Magnum Force Pump Losing Pressure

[lola23048]

Hi all — I am new to taking care of and owning a pool so I'm learning as I go. Recently, I was able to pry the top off the Jacuzzi Magnum Force 1HP pump to clean out the filter basket inside. I dumped a bucket of pool water in, screwed the top on and started the pool. It works and runs fine when I do that, but when the pool shuts off for the day and restarts the next morning, it seems the pressure doesn't build right when it restarts. I can really tell because the jets inside the pool don't put out a constant flow, they sputter and spit. But if I turn it off, dump water into the pump and restart it, it works just fine. Anybody know why it's doing this?

Just got the house and pool not too long ago, and the people who lived here before us weren't taking care of the pool or the equipment so I know it hadn't been opened and cleaned in who knows how long.

 

[Richard320]

I would suspect the O-ring gasket for the pump strainer lid. That's what was most recently disturbed, and the problem started right after. It could just be old and brittle and no longer resilient enough to seal, or it could have cracks, or there could be bits of grit or sand on the mating surfaces, or it just needs some lubricant. Time to pry the top off and have a look.

 

[patrick3229]

If you want to completely tune up your pump that might be an option as well, there is a tune up kit called a GOKIT14 ($30-$40) which would include the lid o-ring plus all of the other o-rings and gaskets for the pump along with a shaft seal and lubricant for the O-rings. It may be a little overkill for your situation but for an older pump it can be good preventative maintenance.