washer jet problem **SOLVED**

[befdelta7]

hi,
i know this isnt bike related.... sorry, i just need some info fast you see my dads driving to his brothers in dorset tomorrow and the washer jets dont work properly which is really not very good given the time of year and the crap on the motorways.

i have replaced one jet with a new one as my dad broke a needle in the jet hole trying to adjust it and the other isnt blocked and in very good condition....

the problem is the pump turns, you can hear it whining, but the pressure of the water coming out of the front two jets is very poor! the rear washer jet, jet's out like it should do.
does anyone have any ideas as to what the problem can be??

some forums iv searched on google just now say something about an airlock but didnt give any infomation on how to sort it.

has this happened to anyone else? also anyone got any ideas on how to sort it? as its impossible to clean the screen as the water doesnt reach the screen but dribbles out the jets.
if i block the drivers side jet the water from the passenger side jet improves in pressure but not nearly enough to clean the screen.

the car in question is a vauxhall vectra elegance 2002 (new shape)

thank you for your replys
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[Kickstart]

Hi

I would suspect a split pipe somewhere in the system

All the best

Keith
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[Gradog]

It could easily be a split pipe or loose pipe connection, but the deciding point would be whether the car has two pumps for the washer, ie front or back, or a switching relay. In which case the short term answer is to switch them to get your old man out of trouble and then chase the problem through at the weekend. If you switch and they are still shit then you definately have a pipe fault.
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[befdelta7]

cheers for that info lads

[Kickstart]

Hi

Would think the pressure from the pump should push the air out pretty quickly.

All the best

Keith
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[jimbothe]

If mine runs really low i sometimes get bits of shite in the pipe.Just take it off from the jet and pump it through as you would if the jet was connected.If there is an air leak or a blockage it is sure to clear
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[GSXFire]

I would put my money on the pipe being trapped or nipped just where it goes from the bonnet to the engine compartment, try the washers with the bonnet open and move the hoses about, make sure the hose isn't nipped.
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[Regan28]

I had the same sort of thing in my car, problem on mine was that it had a non return valve to stop water running back into the bottle when it wasn't pumping water (so that there was always fluid as soon as you pressed the button). I think this either got blocked up or just broke, I removed this and its fine now. Just need to wait a second or two while it pumps it from the bottle now

[finpos]

Remarkably effective fix/diagnosis method - pull the tube off somehere and blow through it

finpos.

[Finglonga]

Are you sure the water is not simply frozen? The pump will still work but nothing will get through.
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[extreme3d]

[Finglonga]

[befdelta7]

the water isnt frozen as this was happening before it was cold enough to turn water to ice.

my best guess is its a blockage or an airlock.

thanx for all your replys people
____________________
Dont do a wheelie in front of a traffic copper... it gets you 3pts and £220 fine.

[befdelta7]

the water isnt frozen as this was happening before it was cold enough to turn water to ice.

my best guess is its a blockage or an airlock.

thanx for all your replys people
____________________
Dont do a wheelie in front of a traffic copper... it gets you 3pts and £220 fine.

[Nb]

I get cars at work that have the same trouble, 8 times out of ten its because the owner has put too much screen wash in. Which then conjeals (sp)? and clogs up the filter underneath the pump. If you pull out the pump you will probably see a black rubber seal thats like a gauze? Poke a bigger hole in the middle with a knife or a phillips screwdriver.
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[garyd]

Best bet,phone local taxi for a price and flog the car................. ever wondered what the little locked flap is on the side of car?!!could always stick yer head out an spit on the windscreen.

[garyd]

Best bet,phone local taxi for a price and flog the car................. ever wondered what the little locked flap is on the side of car?!!could always stick yer head out an spit on the windscreen.

[befdelta7]

[garyd]

im talkin about how ignorant some are of the workings of a car,christ sake man ,its schoolboy stuff,what yer gonna do when you hear a noise /or need to replace the air filter?get a manual and get to grips with it ............just like you would before the "tinter net"came about

[befdelta7]

seeing as my mum uses the car everday for work and the car gets used most evenings,

[Finglonga]

[timjim]

I for one,joined the site so as i could learn about things i dont know and teach about things i do know.If someone has the honesty to put there hand up and say "ive got a problem and dont know how to fix it",i would like to offer my advise,maybe good,maybe bad.....isnt that what a manual also does????
Going back to the original question though,try and remove the pipe from the washer pump and see what pressure, if any,comes out.If none then the gauze strainer may have become blocked with sludge,so just clean it out.If the pressure is good, then refit the pipe and trace it along checking for kinks in the pipework.Good luck and THANKS for asking..............................................................................................................If in doubt...ask Tim

[befdelta7]

**SOLVED**

it was an airlock!

what i did was use the battery booster packs pump (the yellow pack with an electric pump for inflating tyres) connected it to the hose from the washer bottle and turned it on, the pressure gauge went to 120ish psi then a loud pop was herd and the water in the washer bottle shot out the cap and went about 3ft high like a fountian but a lot more violently. and all was solved the pressure in the washer hose was back to normal and the washer jets, jetted out the water like they should!

so anyone else experiencing this same problem try the above method worked a treat for me!

cheers for all your advice lads
____________________
Dont do a wheelie in front of a traffic copper... it gets you 3pts and £220 fine.