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WSW Pump Guts

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  • Tony H.
    Very Frequent User
    • May 31, 1993
    • 537

    WSW Pump Guts

    I've checked the lines from the windshield/headlamp washer pump to the WS wipers and headlights and they are in working order. (My 4-year old son, Nicholas, thought the squirters at the headlamps were great when he got wet as I tested the lines with drinking water with my lungs acting as the pump from each of the four ports at the 1970 pump.) I primed the rubber parts with WD-40 as suggested in an earlier post. When I went to test the pump from the inside switch, I don't seem to get any indication that the piston is moving. Looks like I need to check the piston itself for mechanical integrity as well as the electrical.

    My questions are the following: (Mechanical) Where can I get a piston for the washer if it turns out to be defective? Is this piston available through GM/Delco or other distributors? Can I scavenge a piston from other year WSW pumps? (Electrical) What do I test for electrically? I think I read something about this in an old Restorer article. Any tips would be appreciated. Meanwhile, I'll go through some back-issues of The Restorer and try to pull out the info. Thanks.

    Tony
    Tony
  • Tony H.
    Very Frequent User
    • May 31, 1993
    • 537

    #2
    Re: WSW Pump Guts

    The Restorer Vol 22 Summer 1995: Bob Cook writes an excellent article on rebuilding the WSWs of 1968-73. What long term effect will soaking yellowed plastic parts in bleach have on the plastic? Will bleach make plastic parts more brittle? If you are out there Bob, how is your WSW doing now?
    Tony

    Comment

    • Tony H.
      Very Frequent User
      • May 31, 1993
      • 537

      #3
      Re: WSW Pump Guts

      The Restorer Vol 22 Summer 1995: Bob Cook writes an excellent article on rebuilding the WSWs of 1968-73. What long term effect will soaking yellowed plastic parts in bleach have on the plastic? Will bleach make plastic parts more brittle? If you are out there Bob, how is your WSW doing now?
      Tony

      Comment

      • Jack H.
        Extremely Frequent Poster
        • April 1, 1990
        • 9906

        #4
        Re: WSW Pump Guts

        Good boy, Tony, you're getting there!

        (1) Pump body (piston) is same as any other Chevy passenger car

        of the era. You can swap with two cautions. (1) When you

        remove pump assy from motor, take REAL GOOD notes on the

        relative positions of every moving part including the control

        solenoid and ratchet! (2) Make sure this 'trip' is really

        necessary as piston assy rarely malfunctions or wears out

        (with pump assy off the motor, you can manually force actuation

        and hear/feel 'popping' pressure/squirt.

        (2) When washer pump is properly actuated, you'll hear distinct

        'popping' sound of pump piston at work as it triggers with

        Nautilus drive gear of the wiper motor's rotation. If you

        don't hear the 'pop pop pop' sound of the piston in action,

        you know the pump is NOT being driven.

        (3) This is typically due to bad washer motor relay, faulty

        wiring from washer switch (easy to get to behind separately

        removable bezel at top of center console), and/or broken

        mis-synchronized washer Nautilus gear engagement prawl.

        Some of this alignment/debug is covered in the CSM and

        COM (chassis service manual/chassis overhaul manual).

        (4) On the yellowing of plastic parts, if memory serves me

        right these are Delron plastic components -- a self

        lubricating plastic. The color change comes from high

        energy ambient conditions (heat and/or light) causing

        the surface skin of the plastic to outgas and loose its

        inherent plasticizers. Short of 'sanding' away surface

        material that's 'dead' (some have reported marginal

        sucess with mild abrasive like Roman Cleanser), you're

        stuck with the yellow....

        Comment

        • Jack H.
          Extremely Frequent Poster
          • April 1, 1990
          • 9906

          #5
          Re: WSW Pump Guts

          Good boy, Tony, you're getting there!

          (1) Pump body (piston) is same as any other Chevy passenger car

          of the era. You can swap with two cautions. (1) When you

          remove pump assy from motor, take REAL GOOD notes on the

          relative positions of every moving part including the control

          solenoid and ratchet! (2) Make sure this 'trip' is really

          necessary as piston assy rarely malfunctions or wears out

          (with pump assy off the motor, you can manually force actuation

          and hear/feel 'popping' pressure/squirt.

          (2) When washer pump is properly actuated, you'll hear distinct

          'popping' sound of pump piston at work as it triggers with

          Nautilus drive gear of the wiper motor's rotation. If you

          don't hear the 'pop pop pop' sound of the piston in action,

          you know the pump is NOT being driven.

          (3) This is typically due to bad washer motor relay, faulty

          wiring from washer switch (easy to get to behind separately

          removable bezel at top of center console), and/or broken

          mis-synchronized washer Nautilus gear engagement prawl.

          Some of this alignment/debug is covered in the CSM and

          COM (chassis service manual/chassis overhaul manual).

          (4) On the yellowing of plastic parts, if memory serves me

          right these are Delron plastic components -- a self

          lubricating plastic. The color change comes from high

          energy ambient conditions (heat and/or light) causing

          the surface skin of the plastic to outgas and loose its

          inherent plasticizers. Short of 'sanding' away surface

          material that's 'dead' (some have reported marginal

          sucess with mild abrasive like Roman Cleanser), you're

          stuck with the yellow....

