My pool pump sucks ...

... air that is. Air is getting into the system and blowing out the return jets like crazy. I can't figure out from where. Water level is fine. I checked the o-ring at the union on the suction side of the pump (did the same at the discharge side although I'm told that shouldn't matter) and I checked the gasket/o-ring on the pump cover. That gasket didn't look the greatest so I'll change it out tomorrow, but it should be good enough not to suck air. The impeller isn't stiff or stuck- it moves freely.

What I did notice and is new, is that the pump doesn't get filled with water like it used to. Would be the water could be seen flowing around at the very top of the cover, but now the level is only about half. Also, the bottom cleaner moves very slowly- and I measure very little suction at the cleaner port (where the hose connects).

I searched the interweb, and did the youtube thing and got some ideas, but nothing made a difference. Any ideas? Thanks.

We had the same thing on our pool pump. Turned out to be a crack in the clear lid where the input mesh filter sits.

Rich Z said:

We had the same thing on our pool pump. Turned out to be a crack in the clear lid where the input mesh filter sits.

Click to expand...

Ahhhhh! Okay. Here it is I'm looking at gaskets and o=rings and the like, but never thought about checking the actual cover. Great, thanks a lot.

I'll post the (eventual) solution.

Could also be a crack in the line from the pool into the pump (the input side).
If the crack was in the line from the pump to the pool (the output side) you
would probably have a beautiful backyard fountain until the water level
dropped below the input side hose! LOL. I've had the same thing happen with
straws from Dunkin Donuts. Get a crack in the straw and get a bunch of
air bubbles with the old iced coffee. Easy to check that out too! I would think
that a cracked hose would be a more common problem, but what do I know!
Just my 2 cents worth............
Andy :wavey:

You can check for a cracked lid by merely pouring water over it and see if the air bubble in the pump goes away. It will suck in water instead of air.

Sure hope you don't have to dig up any pipes to find the crack if it is elsewhere. But you could probably saturate the soil around the pipe using the same above mentioned technique to see if it stops sucking air when a section of the pipe is covered with water.

Good luck!

Fixed. :dancer01:

I tested for leaks in the clear pump cover and found it to be okay.
I replaced the pump cover gasket/o-ring ... no change.
I rebuilt the three manual valves: 2 intake and 1 output ... no change.
I rebuilt the electronic valve, which by the way, is rarely used, and THAT was where the problem was. And, it was the last valve I rebuilt. BTW- by rebuilt I mean simply taking the valve apart and changing out 2 small o-rings and 1 larger o-ring per valve.

So, $40 or so later, in o-rings and gaskets, I am good to go with all newly gasketed valves.

:thumbsup: At least you got it fixed.