starfire

1968 Cutlass S. OK, I know I really don't need them, but it irritates me that they don't work. So far, installed a new washer pump from Year One. Replaced screen thingy at the bottom of the hose in the bottle. Filled the bottle half-way with fluid. Replaced all of the hoses with new. Pulled fluid from pump end of hose with vacuum pump. Hooked hose up to lower (inlet) nipple. Turn wipers on, press washer button, the pump plunger moves up and down (I can see it moving in the plunger housing). No fluid moves up the hose at all. What the hell is wrong with this thing?

Lady72nRob71

I have 3 GM cars and none othe the washers work. Anything I try to do to fix them does not last, so I gave up.
Hope there is an expert in the house...

The washers on my old Ford have NEVER had a problem.
Go figure...

stlbluesbrother

I have the exact same issue with my 70 Cutlass . I know all the hose lines are open and the washer pump moves freely, but the fluid is not getting pulled/pushed. I checked the pipe assembly and valve plate and all "O" rings are healthy and in proper position.

My guess is my pump isn't strong enough to "pull" the fluid through the mini diaphragm (the little circular piece of rubber) in the valve plate; there are 3 diaphragms - 2 on one side and 1 on the flip side. After engaging the washer for a minute I don't see or feel any liquid in the assembly .

Perhaps the plunger in the pump isn't sealed all that well as it doesn't hold a vacuum? That doesn't explain 'starfire's' issue as his pump is new. Any help is appreciated.

rocketraider

The GM pulse washer pumps were junk. They knew it but for years would not give up on the design.

It used to bug me, but since the cars rarely get driven in rain/mist/slush anymore unless they're caught in it, I have chosen my battles on them.

Even Chrysler's cheapy foot pedal washer worked better than GM's automatic pulse washer system.

Bluevista

My '55 furd had a foot pedal on the floor to pump the washer fluid manually, if you pumped it fast and hard enough you could clean the windshield on the car behind you too.
Do an old VW system that used the air pressure from the spare to push the wiper fluid, get an old propane tank for air and pump it up to about 150 PSI and you could blow the fluid right through the windshield.
None of my old car's washers ever worked, never tried them so I just figured they didn't, better to look good than work good.
I never try the wipers either, got me a few times but Rain-X is a real life saver.
The Rain-X banner ad should appear soon.

Lady72nRob71

[quote=Bluevista;194727]My '55 furd had a foot pedal on the floor to pump the washer fluid manually

Do an old VW system that used the air pressure from the spare to push the wiper fluid, get an old propane tank for air and pump it up to about 150 PSI and you could blow the fluid right through the windshield.

I never try the wipers either, got me a few times but Rain-X is a real life saver.quote]
My 78 Ford uses a simple centrifugal or maybe a small piston style pump at the bottom of the reservoir. Push the wash switch and it squirts as long as you hold the button in. Simple and crude but oh so reliable!

Air from the spare to wash the w/s? What if you used it a lot - then your spare would go flat, increasing your chances on needing the spare.
Not a good idea there...

I think the rainx thing is the way to go on the 'vert. I tried it on the caddy many years ago, it made the wipers bounce all over the place, so i had to strip it all off.

gto4evr

yeah, an older thread but I'll throw my two cents in!

The main issue with these is the pumps lose prime and can't suck it through to get it started. Once you get fluid up into them, they're usually fine. A few things you can do to help that. One is to put a check valve in the line. I remember my parts counter days 20 years ago and the Anco replacement pumps came with the pink and green check valves. another thing you can do to keep the original look but get the fluid up into that pump is to hide one of those universal pumps up under the fender and jumper the pump feed signal to it so there's no seperate switch.

I actually use my cars as daily drivers so the pumps get used often enough to keep them going. The more they're used, the longer they live. I've gotten a few off of ebay that tricked me with the packaging (looked like AC/Delco but were some other brand I can't recall offhand. They were old with evidence of aged shelf wear but they worked no problem so I didn't really care as they looked identical to the originals.

ssDynamic88

I am having the same problem with my '62 Dynamic 88! It is getting very frustrating. I have taken the motor/washer out at least 6 times! Here is what I have done:
had the motor rebuilt, replaced the washer pump with a rebuild kit, which included the spring, the rubber plunger cup and the O rings and white plastic box that you sandwich together and connect the hoses to. I cleaned the chrome spray nossles on the wiper escutchens and checked them for spray. I replaced the 5 foot feeder hose from the washer fluid reservoir. The nipple on the bottom of the reservoir flows when it take the hose out. OK, now I have a two speed motor and it works fine. I bench tested the entire motor and washer and they both worked on the bench. I press the wash button on the switch and I hear the relay kick in and hear the wheel spinning the piston back and forth and....no fluid!!! Did I put the o rings in wrong? Did I not bolt up the white housing in the right direction? Is there a certain way that the housing has to come together? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

joe_padavano

You mean the ones with a little foot pump next to the dimmer switch?

ssDynamic88

Joe, no, this is the two speed, electric wiper motor with washer pump motor attached to the wiper drive.

starfire

ssDynamic,

Joe was responding to something that Rob had written a while ago. Your experience is identical to mine, I still have not figured out what the heck is keeping mine from working either.

DJS70cutlass

[quote=Lady72nRob71;194839]Come on any good owner checks the spare pressure when you fill up, or at least monthly.

Mattia-SS

Waking an old thread to life: Am I supposed to hear the washer pump clearly when I activate the button? I DO just press the button?? I have no manual for my car and it starts to bug me.

When I push the button nothing happens!

MDchanic

When you push the button, a solenoid pulls a a pawl onto a gear, and the gear ratchets the pawl back and forth, pumping the piston of the pump about five times.
It should make a loud clicking sound each time the piston is released, "CLICK - CLICK - CLICK - CLICK - CLICK" and with each click, there should be a squirt of washer fluid.

If it's not clicking, then check the connections to the switch and the solenoid, and if they're good, check the pawl and the little gear.

- Eric

Lady72nRob71

You should hear a few clicks only as the wiper motot does the wash feature, too.
These washer sytems do not prime well. You might need to somehow fill up the large feed hose with fluid so that the pump can have something to start with. The less the washers are used the more this issue occures.
If that does not work you may need to disassemble the pump to check the little rubber o-rings and flaps inside. Mine never worked and the pump looked fine when I took the motor apart. I bet mine was a priming issue.
Not a good design IMO...

Nope, elecric centrifugal pump located in the washer jar. Primitive but super reliable.

rroth01

Rainex

MDchanic

I don't know about all this vacuum pump stuff.
When I want to prime one, I just take a big mouthful of washer fluid and blow it into the pump with the pump running.
Don't like washer fluid? Use water.

- Eric

Lady72nRob71

If you can blow hard enough, the pump needs not be running - I actually tried this with water. The valves in the pump only allow fluid movement in this one direction anyway. If the water drains back out, the pump seals and flaps are bad.

DISCLAIMER: DO NOT SWALLOW WASHER FLUID.

MDchanic

Tastes better than gasoline

- Eric

Mattia-SS

I have no need for the windshield washer at all I´m just afraid that they will fail me on the inspection because of it. Anyway.there is no time to dig deeper into it. Next inspection is sept 1.

edit: suddenly its working:-) I dont know if i had to little water or the thing inside the container couldnt suck up the water but now its working, at least the driver side but they will have to settle with that. I love my Olds!