Fix it myself part 2

[JohnRippert]

So, I pulled the washer pump out of my KIA so I could make sure I got the right one at Autozone. Thankfully, due to yesterday's work, I had a vehicle with working AC with which to go get the part. It was, of course, only to be found at a location 20 miles from me.

I got home, had a sandwich and headed back out to install the pump. After looking down the spout of the washer fluid bottle I decided to grab the hose and flush the gunk using the jet setting. Everything went together fine and it actually worked when tested. Put the wheel well liner and tire back on and good to go.

I am guessing I saved myself several hundred dollars by doing these jobs myself. I think it is time for a beer, and some extra strength Tylenol. Cheers to all of the other shade tree mechanics here on the forum.

 

[ladder13]

Good work John. Smart to bring the washer pump with you.

 

[Tom S.]

I bought a used 1960 Ford for my wife not long after we got married and it had a washer system that was so Rube Goldberg in design. There was a black knob on the dash that you pulled out to wash the windshield (and it worked whether the wipers were running or not). When pulled, it opened a vacuum circuit that caused a small little pump to pivot so a wheel on the pump rubbed on the fan belt. This pump then pressurized a bag of washer fluid hanging on the firewall, causing the fluid to spray out the nozzles onto the windshield. At idle, it worked great. Rev up the engine and you could wash the windshield of the car behind you!

The car also had vacuum wipers. Take your foot off the gas and the wipers went 100mph. Step on the gas, and they would literally stop.

 

[SMSgt]

I've long ago given up on repairing vehicles. Everything takes special tools that cost more than letting a mechanic fix it. That and the damage I do costs more than paying a mechanic.

 

[JcMack]

I had a '69 Ford Fairlane Wagon as a company car that was passed of to me by another employee. The windshield washer was a squirt gun with a jug of washer solvent to refill the gun when needed. I was working on an mechanical accounting machine in a building in downtown Chicago when a concerned pedestrian walked by the car, saw my Lugar replica squirt gun on the seat and called the police. The cops arrived and immediately realized the gun was a toy. But to satisfy the nosey pedestrian they ran my plate, called my dispatcher who alerted my boss, and he in turn told the cops which building was working in. The police came into the building and got me. When two cops walked me to my car there were two more standing beside it. I opened the car and retrieved the gun. Fortunately one of the cops I graduated from high school with and he vouched for me otherwise I'd probably still be in Cook County Jail.

 

[JohnRippert]

Good work John. Smart to bring the washer pump with you.

Been burned a few times over the years.

 

[67tempest]

The wipers in my neighbors 1970's era VW Bug were pressurized by means of a hose that was screwed onto the valve stem of the spare tire. The pressurized air from the tire caused the washer fluid to squirt out when turned on. You had to make sure you checked the pressure in your spare on a regular basis.

 

[Tom S.]

The wipers in my neighbors 1970's era VW Bug were pressurized by means of a hose that was screwed onto the valve stem of the spare tire. The pressurized air from the tire caused the washer fluid to squirt out when turned on. You had to make sure you checked the pressure in your spare on a regular basis.

I remember those. My friend's mom had a VW and I thought that was kind of dumb.

 

[chief38]

So, I pulled the washer pump out of my KIA so I could make sure I got the right one at Autozone. Thankfully, due to yesterday's work, I had a vehicle with working AC with which to go get the part. It was, of course, only to be found at a location 20 miles from me.

I got home, had a sandwich and headed back out to install the pump. After looking down the spout of the washer fluid bottle I decided to grab the hose and flush the gunk using the jet setting. Everything went together fine and it actually worked when tested. Put the wheel well liner and tire back on and good to go.

I am guessing I saved myself several hundred dollars by doing these jobs myself. I think it is time for a beer, and some extra strength Tylenol. Cheers to all of the other shade tree mechanics here on the forum.

Glad it all worked out! Today being able to do your own repair work on many items is more important than ever! I have pretty much relegated all my auto and other replaceable parts buying to online these days. Buying online (when not an emergency or immediate concern) gives you a much wider choice of where to buy and how much you pay - by quite a large percentage! Example: About 2 years ago I replaced an ac compressor in my wife's Buick. Before I got home she called the Dealer and he wanted $780 to install a new unit. I spent 15 minutes online and bought the same exact GM ac unit from a Buick Dealer in Ohio (online) for $165. It took 3 days to arrive and took me all of 2 1/2 hours to install it - all was good. Because her car was older, the online Dealer's really like to get rid of new/old stock parts! Old parts sitting on their shelves don't make them money.

Many parts I need for other household items are no longer normally available or carried by local Dealer's. Many people today just throw old items out and buy new ones. Repairing things to day is the exception apparently.

BTW, I can not tell you how many times I have called ahead to make sure a local store has a specific item in stock, only to be disappointed when I got there and found out it was the wrong part! Most people working in local stores today have little to no mechanical ability (or common sense) and would not know one part from another. I have driven around town many times only to be frustrated and finally wind up ordering online anyway! I've gotten pretty much to the point where I just turn the computer on instead of driving all over. Obviously, if it's an emergency - then I do what I have to do to get whatever I am repairing back up and running asap.

 

[Jeff423]

The car also had vacuum wipers. Take your foot off the gas and the wipers went 100mph. Step on the gas, and they would literally stop.

Usually when you were going uphill in a rainstorm and trying to pass someone.