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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

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DMC63
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by DMC63 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:26 pm

In short I ran my washer bottle dry. After refilling washer, jets to windscreen failed to work.

Now this may be due to a number of problems. First off your jets on the bonnet may be blocked from dirt or debris pushed in while cleaning the car. However, this scenario is more likely to affect one of the jets more than the other. If both jets are dribbling fluid at the same rate when the washers are activated then it's more likely something further down the line. If the washer jets are not emitting any water You could have a bad connection to the washer bottle pump or the pump may have failed. Again this is usually not the case.

The main reason for the washer jets either not working or dribbling is a blocked filter which is housed at the base of the washer bottle water pump. Sound like a PITA but it's a very simple and quick job to clean the filter off. The only problem with just cleaning the filter is that if the bottle is full of gunk then it'll just clog up again.

So the longer job but just as simple is to clean the washer bottle itself.

I know this is a no brainer for for most of the 'skilled technicians' on here but I thought a simple how to with pics may come in handy for the novice.

First off here's the OEM drawing of the bottle and it relative components.
Screen Shot 2017-01-15 at 13.05.19.png
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1. First remove the washer bottle. Undo the bolt
IMG_1771.JPG
IMG_1771.JPG (121.52 KiB) Viewed 4392 times
2. Gently remove the hose 'A'.
Lift clip 'B'
Disconnect pump connector by releasing a small plastic clip at the between the connector and the waterbottle. This may need a long this flathead screwdriver.
With all of that done you can lift the water bottle out of the engine bay, with a little bit of maneuvering.
IMG_1772.JPG
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3. The pump just slides out of the filter and the filter can then be pulled out by hand.
The filter was cleaned using a toothbrush. The pump did not need any cleaning. Best leave this alone.
IMG_1762.JPG
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Will post a continuation....
Last edited by DMC63 on Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by DMC63 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:29 pm

4. Cleaning the washer bottle.
I used Chemical Guys 'Orange degreaser'. Diluted about 1 part degreaser to 6 parts water. You can use your fave degreaser or washing up liquid would probably work too, though I haven't tried it.
I tried a few brushes and found them useless. So I used a chain and a piece of sponge. I filled the bottle with degreaser, dropped the chain and piece of sponge in and let it sit for 10 mins. Then I started to gently shake it to move the chain and sponge about inside. This took about 10 mins then I emptied out the degreasing solution and filled it back up again with just warm water and repeated the process. I pushed a rubber glove into the exit hole with a cross head screw driver to keep the water in. Bluetack would be good but I didn't have any.
Degeaser
IMG_1770.JPG
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Chain and sponge
IMG_1769.JPG
IMG_1769.JPG (119.34 KiB) Viewed 4389 times
Dirty bottle. This bottle is really gunked up. No point in just cleaning the filter.
IMG_1765.JPG
IMG_1765.JPG (123.47 KiB) Viewed 4389 times
Last edited by DMC63 on Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by DMC63 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:34 pm

After a lot of shaking about and rinsing the bottle is nice and clean. Ready for reassembly and going back into the car.
Make sure all the degeaser or whatever cleaner you used is completely rinsed out.
Now reverse the removal instructions and fit back in the car. Fill with your preferred screen wash and stand back and marvel at your technical skills and how much money you saved by avoiding paying someone else to do it.
The inside of the cleaned washer bottle.
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IMG_1766.JPG
IMG_1766.JPG (54.05 KiB) Viewed 4387 times
Last edited by DMC63 on Mon Jan 16, 2017 10:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by DMC63 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:37 pm

:thumbsup:
Last edited by DMC63 on Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by Chris_D » Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:38 pm

Alwways a good idea to clean out washer bottle now n again.
Mine was putrid when i bought the zed. stank to high heaven!
Fearing I could prob contract legionares disease it was one of the first things i cleaned.
I used fairy liquid and hot, not boiling water. cleaned twice that way, then a steriliser tablet that u usually use for baby stuff. then filled.
weirdly it still stinks a bit of the old washer fluid and after almost 6 months of ownership and about 3 refills would have hoped this would have gone by now.... :?
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by DMC63 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:45 pm

