Tired of that worn out windshield washer?

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Raider L

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After looking at the insides of the factory washer I thought I had a better idea. I took the factory pump out, it's easy and comes right out off the motor assembly. Take the cover off and disengage the pump assembly. I cut a piece of thin aluminum sheet and cut it out the shape of the cover and replaced the factory cover.
I went over to Advance Auto Parts, any will do, to look at those pumps that are in the more modern vehicles because I'd seen them there before. Sometimes they are over in the "Help" section otherwise the counter person can get it for you. On the left front fender are places with nuts welded on the back of holes you might use or just drill a couple of holes for the bracket that comes with the pump and install. Find the two wires that go to the factory pump and wire it in.

In the photo below is how I mounted the little pump to the fender. Ignore the plastic bag next to it, that's a plug from a vacuum pump I used to have in the truck. You can see that I fixed insulated terminal ends to the wires and this particular pump only has two connections, and they are spade connectors.
The pump has two nipples at the bottom, one sucks fluid from the tank, next to the pump, and one to squirt fluid to the windshield through your hoses. You'll have to purchase some more hoses in order to reach your splitter or whatever you have. The windshield fluid bottle can be purchased on line from several after market sources, unless you already have the one from your factory washer.
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The pic below is of the aluminum sheet cover I made to put over where the factory pump used to be. It looks like it's been in there for a long time, that's because I did this many years ago. I used the plug from the original pump to extend the wiring over to the new pump. (to the right in the photo)
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The new pump plug and wires.
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The photo below is of the three brands of those specific type pumps. You can't use just any 'ol pump. It has to be the kind that has two nipples on the bottom, or top whichever, and the diagram on the package will or should tell you that one nipple will suck fluid and the other will squirt fluid. That's the one to get. They have gone up a lot in the past few years and when I bought the last one it was about $19 dollars. But you get a lot in the package. You get the pump, the bracket, 2 screws to attach the bracket, an assortment of different wiring and terminal ends, and two lengths of rubber hoses, and a couple of plastic wire splices like the kind where you place the wire in the halves and bend them over cutting into the wire. I would assume that's for the factory wiring you may have to cut into. The instructions are real good and have good drawings in the Anco one.
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I did this because the factory pump is noisy and makes that loud "clack" sound when the wheel inside the factory pump rolls over the hose inside the pump housing and squirts the fluid onto th windshield. And it's not none to strong either. These little pumps a real strong and will squirt fluid over the cab! You'll have to adjust your squirters to.
 

PrairieDrifter

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Yes I just learned this as well. 85 and up have the pump mounted to the backside of the jug. Same wiring harness I believe. Just longer if anything.
 

PrairieDrifter

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But the 70's and 80's tanks have different bolt patterns. The 80's bolts are like an inch farther apart. So choose how you will.
 

Raider L

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All you guys are correct. That is the reason why I said to make sure the pump has one hose that sucks fluid and the other one pumps to the windshield. I guess that would mean what I didn't say was that the later years do not have a pump outside the bottle. And yes, all the ones after those years have the pump going inside the bottle, and it will not operate outside the bottle. You have to look for the ones that are outside the bottle which are year specific, the earlier years.

See how the bottle is shaped on each side? Where the bolts go on each side? As a matter of fact this was the bottle for my truck. It was in the truck like this when I bought it. Obviously the suction hose from the bottle went to the old pump in the wiper housing.
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And that the different years bottles are different in how they attach to the different years trucks. Some even had a bracket to place the bottle into instead of the bottle bolting directly to the fender. When I rebuilt the truck I thought I would get rid of these bottles and go to billet aluminum, but no, I decided to leave stock stuff like this bottle just because to try to reinvent the wheel I stayed with the factory item. It's designed to do what it does in the most efficient manner.
 

Raider L

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I recently had to replace the cap on the bottle. I found it on line. I had seen it once before at Advance Auto Parts but they don't carry it anymore so I had to get it on line.
The little filter at the end of the hose down inside the bottle, I found that from time to time it would stop up with some kind of slimy coating over the screen. I thought there was alcohol in the cleaner fluid preventing anything like that. As soon as the squirting would start to slow down I knew it was time to clean the filter screen. And it isn't all that easy to get off either, at least the stuff on mine was. So right now I took that filter out. I don't like doing that because I don't want that slimy stuff in my hoses. But that screen isn't stopping that stuff really. I was more concerned about that slime stopping up the tip of my squirters.
Anyone else have that problem of the filter stopping up?
 

Octane

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That little filter screen on my 77 slimes over. No matter what solution I put in the tank
 

Dryriver1

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I recently had to replace the cap on the bottle. I found it on line. I had seen it once before at Advance Auto Parts but they don't carry it anymore so I had to get it on line.
The little filter at the end of the hose down inside the bottle, I found that from time to time it would stop up with some kind of slimy coating over the screen. I thought there was alcohol in the cleaner fluid preventing anything like that. As soon as the squirting would start to slow down I knew it was time to clean the filter screen. And it isn't all that easy to get off either, at least the stuff on mine was. So right now I took that filter out. I don't like doing that because I don't want that slimy stuff in my hoses. But that screen isn't stopping that stuff really. I was more concerned about that slime stopping up the tip of my squirters.
Anyone else have that problem of the filter stopping up?

Hello Raider L and All GMSB Buddies! I hope all is well.

I really like that idea with the exterior pump. Pretty easy to change out too, when and if it stops working.

On your problem with the slime that you are getting in the canister next time you need to refill wash it out really good with Tide or dish soap washing soap and water.
Then refill for a good day or overnightwith water and Clorox Bleach solution. You want to do kind of like a chlorine wash for a swimming pool.

NOT TOO HEAVY ON THE BLEACH. You do not want to burn your bottle and hoses with the Clorox Bleach.
Once you are ready to refill just fill it with undiluted glass cleaner of your choice.
Do NOT add water to your cleaner or you will start to get the algea / mold / slime cycle started again especially if it is hot weather.

I hope it helps.

Be well and stay safe out there. Best wishes to you and all of your loved ones always.

Dryriver1
 

Raider L

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@Dryriver1,
Thanks for the suggestion. I have cleaned out my tank before but not for a long time now. I used Dawn dish washing liquid and it got it pretty clean. The washer fluid I use is from Walmart whatever it is they are selling for washer fluid that's supposed to have some alcohol in it I think. But yeah, your idea would probably work better about the fluid, Windex is what I always use to clean my glass around the house and I carry a spray bottle in the truck for cleaning the windows whenever. Windex has ammonia in it and that would stop the slim forming over the screen I would think. I'll try that. You can get one of those large refill bottles at Walmart and that would be more than enough to fill the tank and it's not like I use my washer all the time anyway.
 

NYSquared

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Tree-Fiddy
Im going through the whole system in my truck so this is great info. Thank you! Anyone have a pic of how where the nozzles attach?
 

Dryriver1

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@Dryriver1,
Thanks for the suggestion. I have cleaned out my tank before but not for a long time now. I used Dawn dish washing liquid and it got it pretty clean. The washer fluid I use is from Walmart whatever it is they are selling for washer fluid that's supposed to have some alcohol in it I think. But yeah, your idea would probably work better about the fluid, Windex is what I always use to clean my glass around the house and I carry a spray bottle in the truck for cleaning the windows whenever. Windex has ammonia in it and that would stop the slim forming over the screen I would think. I'll try that. You can get one of those large refill bottles at Walmart and that would be more than enough to fill the tank and it's not like I use my washer all the time anyway.
Keep us posted.
 

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