Windscreen washer jets

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Windscreen washer jets

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Mark

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My windscreen washer jets have always been weak and barely managed a dribble, but I've always got by. Now neither of them are working at all. I'm assuming they're blocked. I've tried brushing them with a toothbrush etc, but to no avail.

If I buy a pair of new jets will this solve the problem do you reckon? Or could it be a problem with the tank or tubes or whatever? PS. the tank has been freshly topped up with washer fluid so its not that!

Finally, how much should I be looking to pay for a pair, and are there any good mail order websites I can get them off?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Mark
 
Open the bonnet and run the washers, does water run out from behind the felt sound deadening?

New jets are
 
OK, opened the bonnet and ran the washers. Still nothing coming out, even with gravity on my side! I've checked the felt under the bonnet and nothing seems to be leaking behind it. The tank is full and it makes the buzzing noise, but nothing is coming out - not even a dribble anymore.

Should I get myself a new set of jets do u reckon then?
 
Have exactly the same problem.

If you remove the jets from the bonnet, you can clean them fairly easily if the jet holes themselves are not blocked.

Take the jet and remove the connecting arm (just clicks into place) you should be able to see the internal cavity and any crud that is blocking the holes.

It's about a 5 minute job.

Once you have the jets off, you may want to run a screenwash tankfull of warm water, losening up any crud floating around in the tank and pipework.
If no water comes out, it is your one-way valve (y shaped object which splits the line into two) that is at fault.

Each item is around the £2 mark.

I need to strip the pump out, as I think there are remants of rain-x washer additive that initially was superb but with time, tends to form into jelly like globules that tend to block up the jets from the inside.
 
That's a great help, cheers. I'll go and give that a try in a minute. Hopefuly clear it up once and for all. Ever since I've had this Brava there hasn't been a couple of weeks gone by where SOMETHING isn't wrong with it! Just little niggly things really which makes it all the more annoying. Cheers again.
 
If you manage to clear it up once and for all, I tip my hat you sir.


I've had my Bravo from new for 8 years.
Have changed jets 5 times so far. Even if you buy new ones, eventually they will get blocked.

Whenever you see a screenwash that claims to reduce wiper judder, it is because a specific type of polymer is part of the concuction. If you go for months without re-filling, the fluid tends to degrade forming the annoying jelly film that starts to block things up.

I don't know if replacing the pump will eradicate the problem. Perhaps with a super healthy pump offering the correct pressure, the film-crap gets blasted out.

I dunno for sure, but it's a theory.

The cleaning out operation should last a couple of months at least.
I think new pumps are around the 20-25 quid mark.
 
Oh, one final tip.

For periodically cleaning out the actual jet holes, try using an interdental brush of 0.3mm or less. Won't damage the shape of the jet hole, so won't affect the spray pattern.
 
Oh well, at least i know what to do when it does block again!

One more question. I've unplugged the tubes from the jets and the fluid flows out of these perfectly, so its definitely the jets that are blocked. Thing is, i cant release the jets from the bonnet. How do I remove them cos I cant understand what the haynes manual is going on about!

Cheers once more
 
They are locked in by two plastic shoulders.

Just squeeze the shoulders as you push the jet upwards out from the bonnet.
 
Once you've removed the jet body from the bonnet, gently angle the connector away and it will unclick from the bulky part (what is actually visible from the outside).


After cleaning all the crap out, I tend to boil up some water, add some biological washing powder, it froths up, let it cool down just a little bit and throw the jet parts into the mixture and let them sit for a short while so that all the gunk loosens up. Scrub and rinse well and they're ready to be put back together again and reinstalled.
 

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