I love the shurflo faucet I installed in my Westy sink, but I'm
starting to have some problems getting it primed.  This shows up when
I first fill the tank with water, and the problem seems to be getting
worse.  I'm also getting an occasional squeal from the pump, so I
suppose it will die soon.  I got that replacement pump, mm, maybe 8
years ago.  Is that about right for pump life span?

Back to the priming...  Theoretically, I can see where this faucet
would cause a problem because it has a valve in it, and the original
one does not, iirc.  So with the original there would be nothing to
keep water from going into the pump as the tank is filled.  But the
shurflo's valve being closed would sort of airlock the line all the
way down into the pump preventing water from entering.  Then you turn
it on which opens the valve, but the pump is already spinning full of
air.  Non-theoretical, why did it work when I first installed it and
for several trips after that?  I like the valve in the shurflo
because I can conserve water, using only a trickle when that's all I
need.  But the pump is going full speed and working against that
mostly closed valve.  Maybe the shurflo damaged my pump?  I doubt
this, and can't remember reading anything to that effect.

I was going to wait a few hours and make this a Friday post "subject:
do you suck your shurflo?"  Yes, when my faucet doesn't work, I suck
it.  I turn it on and suck it a little and then I hear the pump slow
down and it starts pumping fine.  On my latest trip, the worsening
symptom was that this occurred a couple times as the tank got low.  I
was on mountain roads so there was a lot of sharp curves, which could
have sloshed all the water away from the pump.

Let me hear your experiences and ideas please.
Edward