Pump having problem starting up

So this morning I noticed that my pump took over 10 tries to get going. When I went out I noticed that the filter pressure gauge was at 0 and the skimmer on the pump did not have any water in it. I have it currently set to run 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening.

I guess my question is, is it common for the pump skimmer to drain of water when not in use? Or do I have a crack in my lines. We had a harsh winter this year and I'm worried that the ground froze enough to break the pipes ever so slightly.

The level of the pool water seems ok, hasn't gone down more than a Centimeter in 2 weeks and once the pump starts back up the PSI gauge reads 10 PSI.

Start with the easy things first... Get the pump started and running well, then shut it off. Watch for bubbles coming from the sides of the lid... If you see some remove the lid and try re-seating it. You also might want to lubricate the lid seal. If that doesn't work, replacing the lid seal would be my next step. Essentially, there is an air leak somewhere, and you have to try to locate it (but always start with the easiest/most obvious items).

Sorry it took so long to update. So any air leaks that I may have had have been addressed. A little bit of Petrolium Jelly on the seal fixed it right up. However my pump is still having problems kicking over. I'm not sure if I should open a new thread but here are my symptoms.

- Pump starts to hum for 3 seconds, then clicks off
- It attempts this every 20 seconds until it starts up (Sometimes it doesn't start, and the timer goes into offline mode)

I've taken the back off the pump and looked at my connections. There was a little bit of corrosion on the "V" like looking contacts so I grabbed some 200grit fine sandpaper and attempted to clean it off. I got some metal to shine through and thought all was well. It started up fine for 2 days then this morning it did it again (took about 7 tries to start up). Water is no longer leaking from the skimmer and the little propeller in the pump (forgot the name) spins quite easily by hand.

I'm going to get a file after work and attempt to clean off the contacts again but had a few questions

1. What sort of file should I be looking for? Any specific requirements?
2. Anything else I could be checking? Once the thing spins up it runs like a champ. It's just getting the thing to kick over.