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I'm finally wrapping up my windshield wiper motor installation after correcting all of the Bubba butchering that was previously done, but I have one problem that I can't seem to figure out - when operating the wipers, the washer pump seems to be activating excessively. See the video - is this actually normal, but you just don't hear it while driving? I run the wipers and then about 15 seconds into it, I activate the washer.
I'm finally wrapping up my windshield wiper motor installation after correcting all of the Bubba butchering that was previously done, but I have one problem that I can't seem to figure out - when operating the wipers, the washer pump seems to be activating excessively. See the video - is this actually normal, but you just don't hear it while driving? I run the wipers and then about 15 seconds into it, I activate the washer.
long with Ernies' excellent video there
Remove the plastic cover on your pump so you can see what's going on.
When you press the washer button, the electromagnet pulls the lever that is right under it up. This brings that little "peg" sticking down from it out of the notch in the plastic gear it sits in and then lets the ratchet arms (on the right here) actually engage the teeth on the gear and start turning the gear one tooth at a time
Here is the "peg" lifted out of the gear, the electromagnet has let go but the "peg" rides along the outside of the plastic gear until it can drop back into the notch again, 1 full turn of the gear
When it drops back into the notch it stops the ratchet arm from grabbing the teeth on the gear and stops the pump
The smaller of the two springs there that pulls that bottom lever back down might be missing or something is stuck preventing yours from dropping back down and stopping after a full turn
long with Ernies' excellent video there
Remove the plastic cover on your pump so you can see what's going on.
When you press the washer button, the electromagnet pulls the lever that is right under it up. This brings that little "peg" sticking down from it out of the notch in the plastic gear it sits in and then lets the ratchet arms (on the right here) actually engage the teeth on the gear and start turning the gear one tooth at a time
Here is the "peg" lifted out of the gear, the electromagnet has let go but the "peg" rides along the outside of the plastic gear until it can drop back into the notch again, 1 full turn of the gear
When it drops back into the notch it stops the ratchet arm from grabbing the teeth on the gear and stops the pump
The smaller of the two springs there that pulls that bottom lever back down might be missing or something is stuck preventing yours from dropping back down and stopping after a full turn
HIH
M
The washer pump and the wiper motor get power from the same yellow wire which is hot all the time.... Then when you push in the button on the wiper switch for the washer it makes ground on the dark blue wire. When this happens the washer pump should run.... and drop off once it cycles. So you might want to test the wiper switch first to see if it's working properly.
Here is how to test the wiper switch. I'd start there.
Thanks Mooser and Ernie! Trust me, I watched ALL the Willcox videos - that's how I managed to get the whole wiper system back in shape! Here's another video of what the pump is doing - have I missed some fundamental step when installing the washer pump onto the wiper motor? Is there some alignment with the pin on the wiper motor gear that has to be aligned with the washer pump that I overlooked? I couldn't figure out a way to align them when installing. Here's another little video showing how the pump lever just continues to follow that 4 lobed cam underneath.
The lever will always follow the 4 lobe cam and slide back and forth when the wipers are on but if you watch the actual plunger to the pump it shouldn't be moving as it's held open (away from the pump) by the ratchet gear underside.
When you press the wash button, the electromagnet pulls up that other lever like you did with your finger there and the ratchet starts around as yours does.
The washer plunger is held back by the underside of the ratchet wheel. The underside of the wheel has a cam/ramp bit that pulls the plunger of the pump back and prevents it from being moved by the post that's moving back and forth. When the wheel starts to turn it releases the plunger and lets it get "pumped" by the movement of that post following the 4 lobe cam...
Then once it goes around one full turn that other lever drops back and stops the ratchet from moving but the arm keeps going back and forth as long as the wiper motor is turning.
This little tab on the plunger arm, resting against the shaft here
Actually runs along the cam / ramp profile under the gear , partially installed in this image, the gear isn't all the way down yet
So the plunger gets pushed back and the gear goes all the way down. When that tab is being held away from the post by the ratchet gear, the other post that's moving back and forth following the 4 lobe camis just sliding back and forth in the plunger slot, once the gear starts to turn and lets the plunger go, then the arm is pumping it in and out until the gear goes around and pushes it back into the rest position again
I watched your original video again a few more times and at the 33 second mark did you press the washer button? It really looks like everything is working correctly but loudly, that arm moving back and forth on it's own shouldn't make much noise as yours does.
check this video around the 9 minute mark and you'll see the arm moving all the time without ratcheting and you can not really hear it. then he hooks the washer and it starts to pump which you can clearly hear.
Mooser, thanks! Unfortunately, I had not seen your thread before - man is that helpful. This info, (screen shot from your thread) shows the point at which the motor links into the cam gear - I couldn't get the cam wheel to turn, so I figured the motor would spin around until it came back to the cam gear and then fall into that curved slot due to the opening provided. What threw me off was the fact that the arm continuously rides the cam gear without stopping while the wiper motor is turning - I didn't think it was supposed to do that. Now I know. And yes - it does seem loud - I think I am going to pack it with more grease - I am assuming white lithium grease to be appropriate for this?
I also would think the pin would "find" that hole when "parked" but it comes out to travel around the cam lobes in use
Any white or moly grease should be compatible with the plastic and stay in place
M
I watched your original video again a few more times and at the 33 second mark did you press the washer button? It really looks like everything is working correctly but loudly, that arm moving back and forth on it's own shouldn't make much noise as yours does.
check this video around the 9 minute mark and you'll see the arm moving all the time without ratcheting and you can not really hear it. then he hooks the washer and it starts to pump which you can clearly hear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfINKpsW2Vo
Did you grease everything inside well (the cam etc) and it it free to move, maybe have a look at my thread and see if anything leaps out.
M
Mooser,
Here's what clarified it for me - when you stated here in a thread that the arm moves all the time - that's what I thought was wrong. Thanks for all the detail you have provided, along with Ernie from Willcox and that fellow doing the Chevelle pump, I now know my way around wiper motors and washer pumps!
Did anyone find a solution to this problem? I have the same issue. Interestingly, when (removed) I manually turn the wheel, it's difficult and "pops" into the next location. There is a lot of tension when rotating it. Since the springs and cams are not part of the "manual" equation, it's all about what's in the water distribution chamber. I'm assuming there is some kind of pressure generated in that module. Another point. While rotating it, it hit some point where it seems to work correctly (turned several times with little resistance), then "popped" and got difficult again.
Ok, this wiper repair is kicking my a$$. I finally got all the wiring correct. The washer pump is a finicky little thing. It's very sensitive to the cam location, the ratchet cog, and the orientation of the the two magnetic pins/tabs. For some odd reason when the washer pump is attached my wiper motor won't park. It parks fine when the washer isn't attached. The washer works fine when attached. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.
I can only guess that the pin on the motor isn't sitting in the slot of the star wheel and that's preventing it from going back into park. I still think the pin should "find" it's spot but maybe it doesn't have you need to manually place it there when putting the pump on
M
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Windshield Washer pump question
I'd start there.
