windshield washer won't work - Ford Forums

12-10-2005, 13:01

Just wondering where to begin. Washer fluid will not spray. Could this be a
fuse or the pump itself. How do I tell? Any feedback would be great.
'79 F250 460

--
Message posted via CarKB.com
http://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...truck/200512/1

12-10-2005, 13:01

The first thing to do is find out if it's the motor or the tubing. Often
times the tubing gets old and brittle, and breaks off. It could even be
pinched. Have someone push the switch for the washer and listen for the
motor. If you hear it, then look for where the washer fluid is going.

If it's the motor that's not working, you can test two ways. Put a volt
meter on the leads and push the switch for the fluid. If you have voltage,
then the problem is the motor. You could also send 12vdc directly to the
motor and see if it works.

Either way, if the motor's ok, then you need to look at either a fuse or the
washer switch itself. I guess it could even be a wiring problem.

CJB

You could also send 12vdc directly to the motor with clip leads and test it
for
"Derek P via CarKB.com" <u9232@uwe> wrote in message
news:58a3b88118ca0@uwe...
> Just wondering where to begin. Washer fluid will not spray. Could this
> be a
> fuse or the pump itself. How do I tell? Any feedback would be great.
> '79 F250 460
>
> --
> Message posted via CarKB.com
> http://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...truck/200512/1

12-11-2005, 08:01

Derek P via CarKB.com wrote:
> Just wondering where to begin. Washer fluid will not spray. Could this be a
> fuse or the pump itself. How do I tell? Any feedback would be great.
> '79 F250 460
>
> --
> Message posted via CarKB.com
> http://www.carkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...truck/200512/1

i live in upstate NY and 99% of the time if something electrical stops
working, it's a bad ground. Run a jumper wire from the pump motor to a
good ground first. I had a wiper motor quit on a car last year and I
frigged around for an hour taking it all apart,... the ground was
shitty.
Good luck,

wall

12-11-2005, 14:01

"Derek P via CarKB.com" <u9232@uwe> wrote:

>Just wondering where to begin. Washer fluid will not spray. Could this be a
>fuse or the pump itself. How do I tell? Any feedback would be great.
>'79 F250 460
==============================================================
Check the w/w fluid---maybe you're out, or it's frozen. Do you hear the pump
running when you actuate it ???

RON
========================================================
Remove the ZZZ from my E-mail address to send me E-mail.

12-11-2005, 14:01

In article <439c89e1.1204470@news.optonline.net>,
solidgoldZZZ@optonline.net (Ron in NY) wrote:

> "Derek P via CarKB.com" <u9232@uwe> wrote:
>
> >Just wondering where to begin. Washer fluid will not spray. Could this be a
> >fuse or the pump itself. How do I tell? Any feedback would be great.
> >'79 F250 460
> ==============================================================
> Check the w/w fluid---maybe you're out, or it's frozen. Do you hear the pump
> running when you actuate it ???
>
>
> RON
> ========================================================
> Remove the ZZZ from my E-mail address to send me E-mail.

Another common complaint (believe it or not) is how fast are you going
when the thing acts funny. At high speed, the wind will throw the WWF
all over instead of where you think you want it to be. (According to my
dealer, a lot of folks don't realize this. Hmmmm.)

H.

12-11-2005, 19:01

On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 20:56:13 GMT, Rowbotth <rowbotth@telusplanet.net>
wrote:

>In article <439c89e1.1204470@news.optonline.net>,
> solidgoldZZZ@optonline.net (Ron in NY) wrote:
>
>> "Derek P via CarKB.com" <u9232@uwe> wrote:
>>
>> >Just wondering where to begin. Washer fluid will not spray. Could this be a
>> >fuse or the pump itself. How do I tell? Any feedback would be great.
>> >'79 F250 460
>> ==============================================================
>> Check the w/w fluid---maybe you're out, or it's frozen. Do you hear the pump
>> running when you actuate it ???
>>
>>
>> RON
>> ========================================================
>> Remove the ZZZ from my E-mail address to send me E-mail.
>
>Another common complaint (believe it or not) is how fast are you going
>when the thing acts funny. At high speed, the wind will throw the WWF
>all over instead of where you think you want it to be. (According to my
>dealer, a lot of folks don't realize this. Hmmmm.)

I've spritzed my windshield at all kinds of speeds with no problem.
Didn't matter which vehicle I was in... Did it at 85MPH on I10 last
week coming back from Arizona... Worked as anticipated.

12-12-2005, 17:01

There are a few vehicles that I've had that developed enough wind turbulence
at hwy speeds that the windshield washer spray would mostly miss the
windshield. IIRC, a couple of older Ford full size vans were like that, and
maybe my old full size GMC van too.

Bug shields will seriously mess up the airflow across a windshield tho.

CJB

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in
message news:ftkpp11542ohq0dbvlr50gqe8ikpp4fr1e@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 20:56:13 GMT, Rowbotth <rowbotth@telusplanet.net>
> wrote:
>
> >In article <439c89e1.1204470@news.optonline.net>,
> > solidgoldZZZ@optonline.net (Ron in NY) wrote:
> >
> >> "Derek P via CarKB.com" <u9232@uwe> wrote:
> >>
> >> >Just wondering where to begin. Washer fluid will not spray. Could
this be a
> >> >fuse or the pump itself. How do I tell? Any feedback would be great.
> >> >'79 F250 460
> >> ==============================================================
> >> Check the w/w fluid---maybe you're out, or it's frozen. Do you hear the
pump
> >> running when you actuate it ???
> >>
> >>
> >> RON
> >> ========================================================
> >> Remove the ZZZ from my E-mail address to send me E-mail.
> >
> >Another common complaint (believe it or not) is how fast are you going
> >when the thing acts funny. At high speed, the wind will throw the WWF
> >all over instead of where you think you want it to be. (According to my
> >dealer, a lot of folks don't realize this. Hmmmm.)
>
> I've spritzed my windshield at all kinds of speeds with no problem.
> Didn't matter which vehicle I was in... Did it at 85MPH on I10 last
> week coming back from Arizona... Worked as anticipated.

12-16-2005, 03:01

I'm in Australia and have one of the last F150s assembled here in 1989.
I had the same problem as Derek and found that the plastic impeller had
sheared off from the washer motor. So I took it to the local Ford
spares mob (not the Ford agent). He found a similar pump from
God-knows-what and transferred the impeller to my pump. Charged me
about $A20 - what the motor from which the impellor came was worth).
Did the trick.

My F150 is still going strong and is my favourite vehicle.