Thanks guys. I agree, I always shut off my pump before moving the valve and I also always go in the same direction. The replacement seemed to go well, I took alot of time and got the channels cleaned out and dried very well. I used the 3M product that Hayward reccommends to install the new gasket. I waited 24 hours before starting the pump back up. It seems to be operating smoothly. The one disappointment was that the "air sucking" noise is still present. I was told by a pool company employee that the noise was due to the extremely weak spring in my old valve letting water bypass the selected setting. The new valve I installed feels like new but the noise is still there and the water that I have been battling is STILL cloudy. For the life of me I can't get this water clear. Now it appears I am losing water from SOMEWHERE......ugh! I pulled the floor up and checked the plumbing under the pool house and it all appears dry. Maybe the skimmer seal?? Close to a bulldozer!