Cleaning inside of washer bottle and filters E85

[DMC63]

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.


1. First remove the washer bottle. Undo the bolt


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.

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.


Will post a continuation....

 

[DMC63]

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

Chain and sponge

Dirty bottle. This bottle is really gunked up. No point in just cleaning the filter.

 

[DMC63]

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.

 

[DMC63]

 

[Chris_D]

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.... :?

 

[DMC63]

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:

 

[NickDE]

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

 

[DMC63]

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.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Really helpful guide OP.

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.

 

[Ducklakeview]

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

Mike

 

[idej_z4]

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

 

[Mr Tidy]

[post]1377944[/post] 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:

 

[idej_z4]

[post]1377944[/post] 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.

 

[stevengude]

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

 

[Magicarcher]

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?

 

[Mr Tidy]

[post]1404826[/post] 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?

It won't lose much when you take the hose off the pump - just make sure you leave the pump (or pumps if you have headlight washers) in the tank until you've got it out of the car!

 

[Magicarcher]

OK so I just took my washer bottle out and the insides and filters were full of black slimey gunge. The filters were very filthy on both pumps. Cleaned them all up so they were spotless (used a wine makers brush for cleaning demijohns it worked a treat).

Connected back up put the washers on, windscreen motor whirs away but no water comes out so I am figuring the pipes have been blocked? It looks a bit of a pain to change as it is bound up with wiring harnesses. I have a couple of thoughts:

1) disconnect both ends and use air compressor from jets to bottle direction to try and push out any blockage. Not sure about this as the high pressure may rupture the tube
2) use the inner stainless multicore brake cable and feed it down the pipe

Any thoughts?

Also the headlamp wash wasn't working at all, no motor sound. Do the headlamps only wash when headlights are turned on?

 

[DMC63]

It shouldn't really pee everywhere as the filter is probably blocked. It'll more likely dribble.

 

[theribs]

I know the post is a little old now but just had the same problem myself with my 56 plate 3.0si. Ten years of grime finally blocked everything!
I could not believe the amount of "stuff" in the bottom of the reservoir. Managed to clean it all up though, now I can spray people on the path 10ft away :rofl:

Though you might like to see some before and after shots.

 

[B!5cu!t]

I need to do this asap ... thanks for the information.