C2 Windshield Washer Issue

[Roger P.]

The windshield washer on my '65 convertible doesn't work, but my windshield wipers are working fine. I push the small button in the center of the wiper switch, but nothing happens. Should that small button activate the wipers and the water "squirt", or am I missing something? When I push the button, I don't even hear the motor attempt to move the water. I read other posts/threads about this subject, but I don't fully understand the procedure. Is my pump bad, or does it just need to be primed? Should I be continuously pushing the small button as to "pump" the water from the washer jar up to the windshield nozzles? If the pump requires servicing, can it be done without removing the entire wiper motor assembly? I was told that the distributor would have to be removed in order to get the motor assembly out, but I really don't want to mess with that. As always, your guidance is appreciated!

Thank you,
Roger Piper (50141)

[Michael A.]

Re: C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Roger,
There could be a number of issues going on. The mechanism works pretty simply. You press in the button on the wiper knob to activate the washer motor. You don't "pump" it. The pump motor operates as long as you have the button depressed.

You should check to see if any of the hoses are aged and split. You may also have clogged nozzles. However from the sounds of it you probably are dealing with a pump that has quit working. The pump assembly is integral with the wiper motor assembly and is mounted to the firewall in the engine compartment. It's been awhile since I did mine but I seem to recall some contortions involved in unbolting it from the firewall and disconnecting it from the wiper arm mechanism which is located on the passenger compartment side of the firewall. I did NOT have remove the distributor to get it out.

Once the wiper motor assembly is out, the washer pump can be rebuilt but it is tricky. My rebuild worked for about a year and quit. I am in need of fixing it again. I believe there is an old Restorer article out there that shows the procedure.

Good luck and have fun!

[Mike M.]

Re: C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Try taking the hose off the water bottle and with a mouth full off blow into the line, water should come out the nozzles, then try the pump with the hose hooked back up. You may get lucky and it just needs priming. If you not hearing it click its probly the pump.

[Roger P.]

C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Mike & Mike:
Thank you for getting back to me with your suggestions about my windshield washer problem. Sometime between now and the weekend, I will check the hoses and see if I can prime the pump. Mike M., you had suggested that I remove the hose from the water bottle and blow hard into it and see if water comes out the nozzles. I haven't looked at the setup yet, but how would the water spray out of the nozzles if the hose isn't connected to the water bottle? Do I need to have water in my mouth as I blow through the hose? It sounds weird, but I've done stranger things to fix things before . Do you guys recommend that I also try tapping on the exposed pump or enclosed pump assembly while my son pushes the washer botton to see if the pump might be stuck and simply requires some "motivation"? My brother is a mechanic and has fixed many things over the years with some persuasive "love tapping" with a hammer . Is there only one fuse for the wipers and the washer, or are there two fuses (one for each)? Who am I kidding - it can't be that simple... right? Let me know what you think, and I'll give it all a try to see if I can get lucky and avoid a pump rebuild.

Thanks again,
Roger Piper (50141)

[Mike M.]

Re: C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Roger, You need water in your mouth. It sounds strange I agree.

[Joe C.]

Re: C2 Windshield Washer Issue

The windshield washer on my '65 convertible doesn't work, but my windshield wipers are working fine. I push the small button in the center of the wiper switch, but nothing happens. Should that small button activate the wipers and the water "squirt", or am I missing something? When I push the button, I don't even hear the motor attempt to move the water. I read other posts/threads about this subject, but I don't fully understand the procedure. Is my pump bad, or does it just need to be primed? Should I be continuously pushing the small button as to "pump" the water from the washer jar up to the windshield nozzles? If the pump requires servicing, can it be done without removing the entire wiper motor assembly? I was told that the distributor would have to be removed in order to get the motor assembly out, but I really don't want to mess with that. As always, your guidance is appreciated!

