would any multimeter from Maplin etc do?
Yep.
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Use a bulb - next time you are in a scrapyard, take off a front indicator corner unit and its attached wiring. Cut, and strip some of the insulation off the ends of the wires, and you have a reasonable, cheap test lamp. Connect the test lamp in place of your washer pump, and you can test the circuit.
See Yorkiebar's recent VW Transporter thread about how multimeters can be troublesome when fault finding.
Number_Cruncher
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Just put the meter set on resistance across the ends of the disconnected pump you should get a reading ,then put the meter set on 12v dc across the incoming cable with the washers switched on you should see 13volts.
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Thanks very much for all your replies.
I get 11.5V for the rear washer and -11.5V for the front so obviously the switch, wiring etc are ok.
I get a reading of 1.1 for the resistance across the ends of the pump; I'm not sure what this means.
Do you think I've been sold a knackered pump?!
Thanks
Dan
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If you tested with the multimeter, was the pump connected at the time?
Number_Cruncher
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If you tested with the multimeter was the pump connected at the time?
No - not sure what I'd stick me probes on if the pump was connected..?!
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>>I get 11.5V for the rear washer and -11.5V for the front so obviously the switch, wiring etc are ok.>>
-11.5v could be because you have the polarity the wrong way around, in fact assuming you disconnected the pump and measured the voltage when the switch was operated and the -11.5v reading displayed as a result of the switch being operated (i.e. the reading was not there until the switch was operated) then I would say that you definately had the polarity the wrong war round and the switch and circuit are fine meaning that the pump is duff.
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-11.5v could be because you have the polarity the wrong way around
I'm guessing it's just one pump for both the front and rear screen. In which case, by powering up the motor in one direction squirts the front screen, but when you reverse the polarity to the motor it then squirts the rear screen.
In which case the wiring and wiper stalk switch are ok and it's the pump that's at fault. Seeing as you fitted a 2nd hand pump, that one may well be duff as well. Bite the bullet and buy a new pump. They're not that expensive.
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I'm guessing it's just one pump for both the front and rear screen. >>
Actually I think you are right, either way - new pump time.
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>>n which case the wiring and wiper stalk switch are ok
You are most probably right - but, if the circuit wasn't drawing any current, the multimeter tests could be misleading.
For example, if the connection to earth is a bit dodgy, the resistance of the multimeter will still dominate and measure 12volts, while a test lamp, which loads the circuit would never light because all the voltage drop would then be across the dodgy earth.
This is why I was asking about whether the pump was in circuit or not.
It's possible that both pumps that the OP has are duff, but it is still possible for the fault to be elsewhere. Testing with a 21W bulb would remove the doubt.
Number_Cruncher
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