Finally found my headlight washer relay! btw anyone have one they can test?

[cabmandone]

Sometimes I have to wonder why I even bother with my Bentley manual
I've spent the last few days going through some things that don't work on my 85 cab. The license plate lights (fixed), windshield washer pump (fixed) and now my headlight washer system. I look in my manual and it shows the location of the headlight washer relay behind the oil pressure gauge. I look and sure enough there's a relay missing. I look at the wires and the wire size doesn't indicate to me that it can possibly be the correct spot for the headlight washer system... but I try it anyway! Relay in, key on, lights on, jumper in headlight washer switch because switch doesn't work, pull the stalk and.... nothing.

I spent last evening going over the wiring of the relay holder. Then it hits me! Son of a... I remember seeing what I thought was a relay holder up by the windshield washer pump! I take a look and sure enough the colors and sizes all jive! So in with the relay, on with the key, jumper in, on with the lights, pull the stalk and for a hot second I hear the pump come to life! But now it's not working again. I have to check the fuses and the relay. The relay is something I saved from my old parts car. I think I'm supposed to have resistance between pin 30 and 31 on the relay for the coil (have to check the diagram but don't trust my Bentley to be correct on this)

So if you've got a relay laying around and can test it, would someone verify which pins are for the relay coil? And what makes these goofy things so expensive anyhow? I've seen them as high as $91 for the relay which seems NUTS.

Is there a non nuts alternative for the headlight washer relay?

[cabmandone]

Just saw another thread stating that for headlight washers you push the wiper stalk forward rather than pull. Gonna go give that a try. Good grief! Did the Porsche engineers think to themselves "how can I make this system more difficult than it could ever possibly need to be"??

Just tested. Key on, Lights on, jumper on 2 gray wires at dash switch, push wiper stalk.. nothing... BUT I did notice that each time I turn the headlights off and on, the headlight washer pump runs briefly. Not sure why that is.

[proporsche]

on my 911 with the headlight on i have switch on the dash for the headlight washer system 911 1985

Ivan

[cabmandone]

Yeah I was just told that you press that switch to activate the headlight washer pump. I thought that I had read where that switch stays on and you use the windshield wiper stalk by pressing forward on it. I'm waiting on a new switch because I can't get any continuity when testing the old switch no matter what position the switch is in. I guess this is "to be continued". Hopefully the switch will be here early next week.

Honestly I don't know why I care about the headlight washers working or not but I just feel like if they're there and the pump still runs, I should have it operational.

[GH85Carrera]

For my 85 Coupe, the headlight squirter switch is right there where the arrow points. Between the clock and the speedometer.

The headlights must be on. The key has to be in the run position (or the engine running mode) then press and hold that switch. It only squirts while the switch is held down. And it squirts a LOT of water. It will hose down the car from front to back. On one trip, my windshield squirter pump died. I could just use the headlight squirter and get enough over-spray on the windshield to wipe it.

If you pull the tank off, (a bit of a pain) and look at the pump you will see it is a big old pump for squirting water.

[theiceman]

couple things to remember ...

1. pretty well any old equivalent relay will work, think i got a bosch on for 5 bucks at an electrical surplus store..

2. The washer for the headlights is a higher port than the port for the windshield in the tank , designed that way so you can still clean your windshield if you are out of headlight washer .. if it doesnt spray refill.

3. It uses a TON of fluid ,

4. It is very effective at making your car filthy, and pretty much thats all they do ..

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by theiceman

couple things to remember ...

1. pretty well any old equivalent relay will work, think i got a bosch on for 5 bucks at an electrical surplus store..

2. The washer for the headlights is a higher port than the port for the windshield in the tank , designed that way so you can still clean your windshield if you are out of headlight washer .. if it doesnt spray refill.

3. It uses a TON of fluid ,

4. It is very effective at making your car filthy, and pretty much thats all they do ..

I was looking at the relay and couldn't figure out what makes it a $91 relay. I was thinking that as long as the relay contacts can handle the current of the pump any relay with the proper pins configuration would work.

I have 1 gallon in the tank. I might add more. I find it a bit odd that the pump works for a brief second when I turn the lights on with the jumper in place of the switch. I can hear it come on and shut off. I would think it would run until I pull the jumper wire or turn the headlights off.

[proporsche]

it should just clean the freshly killed bugs ,that is why is spraying just for a moment;-)

Ivan

[theiceman]

Originally Posted by proporsche

it should just clean the freshly killed bugs ,that is why is spraying just for a moment;-)

Ivan

and maybe that is the difference in relays , maybe the 91$ one pulses , vs mine it sprays as long as i hold it ... mine never worked from the day i got the car so put the generic Bosch relay in. Didnt realize till now factory relay pulses it. But did see a lot of electronics inside the factory relay

[proporsche]

let`s see the $91 relay

Ivan

[cabmandone]

I should know more about how this system acts next Tuesday. My new switch for the headlight washer is supposed to arrive then. I did get to witness the headlight washers in all their operational glory for a few seconds... as did the hood, roof, rear decklid, sides, windshield of my car. They should have named it "self contained carwash system" I'm thinking I might just put my carwash soap mixed with water in the reservoir and hitting the headlight washers when I need to wash my car.

[cabmandone]

$91 relay

[proporsche]

Originally Posted by cabmando

I should know more about how this system acts next Tuesday. My new switch for the headlight washer is supposed to arrive then. I did get to witness the headlight washers in all their operational glory for a few seconds... as did the hood, roof, rear decklid, sides, windshield of my car. They should have named it "self contained carwash system" I'm thinking I might just put my carwash soap mixed with water in the reservoir and hitting the headlight washers when I need to wash my car.

ya ya ya funny;-))))
Ivan

[86 911 Targa]

check your email.

G.

[proporsche]

i`ll look tomorrow what is my relay and report

Ivan

[GH85Carrera]

If you are driving in light rain and lots of dirty roads they are handy to clean off the headlights and bit. They indeed will hose down the entire car and suck up lot of washer fluid.

About like the heated outside rear-view mirrors, nice on very rare occasion, but mostly not used. Only once in the 26 years of driving my car have I used the heated outside rear view mirror defoggers.

And for me I have only opened the sunroof three times.

[AlKidd]

My factory relay was toast so I just put a regular relay in. Works fine, only issue is the relay I had has a mounting tab which faces into the trunk, not forward toward the body but its well hidden in there.

As other mentioned it squirts a lot of fluid and makes a mess if your not driving.

Al

[cabmandone]

Got the switch today! Headlight washers work. I didn't press the switch for long because I really didn't want to dry the entire car... but IT WORKS!

[proporsche]

what switch did you get the little one under the clock?
ivan

[proporsche]

..............