Morris Minor Owners Club

My windscreen washer pump seems to have packed in. I took out the water container to refill it the other day and re-attached it. Now when I push the pump it just sticks in to the dashboard - ie no pump!

Whats gone wrong?

Probably something really simple

If the bottle was empty, the valve may well be dry and not sealing.

Try giving the bottle a squeeze as a friend operates the pump

or since it's nearly Christmas, try giving the friend a squeeze while the ... [censored].

Try clearing the nozzles with a pin - if they are blocked the air can't get out to let the water in.

If all fails, it could be a new pump.

Colin

If it worked before you disturbed it then check the valve on the end of the
pickup tube in the water bottle, it is a one way valve which would normally let water up the pipe but would not water flow back to the bottle. If that were on
the wrong way round then a vacuum would be created in the pump when it
was pressed which would stop the plunger from returning?? ( nice theory but
I am not sure that the valve can be fitted the wrong way round)! If that is not
the problem then perhaps your pump is sticking when drained of water which
would normally act as a lubricant.

The one way valve can stick, but I've not seen what that can do with the squeezy pump, just electric ones. Probably worth having a look and seeing if it's a bit of cack jammed in there.

Don't think Minors ever had electric screen washer pump ? Always manual push - very economical on water ! It will be the valve - clean it.

Not as standard, no, and I'm sure yours doesn't. An awful lot of them, however, have had them fitted after manufacture as they are easier to use than the push button ones. Glad you agree with my verdict, anyway.

Tch tch - unnecessary complications creeping in to the poor old Minor - you'll be fitting disc brakes and goodness knows what other modern conveniences next !

Never - keep them PRECISELY as standard, I say. Mind you, I've only had 5, but 4 of them came fitted with electric pumps.

Thanks for the tips. I'll let you know how I get on

I had the same problem and solved it by fitting another pump - quite easy to do as long as you have tiny hands to reach behind the dash. I also had to replace the plastic tubing as it had about 30 years of gunk & algae in it

...of course Morris minors went down hill when they started to listen to the consumers and put TWO windscreen wipers... I mean.. why does the passenger need to see!?!

*grins and runs away!*

One of mine has the pump built into/onto the resevoir bottle. It doesn't HAVE to be behind the dash...

Mine isn't either, it sits on the bulkhead, just like a flasher unit (with pastic tubes...)

Difficult to reach surely - to push the little button ??

It has a switch... so yes it is an electric one

But my MM is the easiest. Mother nature only!

What, no washer...? Is that legal? In the UK I thought it was something that was introduced retrospectively - all cars had to have them whether they were built with them or not...

I don't know... I'd better go ask before painting...

It would be wise having one, but I don't think I have got one on the MM

I do have two wipers btw

I think you are thinking of wipers....

Every vehicle that has a windscreen (unless it folds/opens and im assuming bikes are exempt) should have wipers to pass an MOT

...and washers! No idea if it's retrospective though.

The wipers are... thats what I meant!!

I dont think washers are, the 1926 truck doesn't have them, nor do any of the veteran cars with screens (well i havent noticed washers) but then again none of them have wipers!