[SteveInCA]

After years of good service, the tub of our Frigidaire dishwasher GLDB756AB0 simply will not drain. I disconnected power, removed kick plate, found drain hose underneath, unscrewed clamp, removed hose from "drain nipple" and caught backed up water in a pan, emptying tub (quite slowly). However, the hose all the way to drain at garbage disposal is clean as a whistle with no clogs.

After removing lower spray arm assembly, polypropylene filters and trap, I used a garden hose to force medium-to-high pressure water directly in tub "holes" thinking it might "blow out" any clogs in pump/impeller assembly into the drain hose. But no luck: all this did was re-fill the tub with water from the garden hose.

I don't have the Torx 20 screwdriver to remove the sump housing to expose the motor and pump, so I am stuck not knowing what to do next (except call a plumber). But I can get a Torx if I were enlightened about the next couple of things to try. I must find out what is clogged and get the tub/sump to drain properly. My next steps are...what?

Help?

[tech2help]

1st of all...i have to ask...have you put in a new garbage disposal recently? if so, did you knock out the plug where drain hose attaches? seen it many times. my next question would be do you hear the drain motor spinning? if no, then i would check to see if there is somethinf stuck in the drain motor locking it up. it is located to the right of the sump, hanging from an L-bracket and has a short piece of black hose running between it and the sump bottom. the drain hose attaches to the back of this pump. also check for power to pump and continuity across pump connectors, should get continuity. see what you can see. cost over $100 to have someone look at it. good luck!

[SteveInCA]

No recent garbage disposal installation; like I said, this Frigidaire has given us a couple of years of fine service, so the knockout plug is a non-issue. It is a cheapo model, though: door cover often needs to be screwed back on, plastic coming off of racks and flaky rust, et cetera, but these are minor compared to "won't drain."

I'm wondering if the little plastic ball (or are there two of them?) in the sump entrance might be stuck, as they seemed to not rattle or move when I got my fingers in the holes there. I don't know if the drain pump is working or not or has power and continuity. I'll carefully (don't want to get electrocuted!) try the suggestion of continuity (I have a continuity tester, but no volt meter), and then I think it's time to call the repair plumber.

Thanks very much for your reply!