K this one is definatley for the loders people out there

[cleavis]

I am trying to help my parents out as i have done most of my life. Almost every winter the pipes freeze. This year the froze while i was away and my parents left them alone so they have been frozen for aprox. 2 months. I since have replaced all the broken areas and tried pumping the system up, 2 hours later and very little water aproximatley 1 gallon. SO i then placed all the seals and leathers in the pump.( Which is a lauder type h piston pump). Thats the old person part (lol). so to test it i poured water in both priming areas and left the line going to the holding tank unattached, to se the amount of water i will get. well i'm pretty sure sure after running it and watching that i can pee harder than that. if i put my thimb/hand over the priming areas there doesnt seem to be much suction? Dunno any ideas, source line maybe frozen?(never happened before) am i not priming it properly or long enough( i pour water in the priming area and turn pump on covering them by hand and add water as pressure builds)
Any help would be appreciated.
I'll try to get pics for better ideas

[cleavis]

anyone ever even heard of a lauder piston pump?
It's definately an old piston pump the company is no longer in business but u can still buy seals and leathers for them.

[speedbump]

I've never heard of that brand. But a piston pump is a piston pump. You say your leaving the priming parts open. This will not offer any help. The suction area must be sealed so it can draw a vacuum. If the leathers are good and the valves are closing tightly, it should pump if the water is not frozen in the suction line. You said it never happened before, but two months is a long time in the tundra.

bob...

[cleavis]

well never happened before meaning i've never not been able to get it to prime before. maybe i was priming incorrectly, i fill the pump and the line with water theni should cover them and turn it on correct?

[cleavis]

apparently my mother said the foot vlave has gotton rocks stucks in it before. this could cause a suction/priming problems correct?

[speedbump]

It could make it tougher to prime, but piston pumps are pretty much self priming.

bob...