My question is regarding the strainer cover gasket of the Hayward Super Pump with 3/4hp motor supplying water for a simple waterfall feature. I replaced the gasket while troubleshooting a suction side leak that is causing the pump to pulsate (when the pump is running, water flows into the strainer chamber, but does not fill the chamber, the chamber partially fills with water, then nearly empties, water rushes in to partially fill the chamber, then empties, etc). I had cleaned the grove where the gasket sits, and applied the silicone grease, and tightened the knobs. Later, when I had to open the cover again to add water for priming, I noticed that the strainer gasket looked like it had come out of the groove and was misshaped (no longer a nice square). This happened several times, and I can’t tell if it just gets deformed when the cover is opened, or if it is not seating/fitting correctly when the cover is closed and tightened.
So my question: is there a trick to ensuring the gasket is in the correct position when the cover is closed to ensure it’s not the source of an air leak?
Thanks