• Cut the pipes going into the front of the existing (old) pump, and the pipe coming out of the top. Choose your cut location so as to allow room on either side of the cut to glue on a repair coupling. Remove the wires and the conduit adapter from the rear of the motor. Remove the MTA fittings threaded into the front and top of the old pump. Using Teflon tape and perhaps also silicone sealant, thread in the fittings you removed from the old pump. Note: Do Not Overtighten. Only 1 1/2 turns past hand tight. Using rubber mission couplings, pvc unions or simple slip x slip couplings, reconnect the pipe you cut. On pvc fittings, use a good primer, and good, fresh pvc glue for pressure applications.

Wiring up a new pump motor...

• First, screw in the conduit adapter onto the back of the motor. This adapter is usually removed from the old pump and screwed into the 3/4" threaded hole where the wires enter the back of the motor. Some motors offer an additional port of entry on the top for wiring flexibility. Remove the back of the motor and run the wires in through the adapter, and tighten down the threaded connector to secure the wires and keep out moisture and insects. Notice where the wires enter the back of the motor, on the right
  side, a terminal board that has 2 brass screws for clamping down the 2 wires (lines) coming in. It doesn't matter which wire goes to which screw. Above the terminal board there is a green screw that is for clamping down the ground wire.
• All pump motors are wired to receive 230 Volts from the factory. That is, 2 lines (wires) carrying 115 Volts each. So, you need to know if you have 115 Volts coming in, or if it's 230 V. Usually 230 Volt service will have 2 wires of the same color, (and one green ground wire), while 115 V service will have perhaps one red (hot) and one white (neutral), and one green. You should use a meter to be sure, but you could just look at the breaker. If 2 of the wires come off of one breaker, then you have 230 V. If one is connected to a breaker, and the other to the 'neutral' Buss bar, then it is 115 V service. Or look at the voltage plate on the old motor and see how it was hooked up. Matching the Low Voltage diagram (115 V), or matching the high voltage diagram (230 V)?
• If you have 230 V service, hook up the wires coming into the motor to the brass terminals described above. If you have 115 V service, follow the instructions on the motor label to switch the motor to receive 115 V. This is a very easy switch of only one wire. Again, the motor comes factory wired for 230 V. If you are connecting 115 V to it, then switch the motor first. Putting 230 V into a 115 V motor can damage the windings, and perhaps fail the motor. After switching the motor to 115 V, then connect the power wires to the brass terminals as described above (again it doesn't matter which wire goes to which screw).
  

Replacing the motor (not the plastic wet end, just the motor)

• Having learned how to remove and break down a pump and motor in the previous sections, replacing any of the components is simply a matter of disassembling the pump down to the component that needs replacement, getting a replacement part, and reassembling the unit. Of course, if the entire pump and motor is to be replaced, you purchase the replacement as a unit and plumb it in as previously described.
• Sometimes the motor will trip the circuit breaker when you try to start it. If this happens it is usually because there is something wrong with the motor; however, it could be a bad breaker or one that is simply undersized for the job and has finally worn out. To replace the motor here is the procedure:
  
  Break down the unit as described in the section on changing a seal. Remove the shaft extender by removing the Allen-head setscrews and pulling the extender off the motor shaft. Sometimes this might need persuasion. Use your large flat-blade screwdriver to pry the extender away from the motor body. Sometimes corrosion will eat away at the setscrews and extender-if it is too tough to remove, replace it.
  
  Before sliding the shaft extender on the new motor, clean the motor shaft with a fine emery cloth such as you might have in your copper pipe solder kit. Apply a light coat of silicone lube to the shaft. When you put the extender on the motor shaft, the setscrews go into a groove that runs along the shaft. This groove allows the screws to grip and not slide around the shaft.
  
  Now slide the new extender in place, lining up the setscrews along the channel, but do not tighten the setscrews. When you have reassembled the bracket and seal plate, seal, and impeller, you can adjust the impeller to just barely clear the seal plate face, then tighten the setscrews. Be sure the impeller is screwed tightly onto the shaft extender before making this adjustment. If it is loose, when the motor starts it will tighten the impeller, by turning it tighter against the extender, thereby tightening it against the seal plate, seizing up the unit.
  
  Secure the shaft extender with your pliers or 3/8-inch box wrench and lay a rag over the impeller. Firmly hand tighten it. Reassemble the remaining pump parts and/or replumb the entire unit back into place.
  
  Follow wiring instructions above, in previous section on installing new pumps.
  
• Lubrication...
  
  We always try to stress to pool owners that a lot of air in the pump or loss of prime problems are due to lack of lubrication on the pump lid o-ring. Lubricants like Magic Lube (Teflon based) or Jack's Lube are always a great choice. Remember that a little dab will do the job. Never use a petroleum based product (i.e. Vaseline) for lubrication on o-rings. Inspect the pump o-ring for cracks, splits, or pinch marks. Finding little problems can prevent big problems from occurring.

Replacing the Mechanical Shaft Seal

• All pumps have seals to prevent water from leaking out along the motor shaft. When these wear out due to overheating, they are easy to replace. The first thing to do is to turn off the electricity to the motor at the breaker.
  
  To access this seal for replacement, remove the four bolts that hold the pump halves together, it is not necessary to remove the entire pump from the plumbing system.
  
  Grasp the motor and pull it and the bracket away from the volute. Wiggle it slightly from side to side as you pull back to help break this joint.
  
  Take your pliers or a wrench and hold the shaft extender to prevent it from turning. Unscrew the impeller from the shaft extender using an impeller wrench. You can also wrap a rag over the face of the impeller so you don't cut yourself and twist it off by hand. As a last resort, hold a large screwdriver against the impeller and tap it gently with a hammer. Use care not to damage the impeller. Use even more care that the screwdriver doesn't slip and damage you.
  
