need troubleshooting tips: air sputtering

Hi,
We just replaced an old 20 gal pressure tank for a Wellmate 40 gal pressure tank. Our setup is a 550 ft well pumped to a 1250 gal holding tank (buried), Craftsman Hydroglass 3/4 HP shallow well pump to the Wellmate pressure tank. Along with the new tank, the checkvalve & O-ring and the large O-ring on the pump were replaced (there were small leaks at these gaskets). We had a local guy do the work, it looks like a clean install. The pressure valve on the shallow pump is a 40/60. There are no apparent leaks now anywhere visible.

We are getting significant air in the pipes and cannot locate where air might be getting introduced. We have 58.5 at rest from the shrader valve on the top of the pressure tank. We have not done the "no water" measurement yet from the sticky in the forum.

The water is drawn from the bottom of the buried holding tank about 25 feet to the pressure tank, the shallow pump is next to the pressure tank on a small slab. There is a hose bib between the pump and pressure tank. We can burp air at the bib while the pump is running. If air is getting sucked in, shouldn't we see a water leak somewhere?

Any troubleshooting tips will be very appreciated.

Shut off pump
Drain the pressure totally down
Check the pressure at the schrader valve on well tank
Pressure should be 2lbs below pump cut in (in this case with a 40/60 switch it should be 38 lbs )
Turn pump back on

Leak in the suction line.

From what you describe it has to be a suction leak in the suction line between the gravity supply tank and the pump suction. No a suction leak will not always show up as a water leak when the pump is at rest.
While the pump is running place shaving foam around all suction line connections and possible leaks or a crack in the pipe. If the foam sucks in, you have located the leak. You can do the same thing with the PVC cement but it usually leaves a mess.

Porky

When you check pressure at a Schrader valve without depressurizing and draining the tank, you read water pressure, not air pressure.