Morris Minor Owners Club

My minor had an electric windscreen washer pump fitted when I got it, I wanted to return it to standard so plumbed the original manual pump back in but it didn't work (no doubt the reason someone put the electric pump on!), I've just got another original wingard pump and fitted it, I was full of excitement and high expectations & it doesn't work either
Are these pumps inherently unreliable or do they need to be primed or something before use? They dont look like they're rebuildable.

they need to be primed, I sucked on the pipe under the dash to get it to the pump and then sucked on the output pipe while operating the pump till it was through. you need a non return valve too I think.

Did they have any sort of a non return valve as standard? Mine just has a pipe from the bottle to the pump and one from the pump which splits to go to each washer jet.
I'm presuming it doesn't matter which way round you connect the 2 pipes to the pump (doesn't seem to make any difference on mine).
Not sure I fancy sucking on the pipe to prime it (risk of legionnares?) but I assume blowing into the breather hole in the washer bottle lid would have the same effect?

Yes you regularly have to suck on the pipeto prime the system ( or blow through with an airline if you are bothered about catching something (nothing a good mouthfull of 4 star wouldn't fix though I'd imagine.....

There should be a non-return valve in the system somewhere, I think in the pick-up pipe - or the water will just swill back and forth. I've never had to suck any of the pipes - just prod the button.

Sorted, thanks guys.
I've fitted a non-return valve in the end of the pick up pipe in the bottle & primed it by squeezing the bottle with my finger sealing the breather hole & now it works a treat!
Had to remove the pump & strip/reseal it as it was leaking under pressure when I pumped it but now it works beautifully.