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[sophos9]

Some of you may have read about my washer bottle leak, well it turned out to be the driver side xenon/HID nozzle leaking. Bought a known good one (thanks mate) and fitted it tonight. The strange thing is that this one sticks halfway on the return and leaks until you manually push it back.

I checked the passenger side nozzle and that was leaking too, on this side, NO spray comes out at all.

My question is, do these nozzles need a certain amount of pressure to close and seal? If so, is it safe to assume that the HID pump (pump in the washer bottle) is not making enough pressure?

Cheers...  

[feeutfo]

grommit the pump sits in has a built in filter. Worth a clean? Just a thought.

[sophos9]

grommit the pump sits in has a built in filter. Worth a clean? Just a thought.

Thanks mate but the HID pump does not have a filter, only the windscreen pump has a gauze filter

[Liam]

Pressure from the pump is what pushes the washers out and sprays.  Return is presumably by springs.  If yours sticks halfway on the return it could just need a spot of lube?  If your pump operates when you pull the lever and sprays then the pump is probably fine.

Liam

[sophos9]

Pressure from the pump is what pushes the washers out and sprays.  Return is presumably by springs.  If yours sticks halfway on the return it could just need a spot of lube?  If your pump operates when you pull the lever and sprays then the pump is probably fine.

Liam

Thanks for the reply. If the pressure from the pump is insufficient then I would presume only a small amount would come out then?

The EPC indicates that there should be a 'headlamp wash one way valve' part no. 90507652 however I'm pretty sure I dont have one. The EPC diagram shows exactly the same layout as I have and does not show where this valve should go...?!?

[sophos9]

1) The HID pump has a single output....

2) The single output goes into a distributor which converts into 2 outputs.

3) 1 output goes to the drivers headlamp, other is passenger headlamp.

The picture of the one way valve shows 1 input and 2 outputs - any idea where this would go?

[Liam]

I'm no expert on the system but your description is exactly how mine is physically!  Are you sure the one way valve shown on EPC, that you describe as having one input and two outputs, is not what you think is a mere splitter?  Perhaps the splitter incorporates a check valve (one way valve)?  I can think of a couple of reasons why it might - 1 to stop the lines draining all the way back to the tank so that they are primed ready to squirt next time, and 2, the cracking pressure required to open the check valve in the flow direction would serve to keep the system sealed when the pump is not running (i.e. stop the water constantly dribbling out).

Like I said i dont know the system so I'm going on what you've dug out of the EPC and my hydraulic engineering experience!  From your description of the symptoms and the parts the system is comprised of I'd suggest you have a number of problems...

Check valve is stuck open allowing your tank to drain out of the nozzles when the pump isn't running.

Passenger nozzle is blocked (just like mine!)

Drivers nozzle is damaged/misaligned/its free movement somehow restricted (rubs on hole in under-light trim?) and therefore doesn't return fully.


I could of course be talking utter crap!:)

Liam

[sophos9]

I agree, although my system does not seem to have a one way valve..

Heres the pic...



Part 4 is the standard distributor and is a different shape and function to part no. 9 which is the one way valve...?

Headlamp jets are not blocked either side and I've tested the motion of both, there are no obstructions at all?

JueV6 is very kindly 'lending' me his HID pump so will try that (thanks for the help!)

Also, when you hit the washers, the new nozzle extends however it hardly sprays, only if you pull the lever two or three times very quickly does it actually spray???

[Liam]

Hmmm - no idea I'm afraid!  I can't remember seeing 9 anywhere on mine either.

When you pull the lever the headlight washer pump only runs for a very short time dont it? (wheras the screen washer pump would run for as long as you pulled the lever for).  So to give a good spray in that time the pump/lines would have to be full to start with.  The fact you need 2 or 3 pumps to spray would suggest your lines/pump are draining back to tank or leaking (so your first couple of pumps fill the lines before you get a spray).  If it's not some mystery missing check valve stuck open then you could have a split hose allowing this draining - so check your hoses thoroughly.  Could also be the pump itself split or damaged internally - so hopefully swapping it out will cure the problem afterall!

What does your passenger side nozzle do then?  Does it extend but not spray, or do nothing?  What makes you sure it isn't blocked if it doesn't spray?  Maybe it's a similar problem to the other nozzle and if you pulled the lever enough times it would eventually spray?

Need somebody who knows the system really - where's MarkDTM when you need him?

Let me know how you get on swapping the pump.  Will probably cure it and you'll be none the wiser but happy

Liam

[sophos9]

Exactly the same as what I think but there seems like a significant lag - the same as the windscreen washer too, takes about 2 secs after pulling the lever for wash to hit the screen??

Got the part number and will call Autovaux later and get a price, if it aint silly I will get on just to see it and figure where it goes??

Hopefully swopping the pump will sort it, I'm beyond caring at how it actually gets fixed, just wan the car sorted  

[Marks DTM Calib]

First thing you need to do is check and clean the extending mechanisms and whilst the nozzles are removed to do this, check they are not blocked (and air line is good for this if you can get access to one)

Also, lube the extending sections of the nossle with WD40 (this is one time when WD40 is the best thing to use).

Its also worth removing both pumps, checking the filter on the windscreen one and flushing the washer bottle out with a hose pipe.

Do the basic stuff first  

[sophos9]

Thanks for the reply.

First thing you need to do is check and clean the extending mechanisms and whilst the nozzles are removed to do this, check they are not blocked (and air line is good for this if you can get access to one)

Cheers, is there anything else I can use apart from an airline - would a hose pipe do?

Also, lube the extending sections of the nossle with WD40 (this is one time when WD40 is the best thing to use).

I done this last night but used silicon spray - is that ok?

Its also worth removing both pumps, checking the filter on the windscreen one and flushing the washer bottle out with a hose pipe.

Done that on the weekend after I flushed the passenger side drain hole, flushed the entire tank and checked filter etc - all clean with no chunk gunk stuff!!

Are the nozzles repairable or once they start leaking are they a bin job?

[Marks DTM Calib]

Its normaly possible to apply a wipe of sealent to them to stop them leaking.

Silicon sparay should be fine for the lube but do work them a few times to get them really free.

Hose is not likely to have enough pressure but, give it a go anyway

[sophos9]

Nice one, I've got some canned air duster which might work...?

Just one more thing, we are all a bit baffled about part 9 in the diagram as we dont seem to have it, do you know if the one way valve is fitted as standard?

[Marks DTM Calib]

The setups I have seen have had it.

Think I have a spare pipe (no pump though) in the garage, will ahev a check.

It shouldn't make much difference to the operation unless the bottle is very empty though.