Do-It-Yourself Story

Based on the apparent relation to draining that I found on the internet I decided to open/unscrew the areas under the bottom rack where the water is pumped out. One obvious issue I observed was the drain check valve was turned and not functioning. It appeared to be swollen and stretched. When the new "Vane-Check" valve arrived it was not swollen and fit perfectly. I assume heat swells it up over time. I replaced three other seals while I had it apart. The one under the chopping blade was also damaged. It's been working for several days and I haven't seen the light again. My assumption is since the valve wasn't preventing backflow the water in the drain line to the disposal came back into the unit at times. Also, there was a lot of old food scum stuck in small cavities inside the pump-filter area, which may have contributed to the problem. Be careful with power screwdrivers. I accidentally poked a hole in the filter when my drill slipped and had to sew it together with nylon string. I used a small metal hooked awl to pull the seal under the chopping blade so as not to damage the plastic cavity. A socket to press the new seal by hand worked well and didn't damage the new seal. I'm going to make sure we don't leave any food on dishes because I'm confident food particles contribute to this problem.