It does matter what year you had, because they changed from a below tank
pump to an in tank pump.  The in tank pump should be as normal sucking from
a jerry can or whatever, really wont' matter where it is located.  Distance
matters some.   Maybe the leads are reversed?  If the pump runs and the
little propeller at the bottom looks o.k. and spins free the pump should be
fine.  Check the pump with another hose and just put power to it and see if
it puts out the expected amout of water.  Maybe a clogged hose?  My pump
went bad by having the propeller come loose and it spun but caught and it
was obvious something was wrong from the flow.  You can't let that pump
freeze while there is stil water in the tank.  Reminds me, I have to empty
my tank...

Dave in Denver

>From: chris <vanagon@FRONTLEFTSPEAKERPOSSE.COM>
>Reply-To: chris <vanagon@FRONTLEFTSPEAKERPOSSE.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: how works the westy sink pump?
>Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 15:46:27 -0700
>
>I removed my water tank some time ago.
>
>id like to just throw the hose that fed into the stock tank, into a
>smaller portable water tank I have handy, but the pump doesn't seem to
>be able to pull the water up from it.
>
>If I place water almost level with the pump and dang near submerge the
>thing, then I can get it to pump, but its not easy.
>
>how did the old system work, is it (in part) gravity fed?
>
>Aka, do I need to somehow attach the hose to the bottom of whatever tank
>I use and allow gravity to force the water into the pump before it will
>start to take over on its own?
>
>thanks!