HELP!!! I recently bought a home that came with a very large above ground pool (wife says 36’ and pool place says 40’) but the picture will help I hope. The owner said that the filter and pump were new so I just assumed everything worked since we bought it in the winter. I went to turn it on the other day to hopefully get the pool ready to start swimming soon only to see it wasn’t working correctly. I noticed he had 2 lines crossed and I fixed them. Then I couldn’t get the pump to get the air out of it, so I filled the pool a little higher than ½ way on the skimmer (which after some heavy rain it’s above the skimmer almost now) and still haven’t been able to get the air out. That’s when I noticed that the pressure gauge never moves and that the waste port was leaking a good bit of water. After watching about 20 videos on YouTube I’ve learned that this usually means a bad spider gasket. I watched some videos on how to replace it and when I took mine apart I realized that my gasket is on the head and not the body. I also noticed the center piece on the body appears to have broken off. On top of all this, I don’t know what this guy did to winterize the pool because he said he did and then I found the wrong lines connected so who knows honestly. He also never covered the pool itself and doesn’t even have a cover. I’ll post the pictures I took so you can get an idea of what I am looking at and if anyone can help before I break down and just by a whole new setup I would be very appreciative. Well I'll try and post pictures but the ones I originally put were too big and now it won't let me add any more because the size is at it's limit.
Waterway TWM 22" sand filter and pump
- Thread starter ChrisNewbs
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,798
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Hello Chris and welcome to TFP. 
We're not seeing the pics yet, but that's okay. Covering the pool itself isn't a deal breaker here. It might make spring clean-up a little more time-consuming, but shouldn't have impact on your leak situation. The leaking spider gasket is a concern, but not something the company who winterized your pool would have needed to mess with I wouldn't think. Have you been shutting-off the pump "before" turning the multiport valve? Turning the handle in the same (one) direction each time?
When you say "two lines were crossed", I'm assuming you are referring to the suction and return water lines to the pool correct? That would mean that for a while, the pump was trying to initially pull pool water from the return jets, and pushing water out the skimmer right? You fixed that, but then the pump wouldn't prime correct? It's possible the leaking multiport valve is the main source of your pressure issue. But did you try removing the pump's strainer basket first and filling it with water, check the lid O-ring, fill basket with water, replace the lid, then start the pump? Or in your case, the pump is probably below the water level of the pool, so water should always be flowing downhill to the pump applying prime pressure right? Did you try bleeding the air out of the filer housing (if one is present)?
Another thought ... when that company winterized your pool, did they remove the pump and store it indoors somewhere to prevent it from freezing? If you operated the valve as designed, I wonder if water remained, froze (expanded) and broke your multiport valve?
I know I'm repeating a few things you mentioned, but want to make sure we're seeing events the same way. Have you spoken to the company who closed the pool? Curious to know what they have to say, or anymore info you may have in your next reply. Either way, it looks like a new multiport valve may ultimately be the prescription to fix the valve. The valve itself may also have a bad O-ring at the top, and not just the spider gasket, but the cracked center may be a deal-breaker. Let us know, we'll watch for your next post and try to assist where we can.
We're not seeing the pics yet, but that's okay. Covering the pool itself isn't a deal breaker here. It might make spring clean-up a little more time-consuming, but shouldn't have impact on your leak situation. The leaking spider gasket is a concern, but not something the company who winterized your pool would have needed to mess with I wouldn't think. Have you been shutting-off the pump "before" turning the multiport valve? Turning the handle in the same (one) direction each time? When you say "two lines were crossed", I'm assuming you are referring to the suction and return water lines to the pool correct? That would mean that for a while, the pump was trying to initially pull pool water from the return jets, and pushing water out the skimmer right? You fixed that, but then the pump wouldn't prime correct? It's possible the leaking multiport valve is the main source of your pressure issue. But did you try removing the pump's strainer basket first and filling it with water, check the lid O-ring, fill basket with water, replace the lid, then start the pump? Or in your case, the pump is probably below the water level of the pool, so water should always be flowing downhill to the pump applying prime pressure right? Did you try bleeding the air out of the filer housing (if one is present)?
Another thought ... when that company winterized your pool, did they remove the pump and store it indoors somewhere to prevent it from freezing? If you operated the valve as designed, I wonder if water remained, froze (expanded) and broke your multiport valve?
I know I'm repeating a few things you mentioned, but want to make sure we're seeing events the same way. Have you spoken to the company who closed the pool? Curious to know what they have to say, or anymore info you may have in your next reply. Either way, it looks like a new multiport valve may ultimately be the prescription to fix the valve. The valve itself may also have a bad O-ring at the top, and not just the spider gasket, but the cracked center may be a deal-breaker. Let us know, we'll watch for your next post and try to assist where we can.
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
Welcome to the forum 
If you look in my sig you can see how to post pictures.. with them we may be able to help a little better...
If you look in my sig you can see how to post pictures.. with them we may be able to help a little better...
