Why can't I get the pump to prime and pump?

There are normally 4 to 6 bolts around the outside connecting the wet end from the dry end. Undo those bolts and the front of pump should come away. Then you should be able to see impeller. Using a piece of wire poke it through each slot of the impeller to clear the blockage. Then put back together again. Remember to prime the pump

AIR LEAK IN SUCTION LINE. PUT A GARDEN HOSE WITH A RAG AROUND IT TO BACKFEED FROM INTAKE IN POOL. WITH PUMP "OFF" TO LOCATE BREECH IN LINE.

It sounds like you have a air line busted somewhere i had one of my outboards do that it wouldnt prime for anything so i ran everything down checked the fuel pump and cleaned that out tore apart the carbs cleaned them bought brand new fuel hose still scratching my head i took off the air lines for the carbs and put new ones worked like a champ

there is a drain plug that can be unscrewed , sometimes they can fall out or get lost, if this happens you will not be able to prime. Also when you stored it for the winter, if you didn't drain it all the way did you store it some where the water inside the pump could of froze and broke something inside? When pumps go bad they just stop working like this. IF there is a leak under ground in the pipe it will not build pressure and prime. Some times you need to check the main control valve to make sure its opening. you can try taking a hose and filling the sprinkler system at a sprinkler head then turning the pump on.

Take the pressure guage off and pour water in the hole untill it fills the pump, then screw the guage back on and cranck it up. You may have to do this a few times depending on how deep in the grownd the water is.

This could be a problem it the pump caused by freezing, check your drain plugs first to see if their cracked or loosened. They will quite often be made if a softer nylon that will crack first and drain pump in the fation of many fail safes. A place to try on-line for parts that may help is "Optimus Home" But I would check the plugs first.

you are clogging your impeller take a wet vac put hose your using for pump in pool put vac on end of hose to woods and turn on vac long enough to get a water flow and shut of vac it is slower but will save pump

I would be looking at fuel pump and the next question would be to check your fuel cap. Does it fail if you was to remove the fuel cap. You may be losing prime this way. If so the purge value in your fuel pump would be bad causing it to lose prime.

It's pulling in air very slowly from somewhere:

priming pot lid,
valve body tops,
valve handles,
pipe unions, --
check gaskets/o-rings-- replace defective ones, lubricate
tighten everything possible