key (small metal tab) out of the shaft groove using a hammer and flat-head screwdriver and discard it— the new rotor has a molded-in tab that will slide into the groove in place of the shaft-key.
- Remove ceramic ring from motor shaft and discard it (my leak was caused because the ceramic ring was broken in half).
- Use a flat-blade screwdriver to pry loose the lower seal—before removing it from the shaft, note its orientation (wide-side-down). Be caution not to damage the area around the motor shaft—wood may again be used for protection and leverage.

CLEANING/PREP
- Clean shaft with wire brush, white vinegar, and a rag (you may not need the wire brush if the shaft is in good shape, but my motor shaft was heavily corroded/rusted and I needed to smooth it to prevent it damaging the seals). Clean groove in motor shaft with flat-head screwdriver and rag.
- Use a rag and white vinegar to clean motor shaft recess and pump housing seat. The bottom of the motor shaft recess must be clean and smooth for the lower seal to seat properly.
- Clean pump plate, gasket, blade, pump housing, and screws with white vinegar and a plastic-bristled brush.

ASSEMBLY
-Wet new rubber seals, new ceramic ring, and new rotor with water to help them slide into place.
-Refer to pics taken during disassembly as needed for the following steps.
- Place new lower seal (wide-side-down) over motor shaft in bottom of recess.
-Push new upper seal (cup-side-down) into recessed area in the bottom of the new rotor.
-Push new ceramic ring into upper seal (cup-side) in bottom of rotor.
-Align groove on motor shaft with tab in rotor (a mark on the outside of the rotor shows the tab’s location) and seat rotor on the motor shaft by hand. Verify that the motor turns when the rotor is turned by hand. If not, remove the rotor and reposition it so that its tab slides into the groove in the motor shaft.
-Place gasket, pump plate, and pump housing in position. Start pump housing screws, but leave them loose.
- Place blade and new O-ring on rotor.
- Place new impeller on rotor and insert screw. Tighten moderately — overtightening could cause leaks. Hold the impeller by hand to prevent it turning as the screw is tightened— do not use a screwdriver to prevent the impeller turning.
- Finish tightening pump housing screws.
- Seat spray-arm base on pump housing and insert/tighten its mounting screws.
- Switch on circuit breaker for dishwasher.
- Start washer and watch motor to verify that shaft seal is not leaking. Run a full cycle to rinse the new parts and remove debris and vinegar residue. Continue to observe motor shaft area for leaks during cycle.
-Replace lower front covers.

I recently bought a vacation home in New Hampshire, and had a very detailed home inspection performed. The dishwasher unit was checked out to be in fine shape. Before moving in, I had all the hardwood floors refinished, including the kitchen, and everything looked great. After moving in and using the dishwasher twice, it developed a major leak coming from the bottom of the unit. "Here goes more money that I don't have, to hire an appliance repairman to fix this leak!" I decided to take the bottom kick panel off the dishwasher to see where the leak was coming from. It was coming from the the connection of the heater element at the bottom of the dishwasher. I found a brass nut had been cracked and wouldn't stay tight any more. I ordered the replacement nut from Partselect, RECEIVED IT THE NEXT DAY!!!!! using regular ground shipping, and installed the new nut using a socket set, and tested the unit. No more leaks!! Partselect saved me at least $150.00 on a service call for a $3.50 part. I'm not the handiest guy around, but even this was easy!
I also scored big points with the wife on my handyman repair! Thanks Partselect!

Greg

All you have to do power down the unit, then disconnect the power connections at the element and remove the old nuts and replace them with the new ones and tighten. Don't tighten too much, the element has a rubber seal that just needs the nut to snug it up.

Followed instructions, those were OK.
Dishwasher front still leaking

Removed bottom cover , PLACED TAPE ON SHARP EDGES OF ALL METAL!!!!!!! Pulled electrical connections off with long reach pliers , removed old split nut ,it was loose !!!!!! . Placed new nut into deep socket , started by hand until sung ,then attached small short 1/4 ratchet to socket and took two (2) turns . Reattached wires with long pliers, Tested on short cycle and nooooo,leaks !!!!!!!! SAVED HUNDREDS OF $$$$$$$. Replaced lower cover .ITS NOT ROCKET SCIENCES. GET AFTER IT !!!!! Bill.

After I received the Motor Shaft Kit I removed the spray arm tower and removed all screws, the center screw would not come out of the impeller, was stripped. Used a hammer and chisel to split the center of impeller and was able to remove. Also had to split the bottom impeller because it would not come out. All the parts that came in kit fit perfectly. Thank you Very much.

Never worked on a dishwasher before but quickly learned that on this particular one, it's only this thin little brass nut that tightens down the element from the underside of the washer. If not tight enough, water drips right down onto the electrical connections. In this case water began to drip and the heat from the electrical current began melting a clear rubber shield thing. Luckily I was home during the cycle and figured out the problem. Great website that seems to have all necessary parts for my washer. Quick shipment!