108 winshield washer foot pump: Who's replaced just the rubber bulb

[73MB280SEL]

Howdy,

I now have a new (uncracked) washer tank and tank with check valve. I hooked it up: Still not winshield washer action. I dissassembled the footpump bulb and found that the rubber bulb has cracked at the neck and at the bolt where it is mounted.

The switch works well (I press the washer and the wipers activate), so I really don't need another one of these, but I sure could use a new bulb.

Is this item replaceable by itself?

(Granted, the VDO orignal switch is dated 5/72.)

For that matter, I could use a couple of these rubber bulbs. This design probably leaves something to be desired. (it has one connection so washer fluid does not actually circulate. When pressed, it sends fluid back in the resivour direction, but the one way check valve forces it out the windshield nozzles.) Without circluation, I can see how the fluid in the bulb can get stale and rot it out pretty quick. I might be wrong....

At least I don't have an electric motor to rebuild.

Thanks,

Sholin

[MikeTangas]

Sholin,

Do you have digital picture capability? If so I sure would like a picture of the lay-out for the washer tank and plumbing. All I have left at this time are two opaque braided lines and the foot pump. No tank, no check valve no nothing.

There is one line that runs from the foot pump to the front of the right fender, and another that drops off the washer nozzles and goes to the left fender area. I think the line coming from the nozzles was re-routed and attached to a jury rigged tank and electric pump by a prior owner. I had a non-factory mount screwed into the inner fender, and non-factory wires (all of which have been removed).

Thanks.

[73MB280SEL]

Mike,

No, don't have a digital camera. That is certainly on the "to buy" list (heck, my car isn't even on Hack's site yet), but my water heater went out last month and there went my disposable spending money. Ouch, did I ever take it in the shorts on that one.

Anyway, The way my tank is plumbed is (1st, I have a new tank) the tank in front of the battery has a top on it that has two braded fluid lines going to it. The one way valve is built in to the bottle top.

One of the two lines off the bottle goes to the nozzles on the hood and the other goes through the firewall to the foot operated switch/rubber bulb pump.

I've read somewhere in the service manual about a motor and a switch, but it isn't installed on mine. It wasn't on the wire list either.

I've checked around and nobody sells just the bulb. You have to buy the whole pump assembly minus the wiper switch. It's 56 dollars.

Sorry I couldn't get you a picture.

Sholin

[MikeTangas]

Well,

Since I find no "unattached" wiring or connectors in the right fenderwell area, I believe mine was a non motorized pump system as well. I have both braided lines, I'm assuming the PO re-routed the line from the nozzles to his after market electric pump/resevoir. Reassuring to hear the check valve is contained in the resevoir top.

I am unable to determine, yet, whether the pump bulb is completely intact or not. I'm thinking about testing it with the vacuum pump. If intact, it should hold a vacuum don't you think?

[tviano]

I have a 72 280 SE 4.5. If you still want a photo of the washer system, let me know. I have a digital camera as well.

My washer system doesn't work, however, best I've gotten is a dribble. I thought maybe the jets or hoses were clogged. I removed the valve on the resevoir and it crumbled in my hand (ok, it snapped)! It's on my list of things to do.

Let me know if you want the pic. It'd be no problem.

The washer system on my wife's 67 250S was also inop. I looked at the squeeze bulb and was able to repair a couple of minor cracks with black RTV. It really worked much better than I expected. Still didn't fix the problem, though. Next stop was the check valve. I could make it work just fine by blowing and sucking on it.

The reservoir is a plastic pouch like thing that hangs on the battery hold down. The valve is in the top of the pouch. I pulled the hose that goes to the nozzles off and got good flow when stepping on the (repaired) squeeze bulb. The problem was the nozzle itself.

It comes out of the car very easily. I cleared the tiny holes with an equally tiny drill bit and also had to clear the main passage way (maybe 2mm dia?) with a larger drill bit. After doing that, the nozzle flowed air easily. Hooked up the lines and all is well! Victory!

[Thom Pintello]

The bulb on my 1969 280SEL leaked like mad so I patched it with a bicycle repair kit. It's very airtight but it still doesn't shoot water onto the windshield. I'll take a look at what knappnet did with the check valve though and then get back to you all.
Thom

[Mark DiSilvestro]

I went through this problen, several years ago, on my 1972 250. One complication is that even if the bulb, valve and bottle are intact, the bulb may be full of rubber particles that clog the nozzles. My solution was to wire in a small 12 volt washer pump to the foot swtch.
Good Luck,
Mark

[Douglas Broome]

Does anyone know if the rubber ball at the foot pump appafratis on the driver's floor is the same on the 111/112, 108/109, 114/115 series cars?

[tviano]

My bulb is busted too. And, it leaked like a son of a gun all under my carpets. I think I got it all mopped up, though. I'm not too happy about this as I don't like broken things. May I say, "Grrrrr!"

What is Black RTV as posted above? I think my crack is of Grand Canyon status, so this may not work.

I can't find the part online. Any suggestions? You have to admit, even though it's a funky way to design this, it is pretty cool when it works!

[Larry Delor]

I had to fiddle with mine a while back. I kept loosing fluid, so I decided to take a look-see.
One thing that surprised me was that the (used) replacement bulb had a lot of fine powder in it. I suspect this to be residue from additives in the washer fluid. The old bulb had all kinds of crud in it too. Turns out, that on mine, the little stub that goes into the bulb had come loose, and needed to be re-attached.
Infrequent use seems to be somewhat of a detriment too, as mine has sat for a while, and now only wants to reach halfway up the windshield again.
The thing that I like about them is, with a practiced foot, you can aim the stream at a particular spot, instead of in a general area.

I think I remember there being a thread on this once before, and I think it was determined then, that the bulb could not be purchased separately.

[Douglas Broome]

About 1.5 years back I participated in a lengthy thread on the foot pump. Is there a way to check the archives on this site?

Anyway: On my 1959 ponton 220S, which has a similar bulb type foot pump as later cars into the early 1970s, I removed the whole thing. Carefully separated the bulb from the metal bracket. Disassembled and cleaned out the metal pieces. The tube was plugged, so it needed cleaning out. The ball is indeed NLA separately. The whole foot ump unit was available from M-B Classic then at over $400--yes, $400! I decided to try to fix the ball which leaked air.

I squeezed the ball to identify all the cracks. Most were at the hemisphere seam; a few others. all from age. I determined that there were no major breaks in the ball, or I would have used a rubber bictcle tire patch. Bought a tube of Permatex Black Rubber Sealant RS-9. Squeezed the bulb to expose all splits and cracks and let the sealant flow liberally into all cracks/splits. Released the balt to return to normal shape. The sealant filled all the caracks. Let dry.

Then I cleaned up the mouth of the ball and picked away all crusted adhesive. Applied stuff called Pliobond, an industrial strength adhesive available at a hardware store, to both sides of the mouth and the metal where the ball fits. Screw down the fastening nut for regular reassembly, and that too will serve as the holding clamp for the Pliobond to adhere the rubber bulb to the metal, as originally done.

Let everything dry well. Complete success. It now holds vacuum well when I squeeze the bulb and put my finger over the metal outlet tube. Hope this helps.

UInfortunately, I still need the plastic pouch for the reservoir. any suggestions?