Hayward Super Pump leaking/surging/sucking air despite all new gaskets

[akom]

I could really use some help with this one, I'm on my second week of trying to get this hot tub working.

Setup
All my hardware (and the in-ground hot tub) came with the house, so I'm figuring it out as I go.

I have a 2HP Super Pump SP2615X202S (2" plumbing), followed by two 1.5" components (Hayward Star Clear Plus Filter and Hayward CSPA XI heater). The pipe then goes back to 2" to the returns (jets and waterfall). I suspect that someone installed the two 1.5" components in place of failed 2" components.

There are no unions (and no space for them in the pump house), so housing can't be easily moved.

Issue

The pump was leaking a little water so I replaced all the gaskets using a kit off Amazon, with Jacks' 327 lube. Gaskets look good, teflon seal is installed correctly, etc. Water still leaks a little, but now it's surging audibly, I can hear cavitation/air. It's also heating up a lot on high speed.

Troubleshooting

I have already:

• Done a pressure test on the drain and skimmer lines all the way to the housing (perfect)
• Changed all the seals in the super pump, using 327 lube.
• Ground down the bolt nuts on the housing flush to make sure that the seal plate pushes against the gasket all around
• Used a heat gun to "de-warp" the seal plate a bit, it was a bit curved. It's now flatter.
• Tried using dye (turmeric) to trace the leaks. Water seems to be exiting via the housing gasket at the bottom. It does not seem to be breaching the shaft seal assembly.
• Taken it apart a dozen times, cleaned out the seal groove, etc.
• Improvised an air compressor test setup (pushing air into my ozone injector). With water in the pump housing, the pump seems to start leaking (water) between 10 and 15 psi (on the filter gauge). With just air, it leaks at 2-3 psi.

None of the above modifications made any difference. I don't want to throw $1200 at it to find out that I overlooked something and didn't need to, plus, without PVC unions it will be an effort to replace the housing.

Any pointers appreciated!

[akom]

I got help with this on another forum:
https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads ... ls.272255/

The housing was cracked on the bottom.

[Denniswiseman]

It seems like you cured it yourself

[Teapot1]

I think you deserve some kind of persistence award. Remember you only need full speed for backwashing not for filtration, running high speed on filtration costs a lot more money and lowers filtration efficiency.

[akom]

Thanks @Teapot1, that's good to know. I have a cartridge filter so there is no backwash option, but I am guessing that the high speed is needed to run the jets on "full throttle massage" and the waterfall concurrently.

[Teapot1]

Waterfalls dont need much, high flow low pressure is all thats needed. Massage jets yes but only when you want them on so the rest of the time you are simply not doing yourself any favours. The best way is to separate the filtration from the feature/spa jets and just let that run on pool water. A very small pump, or with a speed controller is all you need with a cartridge filter. You would save a fortune. When you carefully filter and then hit the spa dirt will be pushed through the filter back into the pool, it might only be the small stuff but in nature thats food for something. The more you remove the less there is for chlorine to do.