Date:         Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:30:17 -0400
Reply-To:     "Jack R." <jack007@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Jack R." <jack007@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: washer fluid won't work
Comments: To: pickle vanagon <greenvanagon@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <91c8f9760807251311k42a0a327p1b41e8943399642b@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I fixed my failing switch by spraying it with electric contact cleaner, then
a few shots of compressed air, while working the switch.  Did it for my turn
indicator also.  I had a lot of crud in the switches, which caused them
fail.  The fix worked great, and has been fine for over a year now.

Jack R.
84 Westy Wolfie.

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
pickle vanagon
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 4:12 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: washer fluid won't work

It may be the switch (with the paddle that you're pulling on) is bad.  Do
the wipers come on when you pull the the squirt paddle?  If not, I'd bet on
the switch.  These are apparently pretty pricey.  (And, if yours is brown,
unavailable.)  I was able to rejuvenate my brown switch without removing it
from the steering column.  To do this, remove the plastic cover from the
steering column.  Now, lie underneath the steering wheel on the floor of the
van (legs out the door), and look at the switch while you operate the
paddle.  You should be able to see the little metal tabs that contact
whenever the paddle is pulled.  If the switch is the problem, then
(carefully!) shorting across these contacts should make the pump/wipers come
on.   If so, carefully clean up the surfaces of these with sandpaper or a
nail file or whatever.  Now hopefully it works.  If it still doesn't work,
bend the tabs a little bit (carefully) to get them to make more contact.

Good luck!
-Wes



On Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 10:26 AM, Jenny Fontaine
<jensmiles2@hotmail.com>wrote:

> Hi All,
> I have a '87 Westy and while my front wipers work, it won't dispense any
> washer fluid.
> The fluid came out last year, but when I got her out of storage this
> summer, nothing.
> Yes, I checked that there was washer fluid in the tank.
> Is this related to a possible blown fuse or has the fluid dispenser
broken?
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> -Jen
> '87 Westy
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