How to troubleshoot what would make a garbage disposal leak out the bottom?

[Stormin Mormon]

I said one watt, not one megawatt.

Here's where you keep yours'

[Stormin Mormon]

On a.h.r, once, long ago, someone posted a link to an airline report (FAA?) that concluded the absolute finest mechanical diagnostic procedures on airplanes was a long hard visual look.

So, I don't disagree. The most important tool in the toolbox is a good pair of reading glasses (these days) and a bright light!

My camera broke, so, I may only have fuzzy cellphone pictures when I get there.

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Problem - Left inside main tyre almost needs replacement. Solution - Almost replaced left inside main tyre.

Problem - Test flight OK, except autoland very rough. Solution - Autoland not installed on this aircraft.

Problem - No. 2 propeller seeping prop fluid. Solution - No. 2 propeller seepage normal. Nos. 1, 3 and 4 propellers lack normal seepage.

Problem - Something loose in cockpit. Solution - Something tightened in cockpit.

Problem - Dead bugs on windshield. Solution - Live bugs on backorder.

Problem - Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200-fpm descent. Solution - Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

Problem - Evidence of leak on right main landing gear. Solution - Evidence removed.

Problem - DME volume unbelievably loud. Solution - Volume set to more believable level.

Problem - Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick. Solution - That's what they are there for!

Problem - IFF inoperative. Solution - IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

Problem - Suspected crack in windscreen. Solution - Suspect you're right.

Problem - Number 3 engine missing. Solution - Engine found on right wing after brief search.

Problem - Aircraft handles funny. Solution - Aircraft warned to "Straighten up, Fly Right, and Be Serious."

Problem - Target radar hums. Solution - Reprogrammed target radar with words.

Problem - Mouse in cockpit. Solution - Cat installed.

An earlier version of this list included the following items not appearing in the example quoted above: Defect: The autopilot doesn't. Action: IT DOES NOW.

Defect: Seat cushion in 13F smells rotten. Action: Fresh seat cushion on order.

Defect: Turn & slip indicator ball stuck in center during turns. Action: Congratulations. You just made your first coordinated turn!

Defect: Whining sound heard on engine shutdown. Action: Pilot removed from aircraft.

Defect: Pilot's clock inoperative. Action: Wound clock.

Defect: Autopilot tends to drop a wing when fuel imbalance reaches 500 pounds. Action: Flight manual limits maximum fuel imbalance to 300 pounds.

Defect: #2 ADF needle runs wild. Action: Caught and tamed #2 ADF needle.

Defect: Unfamiliar noise coming from #2 engine. Action: Engine run for four hours. Noise now familiar.

Defect: Noise coming from #2 engine. Sounds like man with little hammer. Action: Took little hammer away from man in #2 engine.

Defect: Whining noise coming from #2 engine compartment. Action: Returned little hammer to man in #2 engine.

Defect: Flight attendant cold at altitude. Action: Ground checks OK.

Defect: 3 roaches in cabin. Action: 1 roach killed, 1 wounded, 1 got away.

Defect: Weather radar went ape! Action: Opened radar, let out ape, cleaned up mess!

[Ed Pawlowski]

KA, InSinkErator and Whilrpool are all part of the same company now. Good brands. My last KA was about 25 years old when I replaced it. I have a batch feed and that has been my preference for many years.

[Wes Groleau]

When you say water is in the sink, that makes me think the stopper is in the sink, preventing water from getting into the unit. That in turn suggests that the ring inside the sink that the disposer mounts to is no longer completely sealed to the sink. This allows water to run down the outside of the unit and drip off the bottom, SEEMING to be coming out of the bottom.

[Danny D.]

I bought the $100 1/2 HP and the $180 3/4 HP ACE Hardware Model 5000 garbage disposal.

Once there, I asked her a few questions, and, since she uses it a lot, I installed the much bigger 3/4 HP one, with all new mounting hardware.

I don't know what "brand" it really is though.

I didn't have a camera with me (mine broke), so, here's a picture of what I bought next to what I replaced, for reference:

[Danny D.]

Hi Oren,

I had verified the old Emerson garbage disposal leaked from the bottom while it was in place.

However, only after I removed it, did I realize it also leaked from a crack on the side!

So, I think the leak *might* have been from this crack, and not from a seal inside the motor.

PS: I wonder if I can use this unit to turn it into a bench grinder?

[Danny D.]

Yes.

Thanks. I saw that plug, and knocked it out with a screwdriver and rubber mallet.

Thanks for letting me know, because I had never done this before - and - that's when I make the dumb mistakes.

One problem I had was the newer 3/4 HP garbage disposal motor was larger than the older 1/2 HP garbage disposal motor so the tube to that dishwasher connection needed to be longer.

But I didn't have one with me, and the stores were closed by the time I realized that it wasn't going to make it with the hose pushed fully onto the nipples.

So ... I'm embarrassed to say ... I cheated a bit, by moving the hose halfway on the nipples at each end, because I needed an extra inch of length.

