Windscreen Washer

[Skip]

Well, it seems like electrical troubleshooting will continue on my 1984 ROW 911 Targa. My problem: The windscreen washer pump will not actuate when using the drivers steering column lever. When I connect power direct to battery it functions exactly as expected. I have cleaned off the ground connections at the battery ground point and have even run a direct ground to the battery to determine if there was a ground wire fault when under load. No change. I have applied a volt meter to the leads and get readings with slight fluctuations between 9.5 and 11.70 Volts, but do have power. When I look at the wiring diagram in my Bentley manual it appears to have a simple circuit from the lever, through the 6 pole plug underneath the dash and onward to the pump, without going through a relay or fuse as those appear on the other side of the circuit.

I'm not sure which 6 pole connector it actually is as there are two beside each other with no visible colour coded wires from either, but both go to the steering column which makes sense to me based on the two levers on the column.

I was thinking about trying to run a direct line from the switch and bypassing the blk power lead, but this assumes I know which 6 pole connector it is.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Skip

[Skip]

OK, so as a follow up, I've managed to figure out the issue. Although power was in fact getting to the pump, it fluctuated between about 9.2 - 11 V for no immediately apparent reason. I have confirmed which connector is for the wiper switch by back tracking from the wiper intermittent relay behind the blower / fresh air plenum. After having removed the blower I disconnected the relay and applied my ohm meter to test continuity between the red/wh power lead and the yellow line that branches off down the line to the pump (blk lead). when I applied the washer switch at various wiper speed settings, some had no connectivity and others fluctuated. I sprayed in some electrical contact cleaner and let it sit a bit, and then played with it for a bit at each setting. It now functions, although I want to take the switch lever out to properly clean the contacts.

Can anyone tell me if once the switch lever is out of the steering column whether I can partially disassemble it to properly clean the contacts?

Thanks

Skip

[Richard Hamilton]

I think you'll find the contacts are easy to see. I changed the indicator/main beam stalk on mine last week (again - long story) and the contacts are exposed, and easy to get to. The contacts do tend to suffer, as there is no relay, and they take the full load.

Slightly off topic, I ended up with new stalks on both sides. The main beam one is worse still, as those contacts take the full load of the headlights. I fitted one of the J West relay kits to preserve the life, and it does improve the lights too.

[Skip]

Thanks for the reply - I'll give it a whirl today or tomorrow (Labour Day weekend here in Canada). Not sure what a J West relay kits is, but sounds like an interesting option. Can you explain further?

Skip

[Skip]

Just to close out the discussion - cleaning the contacts on the maine windshield wiper / washer stalk did the trick.

Thanks