Our GE Profile dishwasher is 5 years old and the upper spray arm seems to have stopped spraying and rotating. The spray arm rotates freely when the washer is off. There is water in the base of the unit and the lower arm seems to be working. What should I look at first? This unit is in a vacation rental in the Caribbean and there are no service men available.
Thank you,
Utila Bob
Here are your parts
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/modelsearch.aspx?model=PDW8280J03SS
Here is a manual. It is for newer units but yours should be close.
http://appliancejunk.com/ge/dishwasher/31-9137.pdf
Could be a number of things:
Dirty filter screen.
Low fill, see Page 24 for where it should be. Often low fill is caused by a dirty inlet filter screen in the water valve. Remove the valve and check/clean it. Do not permanently remove the screen from the valve as it is there to keep crud out of the valve which could hold it open and cause a flood.
Poor seal at the middle spray arm.
Dirt/crud in the pump.
Dirt and debris in the sump. Be care when checking in here as often there is broken glass in the sump.
Spins slowly with load. spins well empty