It's the usual yearly pink slip joke when the mechanic checks that everything on the car works. Then as usual we come to the windscreen washers and he has a chuckle about how he hasn't seen a Volkswagen with working windscreen washers since the 1970's, when the car was new.
Outline
What I've outlined below is a step-by-step upgrade to install a small micro-switch in place of the usual pressure valve at the back of the windscreen washer switch in a 1969 Kombi or any other Volkswagen where the washer switch looks like the one shown in the article below. I performed this modification on our 1969 microbus and was so impressed with the results I decided to document the process. The dash switch will work as usual but the washers will work off a 12 volt motor instead of relying on the washer bottle being pressurised with air and the dashboard will look factory without an ugly switch installed elsewhere. Note for those vehicles with the washer switch on the stalk of the steering column I will write an article in next months magazine on how this can be modified just as easily to include a micro switch.
Parts Required
Firstly you'll need to buy a 12-volt aftermarket windscreen washer motor from an automotive shop such as Autopro or Super Cheap etc, I paid $16.95 from the later shop. Then you'll need to buy a press button switch & some wire capable of handling just a few amps from Jaycar or Dicksmith. The switch I bought was from Jaycar (cat no: SP-0710), which cost a grand total of $1.20. This switch is perfect for our use, as I'll explain soon.
Above is a picture of the washer pump I used. Note the electric motor is above the impellor. This is an important point to remember for installation as described later in the article.
The Install
Firstly begin by disconnecting your vehicles earth lead from the battery for safety. You'll need to remove the windscreen wiper switch from the dashboard and label the wires so you'll know where the wires need to be reconnected later. To remove the wiper switch unscrew the plastic knob of the switch and then gently rotate the back of the switch to loosen it from the dash. Hopefully then the switch will only be finger tight and will be able to be unscrewed from the front alloy besil. Once this has been done remove the two rubber lines that go through the back of the switch that carry the water from the washer bottle to your windscreen washer nozzles located under the front windscreen.
This is what the switch looks like out of the car. The plastic piece on the right is what I refer to as the switch insert.
Above is the rear view of the switch. Note all terminals are numbered as per Volkswagens standard design.
You will need to carefully drill out the rivets on back of the wiper switch to release the plastic section from the rear of the switch and remove the plunger arrangement that is no longer needed.
You can see in the picture above I am holding the rear part of the switch that has been cut and the micro switch installed. Here it is easily seen where the original plastic piece needs to be cut.
The reason I suggested you buy the same micro switch as I have installed here (pictures above and below) is because it is the correct size to screw tightly into the back of the windscreen switch without having to go to the trouble of drilling or taping the hole for installation.
Above is another view of the micro switch screwed into place. The red button is what the insert of the switch presses against.
Above is the switch insert protruding from the back of the switch. This is the piece that needs to be carefully trimmed to size.
Screw the aftermarket switch you bought from Jaycar into the back of the plastic of the windscreen wiper switch. You will need to resecure the plastic backing piece to the switch again using two 3mm*35mm nuts and bolts. Below is the finish product.
Screw the original front knob back in place and insert the front cover with the insert that will press against the micro switch at the back. You may find this plastic insert will need to be trimmed to size to make it sit in place and also be able to reach the micro switch.
Below you may notice the switch insert is a fraction too long and protrudes too far from the front of the wiper knob. Remove the insert and trim the end closest to the micro switch carefully with side cutters to achieve the correct length.
With this done place the switch to the side and focus on the rest of the job. You will need to install that windscreen washer motor at position lower than the washer bottle because these pumps aren't self-priming (which means these motors are unable to suck fluid, they can only push fluid once it has actually drained to the pump using gravity.
Below is a picture of a pump located lower than the water reservoir in a late model beetle. The same applies for a bus. The washer motor must be lower than the bottom of the reservoir.
IMPORTANT
Before installing the washer motor look carefully at the pump for an arrow that indicates which direction of the pump is the fluids in & out directions. These pumps only pump fluid in one direction so you will need to ascertain which direction is "in & out" before you mount the pump.
Another point to remember when mounting is that the pump MUST be mounted horizontally with the in & out fittings on the pump pointing horizontally. As well as the electric part of the pump being higher than the impellor of the pump. If you fail to do this water may leak from the pump into the motor and short the motors electric circuit.
Wiring
Connect one wire from the 12v windscreen washer motor you have installed to an earth point on the chassis of the car. Next connect a wire from the other terminal of the windscreen washer motor to one side of the micro switch you have adapted to the back of the original switch, this will require soldering. Then connect another wire from the other terminal of the micro switch back to the 12-volt accessories of the fuse box. That's it for the wiring..
Below is a diagram of what is required.
The windscreen fluid hose.
Earlier you disconnected the flexible rubber fluid hose from the wiper switch at two points. You will need to trace which hose goes back to the windscreen washers. This hose is to be routed back to the 12-volt washer pump you have installed. Note this hose goes to the "outward" side of the washer pump or the side in which the arrow points. Finally you will need to connect the inward side of the pump to the washer bottle. You will also need to vent the washer bottle so that a vacuum doesn't form inside the bottle when the motor is running. To do this simply unscrew the black plastic fitting on top of the washer bottle and remove the air pressure fitting that usually resides here. This is enough to vent the bottle sufficiently to atmosphere to prevent an air lock forming.
Reconnect the wires to the back of the windscreen washer switch that you modified earlier and mount his back onto the dashboard. Fill the washer bottle with water if it has been drained, and reconnect the battery earth strap. With the ignition key in the accessories position and by pressing the factory knob in on the dashboard you should hear the 12 volt washer motor run and prime with water for the first time and have a stream of water on the windscreen probably for the first time in years. And best of all you can stick it to the mechanic next time he carries out that pink slip and jokes about Volkswagen windscreen washers!
Parts required
12 Volt Windscreen washer motor - $16.95
Push button switch - $2.20
2 metres of 5-amp wire - $4.00
Install time - 1 hour.
Next month I'll detail the same install into a Kombi or beetle that has the washer switch mounted on the stalk of the steering column of the car eg: Super Bug, L bug, Type 3, later Kombi (1971 onwards)
See you on the street!
Leigh Harris