Thank you,
Roger Piper (50141)

Roger,

The washer pump gets its motive force from the windshield wiper transmission. When the washer button is pushed, a solenoid is energized, which causes a pawl to engage the wiper transmission output gear. The washer pump assembly goes along for the ride for a set number of wiper gear revolutions, until the mechanism forces the pawl to disengage.

If you can hear the pump diaphragm pulsating steadily, then follow the advice above. Once the center button is pressed, the pump will engage and you'll hear it cycling for about 10 seconds, or, about 7-10 full revolutions of the wiper transmission. If priming and checking for cracked hoses, checking the distribution block cover seals for leaks, and checking the poppet valves for blockages doesn't help, then you have a ruptured pump diaphragm.

If you do not hear the pump cycling, but you DO hear a single "click" when the washer button is depressed, then the engagement pawl or return spring in the transmission is damaged or jammed.

If you do not hear a "click" when the washer button is depressed, check for an "open" in the pump ground circuit. Another likely culprit is an "open" in the pump engagement solenoid windings.

Joe

[Kirk M.]

Re: C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Mine didn't work when I bought the car, although I could hear the pumping running. I disconnected the hoses and took the diaphragm end apart and replaced those components and seals with repro parts. Pushed the button several times until the now working pump primed and it has worked ever since. Good luck.

Kirk

[Clark K.]

Re: C2 Windshield Washer Issue

When I bought my '65 last November, my washers did not work, either. I worried that the pump had sat dry for so long that the rubber parts had dry rotted. I bought rubber pump replacement parts. I tried blowing into the hose. I pushed the button over and over. I checked the fuse. I cleaned the metal mesh at the end of the suction tube in the rubber fluid bag (L76 engine). I replaced the hoses.

No dice until I took it to an expert and he diagnosed a bad dash switch. Once that switch was replaced and the pump was primed, it worked fine. If it doesn't work fine during the operations section of a Flight Judging, that's a 25 point deduct. So, I feel your pain.

An interesting side note:
Did you know that there are two different repro washer nozzles available for a '65 Sting Ray? Yep. A pair for $12 and another pair for $60. The two types are very hard to tell apart with a cursory glance. The more expensive type is correct in that the chrome nozzle has a tiny adjustable brass "ball" set into it. The cheap set cannot be adjusted and usually spray fluid over the car! Be sure to install black rubber washers under the nozzle. The Operations Section judges at the last chapter meet told me that they were glad to see that mine were in place for they see way too many without the washers.
-Clark

[Roger P.]

Re: C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Joe, Kirk, and Clark:
I really appreciate all your advice and ideas which come from your respective experiences. I am looking forward to trying them all this weekend when I return from my drive to a local Father's Day car show on Saturday morning . Hopefully one of the "easy" fixes will do the trick! I'll keep you guys posted of what I discover (fingers crossed ).

Thank you,
Roger Piper (50141)

[Roger P.]

C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Gentlemen:
Well, the weekend is over and the car show wasn't that good, but my son and I had a great time cruisin' with the top down -- what could be better? I guess the only thing that could make it better is if the windshield washers worked . I went through the testing that you all had suggested (priming with a mouth full of water was fun), and it appears that I need a new pump bellows rebuild kit. The motors definitely works, and it appears that the pump is working too, but it's not pumping the water. When I tried to prime the nozzles, only one would squirt water. However, the nozzle was blocked with wax/crud and worked once I cleaned it with a pin. The repair looks simple, but like many other things on these cars, it just isn't located in an easy location (previous issue was headlight motors) . I have electronic ignition with a larger-than-stock distributor cap, so the working area is even tighter. Two of the little hex-head screws are tight against the firewall, and the other two are tight against the distributor & spark plug wires. Adding to the "fun" is the extended reach leaning over the fender (I guess it would help if I was taller ). Anyway, with some patience, a padded fender cover, and a visit to the chiropractor when I'm finished, I believe that the washers will be working once again!

Thanks again for your help,
Roger Piper (50141)

[Roger P.]

