Hobbes Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Hello wise folks out there, assembling the Monte I found 90% of my washer fluid monitor system hanging in the engine compartment. I am only missing the tube with the sensing unit that goes into the reservoir and the assembly where the fiber optic cable under the dash (driver's side) hooks into. The assembly on top with the cables and the bulb is there. I want to make the system work again. In the books I have, there is no info on how exactly the sensing unit works. I am sure it is something I can built myself if I only knew how it works... Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks in advance Janin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichG Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 The sensing unit is a piece of tri colored plasitc with a float assembly. When the fluid is high the light shines through the green portion of the plastic and the interior indicator shines green. As the level drops it transitions to amber then red when it is time to add washer fluid. The lamp on the washer jar is wired to the wiper/washer system so the indicator assembbly only lights up when the washer button is pushed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbes Posted May 9, 2009 Author Share Posted May 9, 2009 Hey RichG, thank you for the detailed answere... I have a good clue now... A tube, a floater and some colored foil/plastic. Is it possible to post a picture because there is one uncertainty I have: If the floater is on top because the reservoir is full, how does it work that only green shines through? I mean, how do the colors slide in the tube to shine through the bulb at the top? I think I just have knot in my mind. Here is a simple scematic of where I stand. Maybe looking at yours can help me untie it. I am not drawing much with the computer and I am not near the Monte to check. Just my memory. But I think it shows where my knot is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Hi Janin. I checked my washer monitor. I was going to take it apart to get you some good pics, but it wouldn't come apart without the chance of breaking something. A float tube goes almost to the bottom and the float is very near the bottom of the tube. It's attached to a flat piece of plastic that moves up to block the light from entering the fiber optic when the fluid level is okay and it only moves down about one centimeter when the level is low. This downward movement lets the light shine into the fiber. Mine is not the same as the one that was described earlier. It doesn't have any different colors to shine the light through. The part that is mounted under the left side of the dash looks like it has an amber colored lense. Can someone please post pics of a monitor that they know for a fact is an original? I have only had this car for about a year and I have no way of knowing for certain that the monitor is an original. I've never seen another. Do you have pics, Janin? Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbes Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 Hey Dan the top part assembly with the bulbsocket looks the same! The tube that goes into the reservoir is missing. I guess it broke off. Later when I am in the garage I will take a picture. I still didn't come up with a simple mechanism that would let 3 different colors slide through the bulb being on top and the floater downwards.... So maybe I stick with your setup. A cover that slides down and when it is low it lets a light shine through the fiber. Basicly only showing a light when it is low.... Could you also take a picture for me of the assembly under the dash? So I can try to make it look as close to original as possible? That would be great. Hope all is fine on your side of the ocean... I am right now struggeling with the windows to get in without breaking my patience.....it looked sooo self explaining when getting them out... JAnin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Here you go... I looked at it closely and the lense is clear, not amber. Let us know if you need help with the windows. We'd like to see some pics of how your car is coming along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichG Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I have a spare sensor unit that I bought fromn the dealer in about 1980 or so. It is in my storage unit and I'm working 10 hour days so it might be a little while till I can dig it out and photograph it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 The sensor is on the dash right? My has the sensor still in the car my jug is missing some parts but I have that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichG Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I was considering the sensor to be the float assembly in the bottle. That is what I have a spare of. I would call the part on the dash an indicator because that's all it does. I can give exact nomenclatures when I get to my assembly manual or parts book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Peters Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Mine is exactly like Dan's. I also tried to remove mine but it would not come out and, like Dan, I didn't want to risk breaking it. Since I can't take it apart I can't say for sure how it works. I thought it was supposed to glow green or white when you turn the wipers on with fluid present and red when it gets low but mine has never been low enough to show what color it is suppoed to be when low. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montefrazer Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 GM calls it a sending unit, number GR 10.154 12004345. It works by letting the washer fluid in through slots in the lower part of the tube and allowing the float with the colored plastic to rise to the top of the tube and have the light shine through and be picked up by the fiber optic cable. There is a lense in the top to magnify the light sent to the dash part. The plastic part has the red color on the top and the green color under the red. When the bottle is full, the float rises into the head enough that only the green is transmitted to the fiber optic pickup and the dash part shows green. As the level drops, some of the red also is lit up and shows up as orange in the car. When the bottle is very low, only red shows in the car. It is two pieces and snaps together. I sent some pictures to Rob. Hope it worked and he can post them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbes Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 Dan, thanks for the dash assembly picture. All others, thank you for the information given. I am looking forward to Steve's pictures he sent to Rob. Please don't try to take apart the sensing unit, or it will look like mine... the tube missing, the hole in the reservoir tapped and the rest left hanging around by the previous owner .... As I will try to rebuild the system to work again, you bet I will take pictures to provide you... I already got a bottle of wine for the cork's new destiny as a floater and the wine for some inspiration..... JAnin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montefrazer Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Rob couldn't post them. I'll send them to you if you like. Email me so I can get your address. It's not under your profile. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Please send them to me, too. I'll email you. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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