Lesson learned:

- Buy everything even if all you replace is the motor!

[Danny D.]

Thanks Oren,

I *did* buy an extra $14.50 power cord, and, you are wholly correct (as always when it comes to huckleberries) that the new garbage disposal comes with almost everything

*but* the cord.

Since there was nothing wrong with the old cord, and, since I was paying (as a favor to my friend), I saved $15 by bringing wire nuts with me, which is the only "extra* I needed for the wires.

In addition, these things come with a three pronged plug but you can't tell which is the neutral. So, luckily, I had brought with me a DMM so I could easily tell which was the neutral. Dunno if it mattered.

One miserable thing was that I couldn't figure out HOW to remove the old snap ring! In the end, I banged and pulled and twisted and banged some more - which destroyed the old caulked water-tight connection.

Luckily, the new garbage disposal unit came with a new twist-on connector for the sink, so I used the putty I bought and made it all new again.

Snap quiz: Q: Can you see the snap ring opening in this picture?

Hint: I looked at it, while it was still in place, with a flashlight, spending fifteen minutes, before banging it off in sheer frustration. (This was the hardest part of the entire job - just finding where the snap ring ends were! And, of course, I ruined the whole setup.)

[Danny D.]

That might be the case here, as there was this rusty crack in the side of the old Emerson garbage disposal unit:

Who knows how or why this crack is there?

However, the fact the washing machine was backing up into the kitchen sink, tells me that the sink was filling with water because the drain pipes were clogged solid somewhere deep under the house.

I suspect the kitchen sink backing up filled the disposal unit with standing water - which - leaked profusely out this crack?

But I have no proof.

[hrhofmann]

Ok - The dishwasher is fixed, now what about the clogged drain under the house that was causing the backup, are you still there to look for it???

[Danny D.]

When I replaced the garbage disposal on Tuesday, the water leaking from that garbage disposal under the cabinet stopped; but the sink was still backing up with water when the washing machine ran.

So, I returned yesterday with the 50' and 75' snakes:

I am not sure if I solved anything, but I went into the outside drain about 60 feet (the house is only about 40 feet long) until I could go no longer (even though the snake is 75 feet long).

Two problems I had were: a) The snake kept kinking up (and it's a brand new 75' cable!) b) It stopped dead at 60 feet (which must be halfway under the lawn)

So, I gave up (I had hoped to go the entire 75 feet, which might even make it to the road). I know of no other cleanout but there must be one under the lawn somewhere (right?).

Anyway, I poured water down the washing machine drain with a garden hose for twenty minutes, and, nothing backed up.

So, while I have no idea why the snake just stopped dead at

60 feet (it had stopped twice prior, but I was able to get past whatever stopped it), I "think" whatever was clogged is no longer clogged (this black ooze like black paint came out).

[Bob_Villa]

Doesn't sound like you've done this much. Common sewer muck...

[Danny D.]

Lessons learned:

- The snap ring was almost impossible to get out and was, by far, the hardest part of the entire job. The next hardest part was putting the new snap ring on without pushing the chrome drain out of the sink.

- However, removing the old plastic strain relieve took knowledge of how it worked - but - I didn't have that - so I ended up destroying that plastic strain relief before I finally figured out how it comes apart.

- As everyone had said, I "could" have re-used the mounting apparatus, but, my problems with the snap ring negated that as I destroyed the caulking unscrewing the 3 set bolts

- The old clamp apparatus had one extra part that the new clamp didn't have - so I added it (a round steel plate under the sink with the cardboard gasket in between it and the underside of the sink). This made putting the new clamp on harder, because it wasn't designed for this additional thick steel plate (I guess).

- The new garbage disposal unit was $180 at ACE for 3/4 HP (a 1/2 HP unit was only $100) and it came with a drain pipe elbow & mounting hardware (which had 1 fewer part than the old mounting hardware).

- I bought a pound of plumbers putty for the sink (the smallest they had); but only used about an ounce.

- I brought wire nuts for the wire replacement and I was glad I did because I had to cut off the old crimped wire nuts in order to remove the old power cord from the old motor.

- The new garbage disposal did come *not* come with electrical cord (and a new cord cost $14.50 plus about a buck fifty in tax, which is $16, which is about 20% of the cost of the repair if I used the 1/2 HP motor and about 10% of the cost of the repair with the 3/4 HP motor.

- I had screwed on a Romex strain relief, but, I spun it on too tightly (in an attempt to aim the set screws), and it collapsed. Removing the busted strain relief was the third hardest part of the job (after taking off and putting on the snap ring).

- Screwing on a second new Romex strain relief, I made no attempt to align the set screws, and it worked just fine with a long-handled thin 1/8" screwdriver.

- You need an ohmmeter because the wires on the electrical cord aren't marked as to which one is the neutral and the blades in the male plug are the same size. Either that, or mark the neutral before you cut it off the old unit.

