Another suction side air leak

[DonW]

I'm at the end of my rope, I'd scream (again!) if it would do any good. I have a suction side air leak that I cannot find. I have air in the lint pot, not a lot to see per se, but enough to put millions of super tiny bubbles back into the return and cause a gurgling sound from under the multi-port valve on the filter. It is enough also to draw a very small amount of air back into the LQ. In 30 days my TA has gone from 225 to 120. I am where I need to be roughly, and would like to put a stop to the leak.
I've done a miriad of things to the piping system, but am drawn back to the strainer basket. I've replaced the strainer basket o-ring and lubed it up good, but you can still see hidden pockets of undulating air, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch at a couple of places around the strainer lid. Well, I have to assume this is my source of air injection. Incidentaly, there is no water leak when the system is shut down. But every time you fire the pump up, there's a huge purge of air, even with less than a minute between shut-down and start-ups.

So my question is: It is possible that the strainer lid or body of the strainer top is slighly warped or has a crack that I cannot see. What can I put around the lid to temporarily seal the lid to the body, to troubleshoot to conclusion that it is indeed the strainer lid?

For the most part the system looks as it does except the injection point for the LQ is a saddle clamp and the chlorinator has been removed.

 

[duraleigh]

How about the drain plug(s) on the bottom of the strainer basket (lint pot)?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Those gate valves are notorious for leaking around the stem. I'd run water all over it and see if that helps.

 

[jblizzle]

Those gate valves are notorious for leaking around the stem. I'd run water all over it and see if that helps.

I was kind of wondering how that would do on a suction side. In fact I am not sure how well they would do on a pressure side.
I have only used them as my waste gates for my RV ... although I have seen them for sale for Hot Tub use.

 

[DonW]

Drain plug is tight and lubed, and I thought about the gate valve and hit the body of it with some clear caulk as a last desperate measure this morning. I'll hit the stem of it with some water. Next year I'm going to redo the plumbing but I've got to get through the rest of this summer without pulling my hair out. I've had 2 out of 2 seasons with mustard algae and I think that the air bubbles might have something to do with it, maybe not. I DO NOT want to go 3 for 3.
Any idea on a temp seal? I was thinking of some seasonal caulk. I had a tube in my hand the other day and it was listed for indoor use only so I didn't get it. I don't know if that would provide an air tight seal anyways.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

If you determine that valve is the source of the leak, it doesn't look like it would take long at all to change it out. A half hour maybe?

Air in the basket won't cause mustard algae though. Keep that FC up!