Hayward multi port won’t open?

[Yaeugd]

Just opened my pool. I still don’t have pavers so there was a lot of dirt and sand in the pool ,The company put together the equipment. I was about to vacuum pool in waste when the multi port would not turn. So I tried to open it up as I did in the past and it won’t come apart? All the screws are out but something is holding it down. Pressure or something I opened up the de filters bleeder valve and it pushed water there the 1/4 inch opened around but still won’t take apart so I could rinse out the debris. I tried to lift it with a small pry bar but no luck. Closed it up and I’m posting a question with someone hopefully has A Idea what’s the Difficult?

 

[Yaeugd]

I tried again today to open up the mil I port unit I feel the pressure is holding it down and won’t release the upper section fully any clue how to get it reduce the pressure so I can take it apart and clean out the debris. Also there is a lot of pressure on the iine chlorinator lid and pump lid making it difficult to turn and open ?

 

[Bama Rambler]

With the pump off there would be no pressure in the system unless the equipment is below the pool and even then water only produces about 1psi for every 2' of water level above the filter level, so there would only be a small amount of pressure if any at all.

I suspect that there's grit or something binding the diverter in the multiport valve. Probably the same for the chlorinator and pump basket lid.

 

[Yaeugd]

I fingered it out, turned the purge valve on bleed the water out as much as possible put wooden wedges on 4 sides and tapped with rubber mallet until it released the pressure. Cleaned off the debris and worked good as new hope this helps someone else in this predicament

 

[Bama Rambler]

Thanks for coming back and letting us know what you found and how you fixed it. It will surely help someone in the future.