Al is dead-on about the multipotr gasket! But the crack on the motor side of the housing isn't a problem - that is the 'mounting plate' and water should never see it. It is just to bolt the motor to the housing, the sealing plate attaches to it and creates the seal that keeps water out of the motor (the sealing plate is held in place by the impeller) the only way water would get in there- or air could enter the basket, is if the seal assemby was bad and if that were the case, you'd see a puddle of water under the pump.