- Holding up the garbage disposal wasn't as bad as I thought it would be; but the larger unit pushed against the horizontal drain pipe - causing a slight bit of strain on the pipes.

- The new drain elbow was the same size and shape as the old except the old had a round female threaded end which screwed directly onto the old garbage disposal unit while the new elbow fit into an indentation on the new garbage disposal unit with two bolts. This turned out OK - but at first confused me since the ends were so different. But, the long end (unthreaded pipe) fit into the existing drain pipe just like the old one did, albeit with a bit of shoving and pushing.

- The larger garbage disposal unit necessitated a longer hose from the dishwasher and aerator Y connector. Since I didn't have a longer hose, I was forced to cheat and put the hose on the nipples only half way. This is my main regret (that I didn't have a longer hose handy).

- Next time I'm bringing a set of nut drivers because it was hard to tighten all the hose clamps (there were two of them on that Y connector and one on the garbage disposal unit) with a screwdriver in the enclosed space.

- Twisting the disposal unit on with the tool provided turned out to be surprisingly easy; but securing the wire ring was the second hardest part of the entire job.

- Without a helper, it's almost impossible to put the wire ring on without accidentally pushing the drain up out of the sink. The helper pushes down from above while you push up from below to secure that dastardly wire ring.

- Cleaning up the putty afterward is surprisingly easy. (I'm not sure what to do with the 15 ounces I still have, but, I guess it can come in handy somehow around the house).

- The wood is destroyed on the floor of the cabinet from how long the water must have been leaking on it; so I need to figure out what to put there on top to prevent the floor of the cabinet from collapsing (it's about 2 inches above the kitchen floor and it's just particle board. Yuck. Crappy stuff if you ask me; but I'm not sure how to fix it now that it's already ruined.

- It probably didn't help that I was on my back, butt on the tile floor but my shoulders squished inside the cabinet, making the entire wet particle board floor of the cabinet sag from my weight.

- I was glad I wore overalls (all this bending down lifts the back of my shirt otherwise) and I was very glad I had kneepads; but, I really need to go on a diet (I swore many times about that cabinet opening having a post right in the middle where the two doors open up under the sink).

Overall, except for removing and replacing that snap ring, and the mistake with the Romex strain relief, it was a relatively easy job.

[Danny D.]

I haven't done it all that much.

I was surprised I didn't pull out much by way of hair or paper stuff. Pretty much the snake went in about 20 feet, and hung up; then another 30 or so feet, and then hung up; and then another

10 or so feet (total was about 60' measured on the ground with step strides) of my 75 foot snake available.

Pulling out the snake created this black as night puddle, which, surprisingly, didn't stink all that much (certainly not like poop would have) - but it stained everything it touched that was allowed to dry. It was like black paint.

At one point, the snake was stuck solid, and I had to tug and tug and tug just to get it out. It stretched, and then popped out, all of a sudden. I guess I had twisted it into a ball somewhere deep inside.

Anyway, the weird thing is that I never did get all 75 feet inside the drain pipes. I'm surprised because they are at least two inches wide - and the snake is only 3/8".

I don't know how to find the cleanout that might be closer to the street.

[Ed Pawlowski]

What is the pipe made from? My guess is you hung up at the joints or at turns.

Decomposed sewage.

Probably is none. I have a pipe just outside of my house and then nothing as it goes to the street and to the main sewer line, about

100'

[Bob_Villa]

Do disrespect Danny...but are you a Danielle?

[Bob_Villa]

Sorry (if necessary) I did find a reference to a wife!

[Stormin Mormon]

Oh, that needs the power drain snake from Harbor Freight. on sale for $249.99 and you need the cutting end atachments for $18.99. . Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

. . wrote in message news: [e-mail]... Ok - The dishwasher is fixed, now what about the clogged drain under the house that was causing the backup, are you still there to look for it???

[Stormin Mormon]

When I replaced the garbage disposal on Tuesday, the water leaking from that garbage disposal under the cabinet stopped; but the sink was still backing up with water when the washing machine ran.

So, I returned yesterday with the 50' and 75' snakes:

I am not sure if I solved anything, but I went into the outside drain about 60 feet (the house is only about 40 feet long) until I could go no longer (even though the snake is 75 feet long).

Two problems I had were: a) The snake kept kinking up (and it's a brand new 75' cable!) b) It stopped dead at 60 feet (which must be halfway under the lawn)

So, I gave up (I had hoped to go the entire 75 feet, which might even make it to the road). I know of no other cleanout but there must be one under the lawn somewhere (right?).

Anyway, I poured water down the washing machine drain with a garden hose for twenty minutes, and, nothing backed up.

So, while I have no idea why the snake just stopped dead at

60 feet (it had stopped twice prior, but I was able to get past whatever stopped it), I "think" whatever was clogged is no longer clogged (this black ooze like black paint came out).

[Danny D.]

The pipe was put in the early sixties, and appears to be cast iron.