Howdy, folks! Seems like 22 years is about as long as a windshield washer pump will last on an '89 Custom Cruiser. At first I thought I was out of fluid as it squirted a little bit, then not at all.

I was wrong.

So now I'm assuming it's the pump. But a quick search of the Interweb reveals that there are not just many manufacturers of replacements, but many "tiers" of replacements--with ever-escalating prices.

Here's a "for instance": O'Reilly lists two "TRICO" pumps for $40 and $32 (dunno the difference) and a "Cardone Remanufactured" pump for $56.

While I'd like to get a specific answer on which pump I should get from where and for now much, it leads to the bigger question of which--in general--is the way to go when something dies on an Olds: ultra-$$ N.O.S., medium-$$ "remanufactured" or--if they tend to work just fine--whatever little-$$ (but still reputable) replacement you can find.

I know the answer varies by type of part (i.e. engines vs. power door lock motors) but have you found that--as "in general" as you can get--the non-OEM replacements for "wear items" that you've used have been cost-effective and up to the task?

[I mentioned the "TRICO" name because I'm not even considering one of the "Chinese" (blanket-term) no-name replacements as I've never had one that's worked--or at least not for long.]

SO, I know that spending 50 percent more unnecessarily is obviously NOT the way to go if there isn't some HUGE benefit to doing so (and by "huge" I mean "it'll-give-you-another 22-years'-worth-of-service"), but I don't yet know how to judge what is truly "unnecessarily".

I mean, I suppose I can make do with 18 years' service life if I have to. OK, how about 15? Ten?

Help me, Oldsbi-Wans! You're my only hope...

 

When my washer pump died I replaced it with a universal type from advance auto parts. the kit is 17 bucks and works better then the original in my opinion. The original washer pump on my olds would only shoot little spurts of fluid when you hit the switch, now its a steady stream and works way better.

Also very easy to install only took me about 10 minutes to hook up. If your cruisers like my delta you'll look for a red and a white wire on the white "L" shaped connector going to the wiper/pump assembly if you need pictures let me know i can snap some for you.

Heres the link for the part. http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web..._A|GRP2073____
you'll have to give the part number at the counter as some stores dont carry it on hand. Its part #199500. Good luck

 

TRICO is an American company that has been in business since the 1920s, and probably made your original pump and wipers.

That's because it needed to be rebuilt. The rebuild kits, consisting of a couple of O-rings and valves, are cheap.

My advice is:

1. Get a pump at the junkyard. They're all the same for essentially all GM models and years fromt the '60s through the '80s or
2. Get a rebuild kit and fix the parts of your pump that are bad or
3. Just hook up whatever replacement you feel like, but don't spend too much on it.

- Eric

 

The rebuild kit is under 10 bucks, and under an hour to do.