C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Hey Guys:
I am about to place an order from Eckler's for a "windshield washer pump bellows rebuild kit", but I have a couple of questions. First, why is the rebuild kit (which includes the plastic nozzles, o-rings, bellows, screws, and spring) less money than their "valve kit" (which only includes the nozzles, o-rings, and screws)? Am I missing something here? The second question is regarding the actual work. The job seems very easy, but there is always a catch. As I mentioned before, the working area is very tight. Can I make the repair to the pump by only removing the old plastic nozzles (giving me access to the bellows & spring), or must I remove the entire pump assembly from the motor assembly? Either way, I might set up a scaffold across the engine compartment so I can get real close to the pump to make the job a little easier to reach & access. Let me know your thoughts.

Thank you,
Roger (50141)

[Don H.]

Re: C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Roger, hello from another newbie, who also has a balky windshield washer in his 65 rdstr.
I had mine apart last weekend to troubleshoot it. I checked the Ecklers catalog as to your first question, and I think you only need the internal rebuild kit if you think your bellows is bad. The cheaper valve kit seems to just include the o rings, white plastic nozzle unit and screws. If your nozzle unit is not damaged, you should not need that kit.
As for reaching the washer valve assembly; yes, it was a bit of a stretch, but I am 6-1. I covered my fender with good heavy protection, and just laid across. Now, I did not try to simply unscrew the inlet/outlet valve assembly in place. I followed the procedure outlined in the corvette shop manual, and removed the pump assembly from the wiper motor assembly first. This was not difficult once I had proper tools. And after I put good light on the work area so I could clearly see what I was up against.
I had to remove the upper shielding and pull off my distributor cap and lay them aside to clear the work area.
I found that a stubby 1/4" nut driver was the key to the 4 screws that hold the washer assembly onto the wiper motor housing. I studied the ground connection at the lower left hand screw for a few minutes to understand how that is attached.
Anyway, once the washer assembly was off the car, I could easily open up the inlet/outlet valve unit, and see that mine was all good.
I lubricated the moving parts in the washer pump assembly, and ran it around for a few cycles by hand. I reassembled everything in only a few minutes, (as I now understood how simple it fits together). I tried to operate the washers using the just the button and still got nothing. However, when I turned on the wipers, and then hit the button, spray! Over the windshield and back about 15 feet on both sides! Big time spray! So, my pump assembly works, but I surmise that my button switch may be bad. Now I will tackle that this weekend. I hope this long diatribe is some help to you
Don

[Roger P.]

C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Don:
Thanks for your reply. I think my switch is OK, but you never know. The rebuild kit is cheap enough and the job looks easy, but that darn reach! I'm 5'-7" and, more than height, I guess my arms aren't very long . Perhaps with enough good padding and a small step, I could reach over the fender and get the job done without the "scaffold". Is it possible to replace the spring, o-rings, and bellows by removing the plastic nozzle only, or must I remove the pump assembly to get to all the parts? It just seems easier to remove the nozzle than to remove the entire pump. It's all packed in there so tight against the firewall and distributor! Get back to me with your suggestions at your convenience.

Thanks again,
Roger (50141)

[Don H.]

Re: C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Roger,
I presume you did like I did, and pressed the washer button while the wipers were going? You should try that before taking your washer assembly apart.
If nothing there, then I suggest removing the washer pump assembly whole, and then dig into the nozzle unit. I found that even with the washer assembly on the workbench, it was difficult to remove the bellows. It felt like it did not want to come out, so I did not force it out. It was supple and flexible so I left it in. I surmise yours is good too. And even if bad, you will have a heck of a time pulling it out while reaching into that dark recess your wiper motor set in. It would not be hard to get the nozzle piece off and that gives you access to the three little gaskets, but the bellows stays stuck in the washer assembly.
All in all it is a tricky little unit to deal with, but it is doable.
I have some other instructions I found that I can send you by PM that might offer more insight into the task.
Don

[Roger P.]

C2 Windshield Washer Issue

Hey Guys:


Thank you,
Roger (50141)