Pool pump won't completely fill with water and I'm scared I've damaged my pump.

[nicolebenton410]

This is our second summer having our pool, all has been well until now. We had some flooding about two weeks ago. The rain was so heavy for so long, dirt/mud and grass pieces good into the pool. It looked like a lake by the end of the day. We since then have make some landscaping changes to prevent this from happening again. Since then, I have been filling the pool, and vacuuming it to waste, and repeating to get all the settled dirt out. The other, I had an emergency while I was at the pool doing this. I did not pay attention and cut the pool off by the switch and did not turn it back to filter. So, when the timer kicked on, my pool starts wasting... and does this for at least 3 hours while I was gone. I come back to a dry pump and water below the filter. The problem that I am having now is the filter will not completely fill with water. It will come up about 3/4 of the way and then stop and makes a noise like its either grinding or its just the noise from the lower pressure. I have tried filing it with water several times and then cutting it on to run for 3 minutes. I checked the O ring and lubed it. I am thinking the next step would be checking inside the piping and making sure all the dirt/grass is not clogging anything. I am so worried that I have burned something up because of it running dry. Does anyone here have another other suggestions of things to check before I put money in parts?

I have a 1.5 HP EXCEL PROFESSIONAL GRADE POOL PUMP

Thanks for any input guys!

[Denniswiseman]

Is this an inground or above ground pool, what is the height of the pump in relation to the pool
You have refilled the pool
You say the filter will not completley fill with water, do you mean the pump sediment bowl
When you fill with water (pump sediment bowl)does it completley fill or does it run back to the pool

[Teapot]

It sounds a bit like the pump impeller could be clogged with crap. I would suggest disconnecting the out flow pipe from the pump and having a look at the impeller with a good torch. *Turning off any valves required before disconnecting anything*