Maytag MDB9150 Can you please tell me how to remove the uppper spray arm. It is plugged with fish debris and I don't know how to remove it so I can clean out the holes.

The Maytag spray arms always get clogged and stop spinning. There is no easy way to remove the food matter from the inside of the spray arm after it gets pretty filled....UNTIL NOW...Drill a 1/4" hole on each end of the spray arm on the top. This method works for either spray arm, but be careful to leave at least 1/8" of distance from the two small holes that spray out water, when you drill the hole. Then using a Dremel tapered stone grinding bit enlarge the hole to 5/16" to accommodate a stainless steel 5/16" plug with the inside hex head. Also use the fine thread, not the course thread, as it will screw more securely onto the thin stainless gage arm and will last. Grind to enlarge the hole a little at a time to make sure your plugs thread into the arm snugly. I have been using our modified arms on our Maytag for over a year and we now have consistently sparkling, clean dishes. We run the washer twice per day and clean out the arms at least once per week which takes only two or three minutes.

Most dishwashers dispense the detergent via gravity and the sprayer arms spraying against the soap dispenser once the little door flips open during the wash cycle. Since it sounds like the soap door is opening I would look at the sprayer arms and make sure they are free of food particles or other debris that might be keeping them from rotating and spraying properly. Here are some instructions for performing this check.

Remove the lower dishrack from the unit. Reach into your dishwasher and spin the lower spray arm. Take note of whether or not the arm moves freely or if its movement is restricted. It should not be restricted in its path of motion. Now gently pull up on an end of the spray arm. The spray arm should be free to wobble up and down. Unscrew the arm retaining knob (some of these are left hand threads) and take the arm out for inspection and carefully examine the spray arm seams. If they have split or are damaged, the dishes may not receive the amount of water pressure required to fully clean the dishes or to rotate the arm properly. What’s more, if water is in fact spraying out of the spray arm from its seams, it is possible that it can cause your dishwasher to leak. Make sure there is no debris in any of the holes.



If your dishwasher has a spray tower, pull up on it as far as it will go and then let it fall back down. Again, this movement should not be restricted. It should be a fluid and smooth motion. Also, unscrew the spray tower and examine it for any debris or foreign objects. Remove any that you find.
Gain access to the upper spray arm by removing the upper dishrack. Perform the same tests for the upper spray arm as you just did for the lower spray arm. Keep in mind that the upper spray arm may not wobble as much as the lower spray arm.
On a final note, some dishwasher models have a water tube that meets up with the upper spray arm once the upper dishrack is pushed back. It is a good idea to check to make sure this tube is aligning properly with the upper spray arm and that this has not split or is damaged in any other way.

Hello.

Two things come to mind:
1. Check the spray arms for pluggage, particularly at the tips. If the spray arms are plugged up, they can prevent the detergent from being dispensed. The easiest way that I know of to remove debris from the spray arms is to remove the arm and use a piece of wire (paper clip) to rake out the debris in the tips, and poke holes of the plugged nozzles, then wash the arms out over the sink.
2. Get the water in the sink as hot as possible just before starting the washer. The hotter water will help dispense the soap more readily, and help to clean the dishes better.

Best regards, --W/D--

Hello; first thing to check, which you don't mention, is which side of the glasses aren't coming clean; the outside, which would be caused by the TOP spray not working properly, or the INSIDE, which would be caused by the spray BELOW the top rack not working. The most common problem causing a spray arm not to turn, and/or poor cleaning, is debris blocking some or all of the spray holes in the arm. Best and easiest way to check them is to remove them; they usually are easily removed with a large wing nut or screw in the center. (Don't drop the screw, if you do it will ALWAYS find it's way to the hardest spot to retrieve it from in the whole dishwasher!)
Once you have the spray arm(s) out (this might be a good time to clean them all) you may notice pieces of debris partially protruding from the spray holes. DON'T pull them out; use something to push them back inside the spray arm. Pulling them out can enlarge and mis-shape the spray holes.
Dislodge any pieces inside the arm by firmly rapping it against a firm but padded object, and shake the debris out over the sink, catching it in a paper towel so it won't go down the drain. Be careful, as broken glass is often inside the spray arms, picked off the bottom of the tub and fed through the pump to the sprays.
Once you don't get any rattling inside after several "raps" on the padded object, the arm should be clean.
Cleaning these spray arms periodically is a good idea even before you have trouble.
Hope this helps, and good luck!
Alec

Does the spray arm spin if you push it with a finger? If not, the plastic bearing is in trouble--pull down on the plastic pin under the lower center of the arm which should release the arm. Check the spray holes for plugging and any split seams between the two halves. Check the bearing area for any stray debris. If it doesn't spin because little water comes out of the bearing area, then the likely problem is either a plugged screen in the bottom area under the lower spray arm tower, or a plugged port on the bottom deck under the pump impeller parts. You will have to disassemble the entire lower tower assembly down to the deck to service this area--make notes as you remove parts so that it goes back together properly. Soak the large screen in hot water and white vinegar solution (50:50) to remove the white hard-water deposits. Check the lower spray arm for hole plugging and split seams as well. Our Maytag washer suffered the same problems and by changing detergent brands seem to have no further events. Hope this helps!

There is something in the shredder plate under the spray arm. To clear this you will need to remove lower spray arm and then using torx driver remove the screws holding the housing together and remove the housing to get to the debris underneath. Good luck and hope this helps.

Yes it can get plugged. Any debris pumped up to the arm can get lodged into the tiny holes. Also, sometimes the arm itself becomes split along the joint between the lower and upper half. Remove the arm to inspect, clean, and repair/replace the arm if split. I fixed our Maytag spray arm when it split, by drilling a series of small holes along the split parts and sewing the thing back together with fairly fine copper wire. Still working great after a number of years. The small spray holes can be poked clean with a heavy needle and the arm vacuumed out. If after all this it still won't spray properly, the intake screen at the bottom of the lower spray arm tower may need to be cleaned as well. Remove components starting with the spray arm and work your way down, noting placement and orientation of each piece. Remove the screen, and soak it in hot water, detergent and white vinegar for an hour or so. Check all holes in the deck for any food plugging. Reassemble in reverse order and check the lower spray arm for plugging as well. Hope some of this helps!

here is a breakdown of the inside of the machine. if the spray arm is not plugged, check the filter screen for debris. also check to make sure the wash impeller is not broken. hope this helps a little.

Check the upper spray arm holes for debris that may be plugging up the spray arm. If clean remove the lower spray arm and filter screen and clean out any debris in the sump.

open the door when working and check the spray arms are rotating. if not, the jets in the spray arms may be blocked. very fiddly to clear but doable