Air in Pump After Opening

[r2pool2]

I bought a house last summer with an older in-ground concrete pool. Attempted to open for the first time yesterday and I am running into some issues. I have an 18,000 gal pool, Pentair Superflo 3/4 HP pump, one suction line, one return line, sand filter. Had the local pool company close (never again), but I think everything was OK and I noticed the smell of antifreeze while priming, so I am optimistic no damage to underground lines. Pool level is good. The effects I am seeing are air in the pump and my skimmer weir is stuck open (it does not bob up and down). I do not see any signs of air entering at the skimmer. Normally I would see maybe a single bubble in my pump lid, where as now the "air pocket" is maybe 3"-4" or so wide and an inch or two deep when looking through the lid glass, if that makes sense. I suspect, and hope, it is the o-ring for the pump lid, and have a replacement on order. Not much else but underground lines if not that. So a couple questions I have:

1. How bad is it to run the pump with this air leak while I wait for parts and troubleshoot? I would like to get the pool ready to swim this weekend. Chemistry is good, but it needs filtered and vacuumed.
2. Is the weir stuck open a cause or effect from the air in the system? I would assume an effect, or maybe even an unrelated coincidence.

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

 

[cowboycasey]

Does it look like a tornado in the skimmer? with the weir door stuck down the water level is usually low and you need to add water over half way up your skimmer..

 

[r2pool2]

I'll have to check when I get home, but I seem to recall there was some surface swirl, but nothing like a vertex going down into the skimmer. My pool level is right about halfway up the skimmer, and seems to be where I remember it last year before we closed.

 

[cowboycasey]

If no tornado then air is getting in somehow.. try cleaning the lid O ring and lubing it really good then installing again.. see if that does it..

 

[r2pool2]

Replaced the o-ring and everything looks like I remember it last year. Glad it was the low hanging fruit.