Thanks Harv, I have managed to pull it apart, two of them. They are not soldered, the brass opens up fairly easily and I'm sure I can close it again. The rubber diaphragm is quite badly perished, but I think a neoprene one could be made with little effort. I just don't want to reinvent the wheel if someone has gone through the process.
Cool
. If you can, please take some photos as you go - I'd love to include them in an update to the windshield washer Guide.
A fair while back, I had a good discussion with a gentleman from the EJ/EH forum (instrument fitter by trade) who overhauls the NASCO/NATRA early Holden heater taps. The heater tap overhaul process involves bending a few of the small brass tabs on the taps. The brass has a tendency to work harden very quickly, and snap off. To stop this, he heats the brass (about as hot as you can get it with an LPG torch, but not hot enough to melt any silver solder), and then air-cools it. This anneals the brass, and makes it able to bend when reassembled. May have to do something similar with the brass vacuum diaphragm bodies before recrimping.
Cheers,
Harv