washer bottle mod's

[curly head]

apart from buying a new version has anyone got any top tips in converting / adding pump to old washer bottle?

i am fed up with trying to keep air in a leaky bottle :lol:

 

[mattd1984]

You can buy the kit to convert it to electric, whilst keeping the same bottle. Think I got mine from jk ages ago

 

[Grazy]

Think "Doris" on here done a how to Dan , possibly in Tech section

 

[Bookwus]

Hiya curly,

I realize that some simply have their heart set on modernizing the windshield washer system. If it's electric, it's gotta be better so the reasoning goes.

But just for the sake of making a point............. I have the original air pressured systems in both my Bug and my Bus. They work wonderfully well. Well designed systems in my opinion. Yes, I had to do some restoration to get the systems into the shape they're in today but the same is true of both vehicles in general.

It might be cheaper and easier to simply fix what you have. Is it your bottle that's leaking? Or the cap and hose assembly?

 

[curly head]

Hiya curly,

I realize that some simply have their heart set on modernizing the windshield washer system. If it's electric, it's gotta be better so the reasoning goes.

But just for the sake of making a point............. I have the original air pressured systems in both my Bug and my Bus. They work wonderfully well. Well designed systems in my opinion. Yes, I had to do some restoration to get the systems into the shape they're in today but the same is true of both vehicles in general.

It might be cheaper and easier to simply fix what you have. Is it your bottle that's leaking? Or the cap and hose assembly?

bookwus
you are right, why fix it if it aint broke :roll:
to be honest i have only pressurised it once and it lost its ooomph in about 2 hours. perhaps i over did it, what psi should it be?
i can only assume that the rubbers cap seals must be perished as the washer fluid lines are fine.
i will give it another go as i really cant be bothered to faff around with an electric jobby do you know if you can buy new seal kits from anywhere as i can only find new complete bottles for sale :roll:

 

[Dirty Harry]

Think "Doris" on here done a how to Dan , possibly in Tech section

Here it is, i did mine like this and it works "perfect"

 

[curly head]

Think "Doris" on here done a how to Dan , possibly in Tech section

Here it is, i did mine like this and it works "perfect"

fellas
cheers for that, if i mod my switch this is the way i will do it.
now just need a neat solution for the pump etc

 

[rustydiver]

When my washer split a few yrs ago i made a tempory washer bottle out of a 1Ltr juice bottle, length of washer tube and a 12v washer pump motor.
Sounds daft but its still there going good and strong and it fits snug behind the kick panel.

The truth is i hav'nt got around to buying one yet, my tempory one is fine.

 

[cyberdyne systems]

I found my leak was the valve that you use to presurise the bottle, a thin blade screw driver will undo it and you can replace it easily, a tyre shop will be happy to give you ones they have removed

 

[Force3g]

about 40psi

 

[K@rlos]

I brought a push button switch, 2 electric washer pumps and 2 length's of wire from the local motor parts place. Mounted the switch in the lighter hole of the dash, ran it off an ignition live wire and fitted an in line fuse. Then finally put the 2 pumps in the washer pipe from the tank. Job done at a cost of about £20 and a Saturday morning

Karl

 

[Saraj]

I've re-furbed quite a few systems at work and work through systmatically replacing one piece at a time, hoses first, often jets, the little hose with the valve on (hose and valve) and sometimes the bottle cap seal is also perished.

The last set I did still worked last time I saw the van 2 months after fixing.

really must sort this out on my van

 

[Freezzr]

I bought the electrical kit from JK. Cheap and installing was easy. You can't see it from the outside because it uses the standard bottle. I have a button on the dash to engage the waterfall
Works like a charm. No more pumping that medieval system

 

[mike202]

does the pump need to be below the water reservoir and also very close?

The one I have fitted by a garage doesn't work, its fitted up near the toggle switch on the dash. The pump is connected but unable to pump the water from the reservoir

 

[raveboy]

Hey all,

I've just converted mine using the old push button in the wiper switch. I used the guide
in the 'technical how-to' section and it was so easy in the end and such a neat job. You don't even have
to remove the kick panels. I just took the tubes from the back of the push button valve
and connected them up to my pump, and then fixed it to a bracket screwed onto the bulkhead.
Then I did the switch mod and connected it up and it worked first time - Well chuffed.
It's a very neat and simple conversion to do and would recommend it.

CHeers
Raver arty0046:

 

[KateLovesPurple]

does the pump need to be below the water reservoir and also very close?

The one I have fitted by a garage doesn't work, its fitted up near the toggle switch on the dash. The pump is connected but unable to pump the water from the reservoir

You will be better off fitting the pump down by the reservoir as most pumps don't have the ability to draw water up but will happily push it.

I fitted mine right next to the reservoir and never have any problems with it.

 

[mike202]

yes thanks for that, I have spent hours trying to work out whats wrong! The pump was located too high up, and also the one way valve needs to be close to the pump as well.
I am busy now re-fitting the pump to the new location down by the OG reservoir. I suppose compared to cars the pump is having to push the water a lot further uphill, with a car , the reservoir pump and washer jets are just about on the same level, on the van the washer jets are about a metre above the reservoir.

I am also planning to change the toggle switch to the push button mod as mentioned above, using the OG knob. Got the push button just need to make a start

 

[KateLovesPurple]

I didn't even bother with a one way valve with mine, it is almost instant when I press the button, so I couldn't be bothered. I had one on my fasty and found it actually restricted the flow a little so binned it and just put up with the slight delay in getting water on the screen.

 

[simo]

I tried 3 non return valves from halfrauds but none of them worked, seems blocked both ways :? so run without one too!
The orig switch conversion is well worth doing as said above and pretty easy to do

 

[ZedBed]

It's not like a car with the pump hidden in the sound-deadened engine compartment. I've never come across an electric pumped bay window washer install that didn't whirr annoyingly. Fix the pressured system every time. As said above, it's nearly always the pump up valve if you're loosing pressure. Or a split hose if it leaks. Both are easy fixes. Me? - I like bays BECAUSE of these oddities, not in spite of them.