Window cleaning water pump not working

[Knatter]

I own my Griffith 500 of 1997 for two years now and last week I have tried to clean my front screen for the first time .... and it hasn't worked.

The wipers have started working but no cleaning fluid has come. Which means that it is not the fuse as the pump is on the same group as the wipers, if I understand my owner's hand book correctly. And the wipers work perfectly.

So I have checked whether there is current on the pump if I pull the switch lever and there isn't. Now, that is a bigger problem for me. What is the most probable place to look for the problem?

I have checked the pump as well, with my old battery charger (of the seventies). Result: I does not pump. It is only humming and gets warm. It draws 3.5 amps which seems a lot to me. So I have ordered a replacement pump.

Could the blocked pump be the reason for the lack of current? Melted wire? At 3.5 amps that is hardly possible, right?

[rigga]

Have you pulled the pump out of the bottle and checked the rubber filter? They tend to get blocked with a build up of washer cleaning fluid.

[Knatter]

No, I have not and will do that. But that won't solve my electrical problem.

[Penelope Stopit]

The pump drawing 3.5 Amps won't melt any wiring but might arc up the washer button contacts

Pressing the wash button should also give a few wipe cycles

If the wipers don't operate when pushing the wash button there is a good chance that the button contacts are the problem

[Knatter]

There is no wash button in my Griff, I have to pull the lever for the wipers. And yes, the the wipers do some cycles. So it is not the contacts either, I think.

[Penelope Stopit]

Knatter said:

There is no wash button in my Griff, I have to pull the lever for the wipers. And yes, the the wipers do some cycles. So it is not the contacts either, I think.

Yes it's a lever as mentioned in the opening post, have a thing about buttons

Anyway, good news that the wipers cycle

Wiring problem between wiper relay and washer pump it is then

Below is a circuit very similar to what your car has and below it is an early Griffith diagram that may be of some help

Edited by Penelope Stopit on Sunday 1st August 13:55

[Knatter]

Thank you!!

[Penelope Stopit]

You're welcome

It's odd that something other than the switch has failed close to or at the same time as the pump failed

[Steve_D]

replace the pump before worrying about anything else. We replace pumps quite often. they rust out.

steve

[Penelope Stopit]

Penelope Stopit said:

Steve_D said:

replace the pump before worrying about anything else. We replace pumps quite often. they rust out.

steve

Knatter said:

So I have ordered a replacement pump.

The thing is

If a new pump fixes an open circuit I will be ordering lots of them

[Knatter]

The weirdness of the whole thing has made me check my voltmeter and I think it is faulty. So I'll replace the pump as suggested and the we'll see.

[Penelope Stopit]

All could be good then

[Knatter]

And all is good: The new pump works perfectly!

I ordered a pump on the basis of the parts list which proved to be an errot: At a certain stage the bottle may have been changed or it has been of a different kind from the start. So I had to buy another one here in Switzerland. Price: 45 Pounds!! Stiff, don't you think?

[Oldred_V8S]

Knatter said:

And all is good: The new pump works perfectly!

I ordered a pump on the basis of the parts list which proved to be an errot: At a certain stage the bottle may have been changed or it has been of a different kind from the start. So I had to buy another one here in Switzerland. Price: 45 Pounds!! Stiff, don't you think?

Excellent news, looks like Penny will be ordering a lot of pumps now.

Steve D has a lot of experience on these cars, always good to listen to an expert.

[Penelope Stopit]

Knatter said:

And all is good: The new pump works perfectly!

I ordered a pump on the basis of the parts list which proved to be an errot: At a certain stage the bottle may have been changed or it has been of a different kind from the start. So I had to buy another one here in Switzerland. Price: 45 Pounds!! Stiff, don't you think?

Robbery at that price

Plus needing a new meter

Jobs getting expensive

[rigga]

Replaced mine a couple of years back, VW golf unit as I recall, quite cheap.