  Remove the four bolts that hold the bracket on the motor. If needed use a hammer to gently tap the bracket away from the motor.
  
  Remove both halves of the old seal. Note how each half is installed so you get the new one back in the same way. One half is in the back of the impeller and is easily popped out with a flat-blade screwdriver. The other half is in the seal plate and motor bracket unit. Lay the bracket on your workbench with the seal on the bottom. You will see the back of the seal through the hole in the seal plate. Using the flat-blade screwdriver once again-put the tip on the back of the seal and tap it with a hammer. It will pop out easily.
  
  Install the new seal. First, look up your pump in the manufacturer's literature or supply house (poolcenter.com!) catalog to determine what model seal you need. Clean out the seal plate and impeller where you have just removed the old seal. Use an emery cloth or a small wire brush and water. Dry each area and apply a small amount of silicone lubricant to help the new seal slide into place. Install each half of the seal the same way you removed the old one-white ceramic of one half facing the glazed carbon ridge of the other half. Use care in installing not to damage, nick or soil the face of either seal half.
  
  Gaskets. When you break apart a pump, the old gasket usually won't reseal. Clean all of the old gasket off of the seal plate and volute. Scrape it clean if needed with a flatblade screwdriver. Now reassemble the pump the same way you took it apart, placing a new gasket between the pump halves.
  
  Check for leaks by starting the pump and let it run several minutes. A fresh paper gasket might leak for a few minutes until it becomes wet and swells to fill all the gaps, but it should stop leaking after a short time. If your job does leak, take it apart and go over each step again, making sure the seal halves are seated all the way and that there is no corrosion or debris left in the impeller or seal plate that might prevent the new seal from seating completely. You may add some Blue RTV silicone sealant to help a paper gasket.
  
• In some pumps where the parts are assembled differently, you follow the same steps. The clamp is removed to disassemble the pump halves, and you must remove the diffuser to get to the impeller. To remove the impeller you can grip it with your hand and twist it off, but the trick with these units is to stop the shaft from spinning as you twist off the impeller. There are air vents in the motor on the end closest to the pump itself. Look in and you will see the motor shaft. Place a flat-blade screwdriver in one of the air vents and wedge it against the shaft to keep it from turning.
• Alternatively, you can remove the end cap and look inside as you twist the impeller. You will see the back end of the shaft, with the start switch attached. Since this switch is fragile, you must remove it (one screw) to access the slotted screw in the back end of the shaft. Place the screwdriver in this screw to keep the shaft from turning as you remove the impeller. Or use a 7/16" wrench on the back of the shaft.
• Instead of a gasket, some pumps use an O-ring. Clean this and lubricate it before reassemble. If it has stretched and it seems like there is too much O-ring for the channel in the volute, try soaking the gasket in ice water for a few minutes to make it shrink a bit.
• Some pumps use a plastic impeller with a housing that holds half the seal in place. if the pump has run dry and overheated the pot, this housing might be warped and the seal will not fit tightly. The only solution is to replace the impeller. This is a common problem with automatic cleaner pumps, which are not self-priming.
• Remember to use only non-hardening silicone lube like Magic Lube on all pool and spa work. Vaseline or other lubricants are made of petroleum, which eats away some plastics and papers.

Clogged Impeller?

• When your pressure is high, your filter is dirty, right? When your pressure is lower than normal, your pump basket is dirty. If the basket is clean, yet pressure and flow is still low or surging, you may have an air problem or the impeller may be clogged. Something prior to the filter is obstructed. To unclog an impeller follow these steps:
  
  Shut off power, remove motor and seal plate from pump. Sometimes this is one clamp that holds the motor to the pump, or some pumps have nuts or bolts to remove.
  
  Stand motor on it's end, remove any diffuser or impeller shroud, and using needle nose pliers or a thin screwdriver, remove the clog. Run some heavy wire through the vanes of the impeller.
  
  Reassemble pump snugly and tightly. Fill pump pot with water. Restart pump. Pressure should rise.

Locating an Air Leak...

• Make sure the strainer lid is on tight, with a clean, lubed o-ring. Also check that all plugs are tight. A good trick in locating an air leak is to shut off the motor when it's under full pumping head pressure, and look for water to spray back; out of the void where the air was entering. You have to be quick to catch this spray-back! This void will always be before the impeller. After the impeller is what we called "the pressure side" Any leak or void here will leak water out. Any leak or void prior to the impeller (in front of the pump impeller) will draw air in when the pump is on. The pump will "pump" air if it can, it is the path of least resistance. So, your system needs to be almost airtight to run properly. When you find this void, patch with epoxy putty or silicone, or replace the part if needed.
• If that didn't work, you can do this...buy a drain king at your local hardware store (or we can send one for $9.95 + S & H). This connects to a garden hose and puts the line under pressure. Putting this in the skimmer, you can turn on the hose and pressurize the line backwards (Also Great for clearing clogged pipes). Remove the pump lid and use a plug at the pump entrance. This will allow pressure to build up in the line and squirt out at the leak. Many suction side leaks found in this manner are then repaired with pool putty, or a more permanent plumbing repair / pipe replacement can be made.
• Make sure the water level in the pool is high enough, and that the skimmer weir is not stuck in the up position. Make sure that the incoming and outgoing valves are in the open position. If you suspect a clogged line, you can purchase a Drain King at a local hardware store to pressurize the line backwards from the skimmer towards the pump and remove leaf/debris obstructions.
• Replacement of filter pump:
  
  When replacing your motor, you may opt to install a high efficiency pump (one that is sized correctly for your filter). This will reduce energy consumption and/or increase skimmer suction to make the pool easier to keep clean.