Windshield washer pumps wont fire
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 206
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From: Washington DC
Windshield washer pumps wont fire
The washer motor is new, wipers work but sprayers dont. Highly suspect the switch itself, is there an aftermarket switch? can the switches be cleaned? Anyone had to deal with this yet??? 
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Buckeye, AZ
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
I had to rebuild a couple of these pumps years ago. This babies are touchy and what you might have is an issue where the pump needs to be primed, but there is really no priming method. The two I have done we just had to keep hitting the switch over and over and eventually it usually starts. If I remeber right the pump actually works off of the wiper action and pumps from wiper action.
Le Mans Master
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From: LONG ISLAND
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Not Laughing But..............
Originally Posted by corvetteload
Don't laugh at this, but to prime the pump, put some water in your mouth and on the feed hose to the pump force water into it to the pump. This should prime it. Good luck................B
NOT LAUGHING BUT..............if your gonna put it in your mouth ya might as well try VODKA i'm certain it'll clean your windows & get you "PRIMED" at the same time..............
ZIXXX PACKER
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Washington DC
Originally Posted by 427SIXPACK
NOT LAUGHING BUT..............if your gonna put it in your mouth ya might as well try VODKA i'm certain it'll clean your windows & get you "PRIMED" at the same time..............
ZIXXX PACKER
hahaha
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 206
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From: Washington DC
Originally Posted by corvetteload
Don't laugh at this, but to prime the pump, put some water in your mouth and on the feed hose to the pump force water into it to the pump. This should prime it. Good luck................B
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by karioth
does someone have to hit the switch while you do this or are you blowing the water (vodka) through?
Most pumps will allow the fluid in the tank to drain through the pump via gravity. Disconnect the line so it's dangling from the pump...fill the bottle, and watch the water start dripping. Then just re-connect the line, and bingo - primed.
I suspect it's not the pump. They will run with no fluid. I suspect either a pinched wire or a bad switch. Have a friend operate the switch while you test the wires with a DMM and make sure you have 12V and a good ground. If one or the other is missing you may have found your problem.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,359
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From: Confusion
How can gravity work if most feed bottles are lower than the pumps?!?!?!?! Karioth, If you can remove the plastic cover from the pump, someone can work the switch and you can see if the mechanism is working to pump the pump. Works like a cam and so forth.............B
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by corvetteload
How can gravity work if most feed bottles are lower than the pumps?!?!?!?!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Chattanooga TN
Switch works to ground the pump. Check to see if you have 12v on 1 lead at the washer pump with the car running. Then with the wipers running, if you ground the other lead at the pump you should hear it trying to work. If it doesn't, you may need a new washer pump as well. Take it off and do bench diagnostics. If originality is not a concern, just buy a universal pump and plumb it in.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by karioth
dont have the car with me just yet, stupid shop didnt order a part when they were supposed to so its still 400 miles away. The washer pump is brand new FYI.
Obviously a wire or switch problem.
Test at the pump first with the switch being operated from inside.
Then, if that fails, test at the switch to see that it's working. If not, replace it, and test again.
Hope you get your car soon.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
Did you throw any tools...toss a washer pump at the garage wall?
In this case, the lines or nozzles might be plugged. Washer fluid sometimes leaves behind deposits that clog things up.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
Made a 30-foot basket with a washer pump about 10 years ago...
In this case, the lines or nozzles might be plugged. Washer fluid sometimes leaves behind deposits that clog things up.
In this case, the lines or nozzles might be plugged. Washer fluid sometimes leaves behind deposits that clog things up.
Yep...
...especially if you use that RainX washer fluid crap. That stuff gummed up two of my cars...and it's a pain in the butt to get in there to clean it all out.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by whoodiestyle
this is most likely a stupid question but where is the washer button at i have never had to use it but my wipers i was trying to figure it out the other day??
The stalk that controls the wipers, rotates forward I think. Either that or the entire stalk pushes inward toward the column. I can't remember exactly since I never used mine either. I'm gonna remove my washer bottle anyay.