FB/EK Holden NASCO windshield washer enthusiasts guide

[MeFB]

Thanks Blacky, I've just bought a NOS EK pump from ePay. We can do a swap if you like.

[resto]

My offering - would appear to be not NASCO -but period correct from alternate parts supply house such as Motor Spares or the like





Resto

[Harv]

Cool - thanks Resto!

[Marty K Bird]

Hi Harv! Awesome information .... I have one that i assume would have a blown diaphragm (who do you check?) and I have been thinking about an electric motor conversion for it.

Do you think it would be possible to drill out the connector at the bottom of the diaphragm bell and then run a rubber hose all the way from the top down into the bottom and then hide the electric pump somewhere?? Also would it maybe be possible to somehow use a vacuum switch on the lines going to the manifold and the little button on the washer knob so when you press the button the vacuum flicks the switch for the motor..... hope this makes sense.

Im not sure about vacuum switches .... is there some on cruise control setups?

Heres something that looks like it does the job
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MERCEDES-Vac ... 3f12b4df20

The end result being the bottle looks unchanged and the little button still works the washers??

Be great to hear your thoughts on this.

Marty~

[Harv]

G'day Marty,

Quickest way to see if the diaphragm is blown is to put the vacuum canister end in your mouth, suck the air out of it then block the pipe end with your tongue (I know, I know... sounds somewhat crude). If it holds pressure the diaphragm is good. If the pressure bleeds out from under your tongue, the diaphragm is shot.

P35 of the Guide goes through an electric motor conversion that is designed to look original. It uses the earlier two-position switch (electrical actuation), but you can leave the vacuum button in place (this is what I did with mine).

Cheers,
Harv.

[Marty K Bird]

G'day Marty,

Quickest way to see if the diaphragm is blown is to put the vacuum canister end in your mouth, suck the air out of it then block the pipe end with your tongue (I know, I know... sounds somewhat crude). If it holds pressure the diaphragm is good. If the pressure bleeds out from under your tongue, the diaphragm is shot.

P35 of the Guide goes through an electric motor conversion that is designed to look original. It uses the earlier two-position switch (electrical actuation), but you can leave the vacuum button in place (this is what I did with mine).

Cheers,
Harv.

Hi Harv, will test the diaphragm later...

I did read your electric conversion, and i think its great and i see you also asked for suggestions .... thats what got my brain ticking...
I wonder if it might be easier to do as i was suggesting ... saves having to cut off the bell collar fitting and then carving up the bell, from any angle you wouldn't be able to tell it was converted. You also wouldn't have to worry about trying to hide the wires and could use an original looking bit of vacuum line. If the motor was placed behind the dash (I know not ideal) you wouldn't see it either. You also wouldn't have to have the 1st speed water squirt combo.
The water would be drawn through the top of the bell, and the side fitting could just be blanked off and hose added to run to the vacuum switch also behind the dash.

Does it sound feasible?

[Harv]

G'day Marty,

You're probably right, it would be easier to mount the pump remotely, and just have the suction line running down into the glass jar. The only drama I've had is that the little washer motor pumps don't like sucking long distances, or pulling water uphill on the suction side (for the engineering freaks out there, the nett positive suction head required is substantive comparible to the pump dimensions ).

A check valve (non-return valve or foot valve) on the suction side would be requried, to keep the suction primed. Even with that in place, I don't know how far one of those little pumps will "suck". Maybe as a starting point run some rubber vacuum hose, hold the pump under the dash and see if it will suck that far.

Cheers,
Harv (chief windshield washer process engineer)