New mini-project: A washer pump that works!

[Zoomad75]

I'm tired of the PITA mechanical washer pump on my 75. I've rebuilt it once and it worked fine for maybe a month. Then the pump would stick and stay running anytime the wipers were on and drain the little pint of fluid in about 30 seconds. The last straw was driving from Denver to Pueblo (100 miles or so) after the recent blizzard with no pump action at all. Given the fact that the boneheads at CDOT started using mag-chloride for ice control it made my problem even worse. Nothing like mag-chloride and snowmelt for an absolutely filthy to the point of zero visibility windshield. I lost count how many times I pulled over to throw snowballs at the window to clean it.

DirtyLarry here did something that I'm going to rip-off him for my K5. He got a washer bottle with electric pump from a late model Step-van. In usual fashion his install looks like it was supposed to be there. I'd use the same part if my Dad didn't already have one for a 93-94 S10 Blazer. Key word here is ***FREEEBIE***

The only difference I can see from the S10 to the step van is the S10 part has an extra pump for use on the rear window. I'm not thinking this is a bad thing. I'd love to have a wiper on the back window, but it's more work than I have time for to engineer. SO, what to use the extra pump for? Should I set them up to run one pump to one nozzle (most likely overkill, but thats cool too ). Or should I cap the rear pump off and not use it at all? Or should I use the extra pump for something else? Headlight squirters, ala mercedes? As a more devious use I could set up a nozzle to shoot out from the grill to hit other cars/people.

I'm leaning towords using one pump per nozzle but I'm open to ideas.

Wiring should be easy as I figured a way to control the pump from the stock switch. All the switch does is provide a ground for the washer solonoid. Pull power from the power into the solonoid to the pump and run the ground back to the ground wire for the solonoid to the switch. Just need to make sure the pumps don't pull too much amperage for the wiper fuse.

I'll get to work on it this weekend since I'm too busy and it's too cold right now. Will take pics if people want it.

[77 burb]

I'd make the 2nd one go to the headlights split it with a t and run it to both headlight then you can have bright lites and a clean window when you drive in bad weather or mud
jsut my .02

[cstanley]

I Like The Headlites Idea As Well. That's Money...
ALTHOUGH, IT WOULD BE SO MONEY TO INSTALL THAT REAR WIPER...

[longhorn71]

i know the 87 k-5 of the wife has the pump in the tank.it should be the same tank as the older trucks

[Zoomad75]

Thanks for the suggestions. Now that I've thought about it, it wouldn't be too hard to set up some headlight squirters. I just need to get a couple of nozzles to figure out how and where to put them.

Sounds like a good reason to go to the junkyard for some ideas!

[Zoomad75]

More snow! Arrgh...don't want to freeze slopping around in the boneyard. Might call the local dealer to see if they have the connectors I need. Not sure I want to know the price though.

[DirtyLarry]

Here is another great idea for you Zoomad. I thought of this while walking through Lowe’s the other day. You could always route that second hose from the extra pump under your drivers set to use as a bidet.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A bidet is a low-mounted plumbing fixture or type of sink intended for washing the external genitalia and the anus.

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by DirtyLarry

Here is another great idea for you Zoomad. I thought of this while walking through Lowe’s the other day. You could always route that second hose from the extra pump under your drivers set to use as a bidet.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A bidet is a low-mounted plumbing fixture or type of sink intended for washing the external genitalia and the anus.

That one stung....Of course one would need that type of cleaning after consuming your green chili.

I owe you one now!

[jimfulco]

Save it and use it when the other one craps out.

[Zoomad75]

Well, the weather was little less bitter on Friday so I was able to get some stuff done on this. Pics to follow later..

I was able to mount the bottle on the inner fender and test out the wiring with a factory type plug I got from the boneyard earlier this week. After looking over the schematic for how the stock wiper motor driven pump works I found that the switch is only providing the ground for the pump solonoid. Power is constant at the yellow wire to the pump solonoid (key on), Since the the switch is only closing the circuit to ground, It could be used to power the new electric pump and not require an extra switch on the dash. I whipped up a temporary harness with the pigtail I got from the boneyard and plugged it into the connector that normally goes to the pump solonoid. With a push of the wiper switch the electric pump was working.

I didn't have any "t" on me to plumb the washer hose away from the stock washer pump, but I did hook the supply hose to the new pump and try it out. And work it did. With fluid in the jug and the hood down it sprayed with more force and volume than the old pump ever would. One nozzle was slightly off aim and shot completly over the roof!