Chris_D wrote:Alwways a good idea to clean out washer bottle now n again.
Mine was putrid when i bought the zed. stank to high heaven!
Fearing I could prob contract legionares disease it was one of the first things i cleaned.
I used fairy liquid and hot, not boiling water. cleaned twice that way, then a steriliser tablet that u usually use for baby stuff. then filled.
weirdly it still stinks a bit of the old washer fluid and after almost 6 months of ownership and about 3 refills would have hoped this would have gone by now.... :?
Hi Chris. Mine was like the inside of a fishpond. There was no way anything other that the chain was going to remove the crap stuck to the sides. The cheap screen washes really do stink of vomit and yak s**t after a few months let alone years. Bought some for my van from poundland. Never again. When I washed with windows the van smelt like it had been puked and shat all over. :rofl:
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by NickDE » Sun Jan 15, 2017 3:29 pm

It may also be worth replacing Part No 5 (the filter thing plus rubber washer). The rubber hardens with age and then you get a slow irritating leak from your washer bottle. Removing the pump and cleaning everything can start this leak as before the rubber was hard but the gunk was sealing the washer motor :x
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by DMC63 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 5:57 pm

NickDE wrote:It may also be worth replacing Part No 5 (the filter thing plus rubber washer). The rubber hardens with age and then you get a slow irritating leak from your washer bottle. Removing the pump and cleaning everything can start this leak as before the rubber was hard but the gunk was sealing the washer motor :x
Good point. The rubber on my filter was supple, not hardened.
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by Mr Tidy » Sun Jan 15, 2017 10:01 pm

Really helpful guide OP. :thumbsup:

Too late for me though - I had to do this on my E46 2 years ago within weeks of collecting it with a year's MOT. :roll: But the main problem with that seemed to be the washer bottle having plain water in it with no additive (in December) - the joys of buying from a "village garage"!

Had the same problem the day I collected my current Z4, but that was because the filters were clogged with what looked like blue "snot" so it had been given additive but from what I have read different ones don't seem to mix too well! Probably why BMW recommend only genuine BMW additive!

Ignored that and got some yellow stuff in Tescos - I figure so long as I only use the same product I should be OK, and it isn't too big a job anyway although they are both working fine so far!

FWIW I found an old toothbrush really effective for cleaning the filters.
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by Ducklakeview » Sun Jan 15, 2017 10:16 pm

I did mine a few weeks back, it was rank inside, with what looked like mouldy jelly in the bottom!

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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by idej_z4 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 10:37 pm

Great write up! Mine has not been firing properly so I'm going to have a go at doing this...cheers!

:D

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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by Mr Tidy » Sun Jan 15, 2017 10:56 pm

idej_jedi wrote: Great write up! Mine has not been firing properly so I'm going to have a go at doing this...cheers!
Just be aware that you probably have 2 washer motors and filters as I'm pretty sure all E86s had headlight washers as standard (both of mine had them). If you have Xenons you will definitely have headlight washers.

It took me a few minutes of patient wiggling to get the reservoir out but the results were well worth it!

Just noticed the reservoir is bigger than the engine - someone must have got the numbers back to front when they designed the car! I'd have been happy with a 3 litre reservoir and a 5.3 litre engine! :lol:
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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by idej_z4 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 11:14 pm

Mr Tidy wrote:
idej_jedi wrote: Great write up! Mine has not been firing properly so I'm going to have a go at doing this...cheers!
Just be aware that you probably have 2 washer motors and filters as I'm pretty sure all E86s had headlight washers as standard (both of mine had them). If you have Xenons you will definitely have headlight washers.

It took me a few minutes of patient wiggling to get the reservoir out but the results were well worth it!

Just noticed the reservoir is bigger than the engine - someone must have got the numbers back to front when they designed the car! I'd have been happy with a 3 litre reservoir and a 5.3 litre engine! :lol:
Not sure I could live with the MPG of 5.3 litre...3 is bad enough! Thanks for the heads up. :thumbsup:

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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by stevengude » Mon Jan 16, 2017 10:00 pm

I did this a couple of weeks ago, definately a handy guide

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Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

Post by Magicarcher » Tue Mar 28, 2017 5:54 pm

DMC63 wrote:In short I ran my washer bottle dry. After refilling washer, jets to windscreen failed to work.
Wish I would have found this earlier, the exact same thing happened to me, ran dry at weekend, filled to the brim with water and washer fluid. Now when I operate the washers, I get bubbles and dribbles out of the two windscreen washers. Just checked inside the bottle, my pink washer fluid looks like canal water. Wish I would have found this post earlier.

Is there an easy way to stop it peeing everywhere when I remove the bottom hose?
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