While the gas tank is out of the green car, I thought I'd get rid of the aftermarket windshield washer bottle. The bottle was added since the water valve in the steering column handle was leaky.

The electric pump in the washer bottle was controlled by a pushbutton switch hidden under the dashboard.

My goal was to return the windshield washer control back to the steering column handle using either the original water valve or an electrical switch if I couldn't get the original system working. If the original system wouldn't work, I will still use the original washer bottle but follow it up with an in-line electric pump.

First order of business in checking out the original system was testing. I pulled the steering column control assembly and connected the washer system on the bench. I pressurized the bottle with my compressor.

The original water valve was leaking just a little bit. So I flushed it with dish soap to try to clean it out. When that didn't work, I tried silicon spray. This seemed to stop the leak but the valve now didn't pass much water when activated.

So after screwing with the valve for a couple of days, I gave up and started looking for a solution to change the lever control from water valve to electric switch.

Now to figure out how to convert the lever. The water valve is controlled by the little black plunger pointed to by the red arrow in the pic. This plunger moves up into the valve to activate.

If I could mount a small microswitch above the plunger, then pulling on the lever could trip the microswitch. Just need to find a suitable microswitch and make a mount.

I found this microswitch among the junk I have as part of my model railroad. Should do the trick. It's very small and has a capability of 5 amperes which should be enough for the washer pump.

Whatever solution I come up with, it must fit inside the steering column so size does matter here. Small size that is.

I fashioned a bracket to hold the microswitch from sheet aluminum. The bracket will sit on the same studs that held the water valve. The bracket will also stabilize the little black plunger since it loses some of its stability when the water valve is removed.

Here's the control assembly with the water valve removed. The entire plunger is visible now.

The bracket is screwed onto the water valve studs using the original screws and washers.

The pic shows the plunger in its normal state.

And finally with the microswitch mounted. The only thing left to do is run wires from the switch to the pump.

Or you could have gone here:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=13261

and a 924 wiper switch is IDENTICAL and has the switch built in... (early 924!)

I did it myself. looks stock. switch bolts in.... pull the stalk and it runs the pump.

AA

I used the stock switch for mine. No problems.

924 switch works perfect. Not as cheap as the way you did but its a plug and play.

Very clever.

When I first got my car (nearly 20 years ago), I used a modified door switch and a relay. There was an article in Pano 25-30 years ago. (I'm sure it's in UpFixin somewhere)

I used an old 911 pump.

Aa... where's my switch bitch?

i cant find em...they are hens teeth! guy in england stiffed me on the pair.....

did you ever use that ski rack?

AA

Rack has been rechromed. Sitting on my table right now.

post a pic so i can say "Nice Rack!"

Juvi... shouldn't you be searching the Internet for a 924 switch for me?

They seem to have 'em at Pelican for $47.10 new.

Am I interpreting Ahndy's windshield washer conversion correctly that if one has the intermittent wiper option then the stock 914 wiper switch will work with an electric pump?

What happens if you want intermittent wipe and a pump?

Oh, it read to me like it would do both! I don't remember at the moment if I even have intermittent wipers or not!

pump + 924 switch gets you a powered squirter....

the switch has 4 stops on it.

to do intermittent wipers... you need a relay and the wiring harness.
andy showed it in a thread.

My mod.

-L

Upfixin: Vol 5, pg 80
Article by A Caldwell. Involves a microswitch on the regular 914 assembly.

Upfixin: Vol 7, pg 194
Suggests a 75/76 Rabbit column switch. It has the switch built in but needs subtle modification and reuse of 914 parts to work. It's in the article. PN 171.953.519 for the Rabbit.

Paul Biz

I like your mod and I even have some switches like that. Very simple and straight forward. So it looks like you drilled out the plunger hole and screwed in the switch. Do you have any glue or a nut to hold the switch?

Spoke

Jerry... my mail-lady just came. She had a message she wanted me to give you.

Hey Spoke, yep, drilled out just enough for the switch housing threads to catch on the new hole. This allows for you to tweak the distance from the actuator to the switch. Then topped off with a bit of epoxy to hold it.

Things to consider:
1) Make sure the switch isn't too hard to push on. The actuator is very delicate
2) Make a small V cut in the button part of the switch. This will ensure the actuator engages it fully. (Can't really see that in the pic)
3) Use the spare pin on the stalk for your single wire return to power the pump (makes for a nice clean install)

Biggest benefit.....everything is still original except the pressure valve is missing.

Cheers
-L

A couple of questions.
1. You still have to drill out the tank cap to vent ? Correct.
2. Wiring. You only need 2 wires right ? One to body gound. One to the pump.
3. Take the HOT 12 volts straight to the pump. Switch with the ground. Therefore not having any heat or shortening issues in the steering column.

So, I have made a prototype switch holder, and it works. The switch will not carry the current, so a relay would be required along with a fuse and the pump. Should I make this into a turnkey kit?

Very nice, that looks great!

Dave,

Your setup looks good. Ideally the switch should be able to carry the current of the pump. Adding a relay is an extra complication that could be avoided with a 1 to 5 amp switch.

What current rating is your switch?

Spoke

1) Yeah, as shown in Sir Andy's thread, the cap needs to be drilled out.

2) Wiring: 1 switched 12V, fused lead to the switch, then to the pump. Ground wire from the pump to chassis ground.

3) Switch can be 12V switched or ground switched. Switching ground requires 2 wires to go from interior to front trunk. One is 12V HOT and one is switched ground. My car already has a switched 12V wire run to the trunk. The ground wire for the pump is connected to chassis ground in the trunk.

Spoke

This switch is about 0.25 amp, and another I will try to sample is about 3 amps. Not sure of the inrush current of a washer pump, and that is what will burn the switch contacts. Relay can be a 10 amp unit that is mounted in an easy to replace location. Also have to have a fuse. I want this to be a reliable solution. Also have to figure out the pump mounting. The six has the mount locations, and I'd like to duplicate this and the 914/6 pump. I can supply the vent for the washer bottle cap.

Help. I received my 924 switch and opened it this Sunday. It was kinda cracked up where the mounting screws go into it and, it didn't seem to have a pull/on washer pump feature.

Am I missing something? The right stalk should pull correct?

sometimes its hard to feel the pull feature when it isnt mounted.....

The high beam on the left stalk is fairly obvious.

how many wires you got?

I see you have the same cracks...

Let me count wires. How many should I have? 11-12? (that's about all I can see in that pic)

you should have 2 more than a stock 914 switch (just the washer section)

Well... the stock one is on the column and it ain't coming off until I've figured out that I have the right switch etc. So far... I have the switch and the relay and the new pump.

Just got in a sample of a similar switch, but 5 amp rated. That should be good enough to work without a relay I think. I'm going to convert my own cars anyway.