69 washer pump

[Kenneth K.]

I pulled my 3 port washer pump off the wiper motor and replaced the o-rings from a Paragon kit. This is the pump that also has the separate anti-syphoning valve on the right side. I have a 3 questions I am hoping someone can anwer.

1) I want to remove the piston from the housing to inspect and repair if necessary but I can't get it to come out. Other posts say it should come out by pushing in and twisting it either 45 or 90 degrees. I've tried both and at the most, the piston move out flush with the housing but does not come completely out. It also doesn't come far enough out of the housing for me to grab and pull it out the rest of the way. I also don't want to pry it out and end up breaking it.

2) I cleaned the ratching gears, etc. and need to re-grease it. The old grease looks like wheel bearing grease. Will this work or should I be using some other grease?

3) What is the best way to bench test the pump?

Thanks,
Ken

[Greg L.]

Re: 69 washer pump

The piston should be easy to remove.

1)See the two marks on the piston and how they line up with two of the holes? All you need to do is push the piston in a bit(1/16" or so) and turn it 90 degrees until the two marks line up with the other two holes and it should pop out.

2)I don't think you should use wheel bearing grease because it might be too heavy. I have some old GM Gear and Shaft lube that I used but any light grease should work.

Not sure about #3. 2 outta 3 ain't bad though is it?

[Kenneth K.]

Re: 69 washer pump

Thanks for the photos, they helped me a lot. I aligned the marks on the piston with the holes on the housing as you explained. The top of the piston is about 1/4 below the top of the housing. When I rotate the piston 90 degees and aligned with the other two holes the piston pops up about 1/4 inch so it is flush with the housing but it will not come out of the housing. Do you think it may be stuck? I could try and pry it gently out of the housing but I am afraid I could break it. The spring seems to be working because I can push the piston back into the housing and the piston will pop back up.... but only flush with the housing. Any ideas I should try next?

[Greg L.]

Re: 69 washer pump

Well it sounds like you have it unhooked which is usually the hardest part. I can't see what it could stick on unless there is a lot of old residue on the seal and bore.

I would at this point try lubing the seal with soapy water and work it back and forth against the spring pressure and it should come out.

Just currious...is the washer still mounted onto the wiper motor assy?

[Pat M.]

Re: 69 washer pump

Sometimes the little metal "keyhole" part in the piston head (shown in Greg's second photo, between his fingers) becomes loose and rotates along with the shaft, which doesn't allow the shaft to become unlocked. I had this happen to me, and I just had to keep turning the piston over and over, and stopping in different positions, until it finally unlocked. Good Luck

[Kenneth K.]

Re: 69 washer pump

The washer was still on the wiper motor backing plate when I posted yesterday. I removed the pump from the assembly and managed to get the piston to pop up so the top of the piston was about 1/4 above the top of the housing, but it still would not come out. It did pop up enough to expose most, but not all, of the rubber seal. I will try and lube it up with soap to see if that will help.

After I removed the pump from the plate I could peek into the bore from the back side of the housing and it seemed that the "Keyhole" as described by Pat was rotating. I tried to the piston in several position, but no luck. Now that I know this is may be the problem I will try it again. Maybe there is some old residue that Greg mentioned that is on the shaft causing it to rotate the "keyhole" and some soap and water lube might loosen it up.

Thanks for the tips, I'll give it another try.