washer bottle help

[malcolm]

Hi all. The pump on my washer bottle is apparently working from the sound when you hit the switch, but doesn't seem to have enough oomph to raise the water more than an inch up the tubing. Only replacement I can see from SNG is for £111 for whole bottle inc. pump. Seems a lot for a little water pump. Anyone tried any alternatives?

[Gfhug]

Malcolm, you can try dismantling the motor, clean it up and maybe re-magnetise it.
Is it full of dirt in the filter?
Or go down the route of fitting a modern washer pump for about £10-15. It won't look the same but it'll do the job as my car has one.

Geoff

[malcolm]

Hi Geoff, thanks for that. Actually, can't dismantle it. The casing is riveted together!
However, I seem to have fixed it.
I took off the tubing from the feed side, manually filled it with water, and blew it through the pump - I was wondering if it might need priming, have an airlock, etc. Anyway, reconnected it, hit the button, and it's now pumping like a good un.

[Gfhug]

That’s interesting Malcolm, as I’ve dismantled two pumps and cleaned them up to make one working pump.

So long as you’ve fixed it, glad to hear

Geoff

[malcolm]

Yeah, think it's an original! Old lucas part. I've taken quite a few water pumps apart from garden features, fish tanks, etc. Can normally clean the magnet, clear the impeller and get things going. But this thing is not for taking apart!

[CoolCat]

I also had a problem with the washer on my '69. The nice thing about this model is that there's a plastic cover which hides the actual pump. If you carefully disassemble the cover, you can remove the Lucas pump and fit a generic part from your local parts store. As long as it fits under the cap, nobody will know the difference. I'm not sure what's available on your side of the pond, so I don't have a specific model part or manufacturer to recommend. But bring it to your parts store (Halford's I guess?) and see if they have something that could be shoehorned into place.

cap.jpg (32.96 KiB) Viewed 4750 times

Mike Frank

[malcolm]

Thanks Mike! Looks neat. Although my pump is working well now after the priming.

[Monkeyfinger]

Interesting, as I've just been working on a solution to improve the woeful performance of the Lucas screenjet pump for when my car returns from restoration. I had an old unit, and the motor internals were badly corroded in any case. I sourced a 12v submersible pump online for around 6 GBP, and design and 3D printed a small kit of parts to mount this onto the bottom of the existing washer bottle pump lid. I removed the Lucas motor workings and simply connected the new pump leads to the existing terminals. Everything is completely hidden from view. The Lucas pump is rated at 12.6 l/hr, and the new unit is 240 l/h, so my only issue could be too much flow - however, testing with a 12v battery shows that it looks to be a great improvement, but not over powerful for the existing system, so perhaps the quoted flow is a tad optimistic.

[Drive35]

Seem to have the same problem with the washers on mine. Pump runs, but not enough water coming through and I've already stripped & and cleaned the motor parts.
Has anyone swapped for this type using the WSB100 pump? Just wondered if it's much better and whether the old cover will fit over the pump as per Mike's suggestion?

[tim wood]

On my previous etype when the fitted pump failed as yours has I placed a generic pump behind the glove box and plumbed/ wired it in. No one would know and it worked successfully for years.

On my latest car I had the same issue but this time purchased a generic pump then bored a hole in the top of the washer bottle lid and placed the inlet and outlet below the lid but above the water. The pump motor then fitted beneath the original motor cover. So the pump was fitted vertically.

Looks as original unless you take the lid off and works fine. I found that the lid was just a bit to small to contain a complete pump.

I must say though I like the thought of a submerged pump.

Tim

[Richardhealey]

On the subject of these water bottles, mine looks
like it can be rescued. The bottle and lid are scuffed and may need some gentle heat to ease some dents out, but overall it doesn’t look to scruffy. But rather irritatingly the little fitting that allows for the liquid to traverse the lid is missing. Anyone got a good idea of what to replace that with?
I bet there is something out there (aquarium related etc) that might do the job. Anyone been here before?
Cheers,
Rich

[Drive35]

Interesting, as I've just been working on a solution to improve the woeful performance of the Lucas screenjet pump for when my car returns from restoration. I had an old unit, and the motor internals were badly corroded in any case. I sourced a 12v submersible pump online for around 6 GBP, and design and 3D printed a small kit of parts to mount this onto the bottom of the existing washer bottle pump lid. I removed the Lucas motor workings and simply connected the new pump leads to the existing terminals. Everything is completely hidden from view. The Lucas pump is rated at 12.6 l/hr, and the new unit is 240 l/h, so my only issue could be too much flow - however, testing with a 12v battery shows that it looks to be a great improvement, but not over powerful for the existing system, so perhaps the quoted flow is a tad optimistic.

Are you up for producing more of your kits, Richard??? Could be plenty of customers if it works well, so put me down for one.

[Robsan]

perhaps the SNG plastic reservour bottles and caps are OK ? would certainly get over the scrapes and discolouration of original parts................... if that is acceptable ?

https://www.sngbarratt.com/English/#/uk ... mbly/21070

[Monkeyfinger]

Are you up for producing more of your kits, Richard??? Could be plenty of customers if it works well, so put me down for one.
[/quote]

Geoff - I hadn't really considered this as more than useful information for others, but it's certainly possible. I could have rigged up the motor with cable ties and sticky tape, but I'm lucky to have a 3D printer and the necessary skills, so I though I'd try for a more engineered approach. If your interested, then by all means send me a pm and we can discuss. To be honest, it does need final testing on a car, and I'm a little way off that capability myself right now. However, I think this brushless submersible motor is significantly more capable than most of the standard style washer pumps, and also practically silent when running.

[Richardhealey]

perhaps the SNG plastic reservour bottles and caps are OK ? would certainly get over the scrapes and discolouration of original parts................... if that is acceptable ?

https://www.sngbarratt.com/English/#/uk ... mbly/21070

Hi Rob, if your answer was directed at me, then yes it would, however looking at the SNG site it seems the option they are giving is actually to by the whole unit for north of £100.
Cheers,
Rich

[malcolm]

Yep, you have to buy the whole thing, which is why I first started looking form help to fix mine.
One issue I found was that the washer fluid can run back down the long tubing into the bottle, so the pump becomes air locked again. Now fitted a non-return valve, and all is fine.

[Joes66]

Hi Geoff
I have one if those lids on my washer bottle
Its ugly but works great
Having said that,its so ugly I am going to change it
May even fit the early glass one
Joe

[Monkeyfinger]

On the subject of these water bottles, mine looks
like it can be rescued. The bottle and lid are scuffed and may need some gentle heat to ease some dents out, but overall it doesn’t look to scruffy. But rather irritatingly the little fitting that allows for the liquid to traverse the lid is missing. Anyone got a good idea of what to replace that with?
I bet there is something out there (aquarium related etc) that might do the job. Anyone been here before?
Cheers,
Rich

Rich - I have 3D modelled and printed this part. If you're still after one, then by all means drop me a pm.(new part on the left!)

[Richardhealey]

Wow Richard - Great! Will do. You’ve just saved an original water bottle for further use

Many thanks!
Rich

[Drive35]

Big thank you to Richard (Monkeyfinger) for producing an alternative pump kit that fits inside the original S2 bottle & motor cover. It's been tested on my Series 2 LHD coupe and, with the added help of a non-return valve in the pipe near the bonnet hinge, gives a good supply of water out of the twin centrally mounted jets.