Washer pump help

[BuickBoss]

Hi everyone,

 

First post. While my handle is "BuickBoss" that's because that's my eBay name, not because I know everything about Buicks! (LOVE 'em though).

 

Anyway, I have a 1977 Riv and my wiper motor works but my washer pump doesn't. My mechanic says I need to get a washer pump/ wiper motor combo which is quite a bit pricier than the washer pump I just bought. Is this because he's just too lazy to figure this out? Is it one assembly as he's suggesting? Any suggestions? 

 

Thanks in advance!

[EmTee]

Wow, my recollection of GM cars in the 70's is that the washer pump portion of the wiper/washer assembly could be replaced separately. I'm assuming that that's the pump you purchased, rather than a retrofit washer pump which bypasses the factory pump (or adds the function to a car lacking that feature).  In fact, my '64 GP has the same style wiper motor, but since the car was was not ordered with the washer option, there's a blank plate on the wiper motor where a washer pump would have been located.

[BuickBoss]

EmTee, this was just the separate washer pump of the assembly. I don't believe its a bypass either. I think I'll take it to someone else for a second opinion.

 

Thanks!

[Seafoam65]

               You don't need to buy a wiper motor.....just install the new pump on it. My guess is that you bought

one of the new pumps that everyone is selling that eliminates the mechanical driven pump and that makes the whole thing squirt via electric motor built in to the housing. He may not feel confident in installing this redesigned setup, thus he wants to buy the whole thing

already put together. These new pumps work great and I recommend them as they pump a lot more fluid onto the windshield than the cam driven mechanical pump.

[BuickBoss]

Seafoam,

 

I think you hit the nail on the head. He mentioned that the pump is mechanical and the cranking mechanism is broken which is separate from the wiper motor. 

 

I was totally not aware of the electrical redesign you mentioned but that explains why the part was so cheap (and available).

 

Also, good to know about the volume of fluid difference.

 

Thanks a bunch.

[RivNut]

I have the pieces but have yet to assemble them.  I have a washer pump from a 98 Jeep GC that fits into a hole in the bottom of the washer bottle.  Hit the pump switch and it will suck the reservoir dry and put a bunch of water on your windshield.  They're a dime a dozen in the U-pull-it yards.  You do have to add a dedicated ground wire to it though.  It's sits under the reservoir and no one can see it.  If it needs replacing at least you don't have to take a hood hinge off to get to it.

[BuickBoss]

So I have an update on this issue. I took off the washer pump to have a look at it myself. The washer pump itself is broken where the cam meets the star-shaped mechanism that is a part of the washer pump. One of the arms or points of that four-star piece is broken off.

 

So I went ahead and installed my new replacement pump. It is also mechanical and cam driven actually, unlike what I was thinking in my previous post. It sort of works but is really weak and makes a little bit of a clunking sound. This sound is mentioned in the installation instructions, with directions on how to eliminate it but for the life of me I can't get it to stop! Also, when I operate the wipers without pushing the washer button it still attempts to pump the fluid which is an obviously an issue. 

 

My next course of action is to install the new wiper motor that has a new washer pump attached to it (as my mechanic wanted me to do in the first place). Hopefully this will put this issue to bed.

[68RIVGS]

As I recall, the mechanical type washer pumps had to be 'indexed', or 'timed', by inserting a drill bit into a specific hole on reassembly.

If this step is not done at assembly, the pump will cycle, but will not shut off, and it works continuously as you describe.

Double check your instructions, and the procedure may be described in a '79 Shop Manual ?

[BuickBoss]

1 hour ago, 68RIVGS said:

As I recall, the mechanical type washer pumps had to be 'indexed', or 'timed', by inserting a drill bit into a specific hole on reassembly.

If this step is not done at assembly, the pump will cycle, but will not shut off, and it works continuously as you describe.

Double check your instructions, and the procedure may be described in a '79 Shop Manual ?

 

Ah man I tried so many different things yesterday with no success. Maybe I'll give it another shot next week...

 

For those who haven't gotten in there and looked at their pump and wiper motor, this guy does a great break down on youtube. I can't get the arm on my pump to travel the way his does though...