Troubleshooting windshield washer
 

I've checked a bunch of threads and corrected a few problems, but still have a problem and hope I'm close...would appreciate your thoughts on the last things to troubleshoot.

Problem was limited and then no spray. I've:

• replaced the pump
• removed the tank and cleaned it out (full of brown water, but no mold)
• removed the suction filter and cleaned it (it was really clogged)

The wipers respond to the pull to activate the spray and I can hear the pump. Yes, the tank's full.

Please help! SmileWavy

Thanks,
Dave

Check to see the pump is moving fluid. Pull the hose off the check valve that's under the windshield. You can follow the hose from the pump up to the windshield and pull it out. Twist the hose off the check valve, and pull on the stalk to see that fluid is coming out. If it's not, you got a problem further up stream (possibly hooked up wires backwards). If fluid comes out, then it might be the check valve or the washer nozzle. You should be able to put the check valve up to your mouth, pucker down real hard, and push air through the check valve. one of mine was bad, so I just replaced both of them (you can buy them on this site). I was getting intermittent fluid out of the passenger side after I discovered the pump was gunked up and had to reverse the wires to spin it backwards and break it free. After that, I got fluid out of the driver side, but not passenger. I could move the driver check valve with some strong lungs, but not passenger. They're cheap to replace.

Just this week I did all that you did but then blew the lines out with shop air. Bingo.

A couple of months ago I cleaned out my original 79SC washer system. I completely removed the whole system from the car. Cleaned out each individual component, all tanks, hoses, nozzles, checkvalves, etc. Lots of black mold everywhere. Reassembled the whole system on the bench and ran the pump. It worked! Reinstalled it and I am happy.

Stuck check valves. Common problem.