          Comment

          • Chuck G.
            Extremely Frequent Poster
            • May 31, 1982
            • 2029

            #6
            Re: WSW Pump Guts

            Hi Tony; I had similar problems with my 69 washer system and did, in fact, buy a Chevrolet "parts pump" at a swap meet. I think that I paid about $5.00 for it. It seems that my original piston and cylinder had way too much clearance. It wouldn't squirt with any force. Everything worked mechanically. I pirated the parts from the donor pump (white plastic) and now it squirts with some "oomph" behind it. Also did the "blow the water" test as you did to check if my hoses and nozzles were patent. Hope this helps. Chuck Gongloff
            1963 Corvette Conv. 327/360 NCRS Top Flight
            2006 Corvette Conv. Velocity Yellow NCRS Top Flight
            1956 Chevy Sedan. 350/4 Speed Hot Rod

            Comment

            • Chuck G.
              Extremely Frequent Poster
              • May 31, 1982
              • 2029

              #7
              Re: WSW Pump Guts

              Hi Tony; I had similar problems with my 69 washer system and did, in fact, buy a Chevrolet "parts pump" at a swap meet. I think that I paid about $5.00 for it. It seems that my original piston and cylinder had way too much clearance. It wouldn't squirt with any force. Everything worked mechanically. I pirated the parts from the donor pump (white plastic) and now it squirts with some "oomph" behind it. Also did the "blow the water" test as you did to check if my hoses and nozzles were patent. Hope this helps. Chuck Gongloff
              1963 Corvette Conv. 327/360 NCRS Top Flight
              2006 Corvette Conv. Velocity Yellow NCRS Top Flight
              1956 Chevy Sedan. 350/4 Speed Hot Rod

              Comment

              • Robert Y.
                Frequent User
                • March 1, 1980
                • 31

                #8
                Re: WSW Pump Guts

                The guts are almost identical from any year vintage Chevy. The replacement seals and check valves are avaliable from Pep Boys for

                Comment

                • Robert Y.
                  Frequent User
                  • March 1, 1980
                  • 31

                  #9
                  Re: WSW Pump Guts

                  The guts are almost identical from any year vintage Chevy. The replacement seals and check valves are avaliable from Pep Boys for

                  Comment

                  • Tony H.
                    Very Frequent User
                    • May 31, 1993
                    • 537

                    #10
                    Re: WSW Pump Guts

                    Hello again. Thanks for the response and encouragement so far. Well I opened up the washer pump and found the cylinder which houses the washer piston to be broken in several pieces similar to the one pictured in the Restorer article (V22No1 pg 36). I think I will be going to the hobby shop to hunt down some "plastic solvent" to weld the pieces back together. Is that just what I ask for, plastic solvent? What kind of plastic is the pump made of? Regular plastic model cement doesn't seem to have any adhesive effect on this plastic. How would JB Weld hold up? Does anyone out there have experience "welding" this type of plastic together? Thanks again.

                    Tony
                    Tony

                    Comment

                    • Tony H.
                      Very Frequent User
                      • May 31, 1993
                      • 537

                      #11
                      Re: WSW Pump Guts

                      Hello again. Thanks for the response and encouragement so far. Well I opened up the washer pump and found the cylinder which houses the washer piston to be broken in several pieces similar to the one pictured in the Restorer article (V22No1 pg 36). I think I will be going to the hobby shop to hunt down some "plastic solvent" to weld the pieces back together. Is that just what I ask for, plastic solvent? What kind of plastic is the pump made of? Regular plastic model cement doesn't seem to have any adhesive effect on this plastic. How would JB Weld hold up? Does anyone out there have experience "welding" this type of plastic together? Thanks again.

                      Tony
                      Tony

                      Comment

                      • Tony H.
                        Very Frequent User
                        • May 31, 1993
                        • 537

                        #12
                        Re: WSW Pump Guts

                        Chuck,

                        Do you still have that 69 pump lying around somewhere. I'll trade you for an orange fusible link.!!:)

                        Tony
                        Tony

                        Comment

                        • Tony H.
                          Very Frequent User
                          • May 31, 1993
                          • 537

                          #13
                          Re: WSW Pump Guts

                          Chuck,

                          Do you still have that 69 pump lying around somewhere. I'll trade you for an orange fusible link.!!:)

                          Tony
                          Tony

                          Comment

                          • Bill Clupper

                            #14
                            Re: WSW Pump Guts

                            Tony, if you're referring to the pump housing itself, the off white assembly with the piston in it, they are the same on '70's pass cars. NOS ones can occasionally be found, and a trip to the junkyard may be more productive than glue. I used an NOS one on my '72, direct interchange, proper color, just steal it out of a pass car unit-look at the Butler swap meet in a week & a half & you'll find one.

                            Comment

                            • Bill Clupper

                              #15
                              Re: WSW Pump Guts

                              Tony, if you're referring to the pump housing itself, the off white assembly with the piston in it, they are the same on '70's pass cars. NOS ones can occasionally be found, and a trip to the junkyard may be more productive than glue. I used an NOS one on my '72, direct interchange, proper color, just steal it out of a pass car unit-look at the Butler swap meet in a week & a half & you'll find one.

                              Comment

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