Electric Windshield Washer Pump Installation FAQ

[DurocShark]

Man, what a PITA it was to chase the hose connections. The PO had removed all the hoses, and reaching those nozzles up under the dash sucked. I recommend pulling the dash if you're not a Yoga instructor!

The goal was minimal changes to the existing system, but fully functional.

Crap, forgot pics of the tank. Well, I pulled the hose with the fitting for the compressed air. That little port there makes an excellent place to allow air in when the pump pulls the fluid out and won't leak unless I roll the bus.

Here's the kit I installed:

First thing to do was find a place to mount it. I really wanted to put it down low by the tank but I couldn't find a good way to get a drill and/or a screwdriver in the likely locations. So it's right under the fresh air vents.

This would have been a great location except for the fact that the !#$%#$^ thing turns into an echo chamber. So the pump is louder than I like.

I ran new line from the bottom of the tank to the pump, then the existing line that was still attached to the tank up to the T connector midway between the two nozzles. New line from the T to the nozzles.

The switch was mounted in a hole thoughtfully left for me by the PO. I just had to open it up a bit for the switch.

Man, if I need more switches I'm going to have to actually put my own brackets in or something. I'm out of PO holes.

The spray pattern leaves something to be desired. Is this normal for bus nozzles?

Seems awfully narrow to me.

Anyway, it works quite well. If/when I can afford to replace the washer switch (since the thing shorts out on 2 of the wiper circuits anyway) I'll remove the switch I wired in today.
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No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow.

[ratwell]

[bochintz]

i was able to drill out the bottom of the tank and fit the pump right tight into the tank fit thetank back in a bango works great
one prob i had earlier was if you don't mount the pump lower or at the same height it would not draw so to speak there ment to pump not suck
so i drilled out the connect for the hose and siliconed it in place man it works great as fro the speay pattern it took me a long time to get it to hit the window in the right spot
peace out
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1979 auto westy, needs rust repair

Don't look here for inspiration!😂

[Bajatacoma]

Taking your pump back off and putting rubber washers between it and the metal will help with the noise level.

bochintz is right about most of these pumps being pushers (pushing fluid) not for lifting but if it works I wouldn't worry too much.

You can try blowing air back through the nozzles (reverse of water flow) to get the crud out or you can replace them with newer models.
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'78 Westy

Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?
Hunter S Thompson

[TrickyThom]

[rccbusfreak]

I am going to make this easy.
STEP 1. Just hold a spray bottle out the window with your favorite window wash.
Step 2. A few quick pumps or squirts (I know that sounds weird)
Step 3. Turn on wipers
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71 Westfalia
68 Transporter
71 Transporter parts bus (the bus that keeps on giving)
LudwigUSA

[DurocShark]

[chabanais]

I did that install several years ago. But I have an OEM washer button I made...

Take the stock wiper switch/washer button and cut the back off behind the button. Now when you push the switch the stock washer button with that long stick in it will poke out the back... I took a button and Zip tied it onto the washer switch and when I push the button that pokes the button and makes the water squirt out... but looking at the dash it looks stock.
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"I spud therefore I yam."

[pb24ss]

[grandfatherjim]

To have my pump lower than the tank I ended up mounting it "outdoors", just behind the front bumper. It is reasonably well protected from the weather, and it's not quite so noisy.
Jim

[obieoberstar]

I just found this thread on electric washer pumps and thought I would add a bit of information based on my installation this weekend.

I would suggest highly to invest in some new washer nozzles if yours have been inop for some time. It also makes it easier to install the hose onto them before installation.

My pump did not really get 'mounted' anywhere. Just let it rest on the fiberglass insulation under the washer bottle. I've got a westy and there is a layer of fiberglass insulation behind the lower kick panels. No need for messy screws or brackets. Very quiet surrounded by the insulation.

Here's the good part. I've a newer style switch that has the electric contacts already in it. Being that my 79 did not have intermittant wipers, there are no wires in the factory connector to mate up with the ones on the switch. Fortunately I had a wiring harness laying around from a parted out bus. Removed 2 wires from the donor connector and installed them into the open spaces in the Westy's. Ran one to a 12v terminal on the headlight switch and the other to the pump.

I still have a couple of wires left from the donor connector if anyone's interested.

The spray pattern shown in the picture is exactly like mine with the new nozzles.

One of the very best and most useful improvements I've made to my bus over the last 5 years. Should have done it sooner.

[Mr'72Special]

[chabanais]

Mine is in the dash not sure. Mine's been installed for years and never had a problem and dash looks totally stock!

[timo78]

[DurocShark]

That OP was from 2005. The install was on the Great White Bus, a 73 Hightop conversion from German Delivery Westy. (Was that long enough for ya?)

The pump was transferred 3 years ago to the Guacamole bus, a 78 hard top. I did as was mentioned above, just dropped it in underneath the tank. Works fine and is MUCH less noisy.
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No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow.

[pb24ss]

Link

[cuizable]

[pb24ss]

[1977_L63H_P27]

[Liveonjg]

I installed a small momentary contact switch so operation of the washer remains the same. Keeps everything looking stock.

-John
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Keep it acoustic.

77 FI 2L Westfalia - Ripple
77 FI 2L Westfalia - Althea
62 Dual Carb Single Cab - Lou