Do-It-Yourself Story

First (father & son) we disconnected water supply line from hot water feed and drain line from garbage disposal, both under sink. We killed power to the dishwasher circuit. We pulled dishwasher out, got it up on blocks for easier underside access, put down some old towels, and disconnected supply line, drain line, and electrical connection. Because of symptoms (no water circulation & lack of typical sounds) and the fact that dishwasher was 15+ years old, we suspected the pump motor. Found a replacement pump motor on AppliancePartsPros.com for $130 + $9 shipping. From links on the pump motor page, double-checked it was correct part number for our KitchenAid model. Also watched the replacement video which was expertly done and passed on critical info on how to swap out the suspected bad pump motor. With all connections off, we were able to flip dishwasher upside-down (after removing lower rack per video). Following video instructions and tool recommendations, we got the suspect pump motor removed. Sure enough, the output drive shaft was seized and there was a fine, metal dust present. Looks like an internal bearing seized up. Ordered the new pump motor. Shipping was fast, just 2 business days. Once received, reversed the procedure and had no problem getting the new pump motor in. It was pretty much an exact replacement (though a little lighter and a different PN from the original). Had to have dishwasher pushed in at least half way to have enough slack on supply line and drain line to re-attach under sink. Put in some dirty dishes and ran through quickest cycle (light wash). Success! Made it through a complete cycle with sloshing water & typical sounds. Dishes clean. Total investment = $139 (with shipping) + about 2.5 hours. Take that over spending ~$650 on a new dishwasher any day. MJ Charlotte