Now all I need to do is re-wire it to be weather tight and stock looking, enclosed in conduit. I also have to get a "T" for the hose to eliminate the routing at the stock washer pump. I might even take the old pump completely off so it cleans up the wiper a little. I'll take some pics and put them up tomorrow..

Well worth the effort!!!

[gangforward]

pics please!!!!!

[Zoomad75]

Here they come! The first is the new washer bottle. Pardon the drips as it's leaking from the plugged hose on the second pump.



Here's a shot of the temporary wiring. (blue wires)



Here is the wiring diagram that should work for 73-77. I haven't got the diagrams for the 78-up trucks but it should be similar. Just Verify the wiring.



I did notice that the same years of 2 dr S10 blazers had single pump bottles for those that don't need/want the extra pump. They are slightly smaller, but still are larger than the stock K5/truck bottle.

Once I wire it up right and re-route the hoses I'll post up fresh pics.

[cochino12]

great info, thanks

[DirtyLarry]

That did turn out pretty slick. Very close to the P30 UCBC stepvan bottle that I used. I didn’t realize the backside of our fenders where so much different.

[Zoomad75]

I never noticed that either and we've had both trucks sitting next to each other a lot too. The UCBC bottle looks a lot like the single pump S10 Bottle. Wouldn't be the first time UCBC ever used a GM part would it?

I remembered your wiper motor/pump looking completely different, but the wiring at the pump solonoid looks to be the same. As long as your switch works (mine wouldn't ground the pump circuit, but I had 4 spares) we can re-wire your pump off of the stock switch too.

[timcos]

Here is what I did.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=217477

But the pump is really kinf od sucks. Paid 19.99 for it at Checkers, Pep Boys, or AutoZone.

I would pay 50 bucks for a real workhorse.

I can hear it pumping..but no strong squirty...course it is about 10 here.

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by timcos

Here is what I did.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=217477

But the pump is really kinf od sucks. Paid 19.99 for it at Checkers, Pep Boys, or AutoZone.

I would pay 50 bucks for a real workhorse.

I can hear it pumping..but no strong squirty...course it is about 10 here.

My nova had a setup like that when I got it, just without the wiring to the stock switch. Went back to stock on it.

The Stock-like setup is cheap too. You can pull a jug like I have from a S10 Blazer (single pump units too) or from a 88-98 c/k truck. Junkyard cost on them should be well under $20, plus don't forget to grab the plug/harness with it.

With my setup the way it is, the pressure is very good. Driving it yesterday all it took was 1 push of the button to get the amount I needed to clean the window. Before when the stock setup worked I'd have to hit it 2-3 times to get enough. I'd swear if I aimed the squirters right I'd be able to hit the next car behind me at a stoplight. Thats how much pressure we are talking about.

[timcos]

So you are saying...get the pump/bottle combo from a S10 or 88-98 Check Pickup. Singel pump type of model...grab that harness as it will make it easier to connect?

I think I am on to it.

Tim

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by timcos

So you are saying...get the pump/bottle combo from a S10 or 88-98 Check Pickup. Singel pump type of model...grab that harness as it will make it easier to connect?

I think I am on to it.

Tim

Bingo. Just start walking through the bonyard in the GM trucks (the ones I go to a pretty segregated so it's easy). Look under the hoods and see what you find. My twin pump came from a 4dr s10 that had the rear wiper option, but I belive the 2drs could have got it to. Pretty easy to see. The 95 and up (gen 2 S10's/blazers, the round ones) don't have a bottle that would work. I pulled one and it won't work as easily since the shape is tall, narrow and pointy. They must have needed room to put it up by the core support since the hood is so much more sloped. So that puts the target for S10's in the 88-94 range. Don't ask what the 87 and back had as I didn't see any that old last time at the yard.

The CK units look a lot like DirtyLarry's bottle. not quite the same but close.

Larry, I'll wire that up for you no sweat. We just need to make sure your stock switch is working right for the washer. Mine woundn't ground but I got 3 more extras. Does your switch have the backlit lettering like mine? Don't know what kind of plans the missus has for me this weekend. The word cleaning was mentioned but I tried to block it out.

[Zoomad75]

Here's a couple of pics from a boneyard. The first one is from a 91 S10 blazer. The second one is from a 96 K2500. The S10 bottle seems to be the easiest to adapt.

[DirtyLarry]

That sounds easy enough. Zoo, when you get a chance I’ll have to recruit your help to rewire my pump to the original switch. Then I can use the aftermarket push button switch under the dash for the missile launcher or smoke screen device.