make sure none of the rubber pipes are trapped or kinked....this is the usual problem on all cars with poor washer jet performance.

 

make sure none of the rubber pipes are trapped or kinked....this is the usual problem on all cars with poor washer jet performance.

Thanks for that but it was not a trapped pipe problem it is a stange filmy substance that forms quite rapidly in the washer bottle that is clogging the filter

 

The problem seems to be related to the tyoe of fluid you are using, I suggest emptying the bottle and refilling with new fluid.

 

Thanks for the thought but it has re-occured using plain tap water. Could it be London water? Doesn't seem to effect my wife's car though

 

maybe some remaining bits of this substance have now got trapped in the jets. Try disconnecting the pipe from the back of the jet and se how much flow you get from the pipe.

 

Thanks - that's a good idea. At least something else to try.

I was hoping someone would know what the thin gel like film was - I have never seen anything like it. When I flushed the bottle after removing the pump & filter, large quantities of this non stcky thin film end up on the floor!

 

Try putting some very warm water in there...almost hot and thn syphoning it back out and do that a few times to try and flush the substance out. Havent a clue what it is...sorry.

 

Ah - are you thinking that the stuff is kind of coated to the sides of the bottle so cold flushing is not clearing it all?

To gain access to the bottle I have been removing the front wheel and also part of the liner that protects the inner parts of the wing. I have then been able to easily pull out the pump and remove the rubberised filter. Although a pain this has made flushing very easy.

Just had a thought - I wonder if it is something in the water? My wife's car is not a suitable control as on reflection we have not used tap water in the screen wash.

So I will flush it, fill it with hot water and flush again and then try either filtered water or bought diluted screen wash and see what happens.

But if only I knew what the filmy stuff was I would really know how to resolve it

 

Could be the actually washer concentrate you are using. I know some manufactures (VW for example) specify their own washer fluid, and its damn expensive.

Rover dont do this do they???

What about using Mineral water???

 

Heh heh

Sparkling or still!

 

I had something similar with my old Rover 600. It seemed that the concentrate the garage put in during service over the years formed a film on the inside of the tank. In my case this was black, probably an algal growth. This flaked off and kept blocking the jets. The only way I could get rid of it was to take the tank off and clean the inside with a pressure washer. Normal flushing wouldn't shift it. I also had to renew all the pipework.

You shouldn't have any problems with concentrate diluted with ordinary tap water. This is chlorinated so should be free of bacteria. There shouldn't be any need to use filtered or special water, even in London where you drink other peoples pee.

 

Emm - is it bacterial growth? - interesting. Possibly as it seems to form so rapidly (unless it is already there and peeling off just when you think its safe to put everything back together).
The film is thinner but I would day as strong as say the skin on the top of an old can of paint. But it is not sticky and has no colour.

The only other time I have seen a film like this was on the surface of our central heating expansion tank when the system was not working properly. (The plumber mutterred some wise but incomprehensible words that indicated that he knew what that was)

 

probably an algal growth.

This definitely happens in tanks where the owner has either used plain tapwater, or hasn't added enough wiper fluid to the mix. The crud is usually black (actually really dark green), though - not clear like the OP is talking about. I haven't a clue what that is.

 

yup its not the black / green stuff (seen it before growing very happily in washing machine powder filler areas!).

Where or whenever ever the film actually forms it must somehow sink and accumulate (but does not get sucked through) the filter. Thus the pipes aren't "infected".

I think the screen wash bottle has a heater element (anyway there are wires going into something as well as the pump). Its not some phenomena linked into heating?

I think we need a scientist!

 

its proabbaly the sensor on a 75

 

This sort of thing happened to me. I hadn't used my water jets for ages and due to the hot weather most of the water in my bottle evaporated leaving behind a congealed gel as you describe which I guess is just the windscreen wash which has become a concentrate due to all the water being evaporated. It would come out of the jets as a lumpy mess.

I filled it up and it still came out a bit gel like. It took a few good emptyings and refilling with hot water befor it cleared.

The concentrated screenwash will stick to the sides of the bottle and when you add water it will expand to a gel like substance again until you clear it.

My advice is to keep it topped up, so the water doesn't evaporate in this hot weather.

 

Something else to check

One weak spot on the washers is the T section which splits the water to the jets. You'll find this on the underside the bonnet as the main rubber pipe feeds up. The piece has small regulator valve and frankly it's about as much use as your appendix - it clogs up quite quickly. Changing that will instantly give your jets a boost. I've swapped mine for a simpler one off a 45 and I've got 4 very powerful jets now - it leaks very slightly though but I can live with it......

 

Thank you all some good solid thoughts that make sense

I think I have some hot flushes to look forward to & I shall also follow up on the conector advice

 

I had a similar problem at the begining of the year. Did not notice any deposits in the washer bottle but flushed it out anyway with no success.

The way I eventually cured it was to pull out the washer pump from it's rubber gromit in the bottle, connected a tyre inflator (the type that plug into cig lighter), to the washer pump and flush out the pump. I assumed that some crap had managed to enter the pump and affect the efficiency.

I have had no problem with the washers since and thats over 6 months ago.

Hope this will help, sorry for the delay but have been on hols.

 

My jets are at a dribble. Strange thing is, if I leave them over night I get a brief jet that hits the windscreen, but then it stops. I hear the pump going and the dribble suggests the pipes are conected. I think I may have a similar problem to Lionel.

Can I ask, how did you manage to get the bottle out so that you could clean it?

 

Sounds to me more like your washer jets are simply blocked.

 

John - did you get my response - I can't seem to see it anywhere

 

My jets are at a dribble. Strange thing is, if I leave them over night I get a brief jet that hits the windscreen, but then it stops. I hear the pump going and the dribble suggests the pipes are conected. I think I may have a similar problem to Lionel.

Can I ask, how did you manage to get the bottle out so that you could clean it?

This is almost certainly caused by debris in the pipework to the jets. As soon as the fluid starts to flow it carries the debris up to the jets and blocks them. Overnight it probably just drifts back down the pipes slightly under gravity.

 

The rubber filter was clogged with a thin filmy translucent gel like substance. Cleaning and flushing the bottle in situ gave instant relief but amazingly the problem re-appeared within a day (a little longer the last time when I used tap water only to fill the bottle).

This might be a slime mould. Try some water purification tablets or a solution of 70% methylated spirits. The latter should kill most bacteria, moulds and algae if left soaking for about 15 mins.

 

It's the T-piece, betcha loadsa money. Take it off and throw it away!