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[dbr]

Hi all.
working but pumping. Is it really a bumper off to get to it?
Dave

[Doctor Gollum]

Non facelift? Technically yes.

That said unscrewing the top of the grill might give enough access to swap it out.

Low flow is usually blocked filter, so no undoing pipes required, just pop the pump out.

That said, you might want to drop the tank, so bumper off it is... 🤔

[dave the builder]

Or perhaps the screenwash is frozen ,or the jets are frozen or blocked   
has been cold of late

[cam.in.head]

as dg said above 'usually' its a blocked filter on the pump inlet but blocked by crap floating around in the tank that will no doubt find its way to the pump again so realy needs the tank cleaning out properly.if you think you can flush it in situ then you may suceed and get most of it clean but to do a 100% job its a tank out job.
mine tend to get floaty lumps in them due to the amount of time the water stands in there.even with a good mixture of wash fluid.and when i think about it due to having use of various vehicles  the fluid can be in there for a year easily!
i tend to put a little disinfectant in now as well .it definately helps !

[johnnydog]

I find that using cheap windscreen washer fluid develops more 'soapy' lumps that block the gauze filters. Paying a bit more for a quality brand of fluid doesn't coagulate and the filters remain free. I live in a soft water area which obviously better for anything coming into contact with it - whether that makes any difference as well, I'm not sure.

[cam.in.head]

over the years ive tried various brands but after a while they all seem to grow "fluffy lumps" ! in them .
i read somewhere about a dash of disinfectant and it does make a definate difference !

[dbr]

Thanks,
Will try a flush out first.

[B52]

I've been using Prestone screenwash - seems ok

[TheBoy]

For about the last dozen or so years, I've been using Halfords own brand concentrated (not pre mixed), which I mix 20% in summer and 50% in winter, unless it warrants neat like about 10yrs ago when we had those -15C temps.

Never an issue since using the Halfords stuff, although the -30C (citrus) stuff does smell a bit pungent (as does the -20 berry stuff, but more pleasant).  Its usually mixed with Anglian Water's Brackley water, straight from the tap.


I did foolishly buy some TripleQX shite from ECP 2 or 3 years ago, when I was able to get 6 x 5l concentrated bottles for around £9 delivered, but I used it once neat in the Jag, and it froze, splitting a headlight washer in the process. So I poured all that shite away, and vowed never to use it again.

[cam.in.head]

yes ive found that too.
some of the screenwashes dont seem to have any antifreeze properties in them .
mind you if you get some of the premixed antifreeze coolant radiator mixes some of them freeze at not much below zero !

[biggriffin]

As TB said Halfords own brand, not had any issues, you can use meths in the cheaper stuff to lower the frezze point.

Or if in Russia, just buy street sold Vodka. That never freezes.

 Sereks homebrew would be good, be a waste tho.

[DrAndyB]

I have a V Plate MFL and with grill off (couple screws on the top if I recal) I managed to get hand in and pull out washer motor, unplug connector and pipe and clean the little filter is sits in which I recall plugs into the hole in the washer bottle the motor then sits on.  I then blasted out bottle with a hose (Hose in top filler) as it generates gunk and slime in there over the years.

Be VERY carefull with the water and don't inhale/ingest any of it as it can have legionnaires disease in there with the stagnent water so treat with caution.   

[Nick W]

As TB said Halfords own brand, not had any issues, you can use meths in the cheaper stuff to lower the freeze point.

Dad always used to do that


Like most of the chemicals used in cars, I don't worry much.


Screenwash is basically the same as glass cleaner which is about 95% water, the other 5%  mostly ammonia with a touch of dye and scent. Screenwash adds a little ethanol for its antifreeze properties. If you can live without the scent, 5l of ammonia is about £20, and will last for years. But it isn't really worth the hassle mixing your own when a couple of quid's worth of readily available product annually is enough.


We used to run the fleet of 36vans, four company cars and three storemen's cars on glasscleaner because we bought it in 20l containers meant to be diluted 1:20. That dropped to 1:10 for screenwash, usually done by tipping 0.5l into the bottle and adding water to fill.


I've never had a frozen screenwash bottle in over 30 years of averaging about 30k miles a year. What am I doing wrong, as I seem to be missing out?

[STEMO]

As TB said Halfords own brand, not had any issues, you can use meths in the cheaper stuff to lower the freeze point.

Dad always used to do that


Like most of the chemicals used in cars, I don't worry much.


Screenwash is basically the same as glass cleaner which is about 95% water, the other 5%  mostly ammonia with a touch of dye and scent. Screenwash adds a little ethanol for its antifreeze properties. If you can live without the scent, 5l of ammonia is about £20, and will last for years. But it isn't really worth the hassle mixing your own when a couple of quid's worth of readily available product annually is enough.


We used to run the fleet of 36vans, four company cars and three storemen's cars on glasscleaner because we bought it in 20l containers meant to be diluted 1:20. That dropped to 1:10 for screenwash, usually done by tipping 0.5l into the bottle and adding water to fill.


I've never had a frozen screenwash bottle in over 30 years of averaging about 30k miles a year. What am I doing wrong, as I seem to be missing out?

I think a lot of people fall foul of the advise to mix it before use, instead of pouring the concentrate into the washer bottle and guessing when it's about half full. I've been guilty of this and often had inoperative washers.
I don't think the stuff in the bottle freezes, it's the stuff already in the pipes, or even at the nozzles. Much smaller quantities in more exposed locations.

[Nick W]

I think a lot of people fall foul of the advise to mix it before use, instead of pouring the concentrate into the washer bottle and guessing when it's about half full. I've been guilty of this and often had inoperative washers.

I don't think the stuff in the bottle freezes, it's the stuff already in the pipes, or even at the nozzles. Much smaller quantities in more exposed locations.

All good points. That's the reason for heated washer jets, but again my experience is that it's not really a problem for me. Drivers in cold countries will disagree while they're disconnecting their engine block heaters and removing the insulating covers


Mixing anything first is best practice, as is measuring each component in separate containers. We usually get away with not doing that because the mix is rarely critical - like screenwash. When the constituent parts create a chemical reaction - 2-part epoxy or polyurethane, or even baking -  you can create a very expensive mess.