What makes a screen wash pump fail?

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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

What makes a screen wash pump fail?

Post by motco »

I don't drive my Z3 a lot and it tends to be in fine weather so the wipers and washers are not often used. The car has done only about 46,000 miles since it was built in the final week of production in 2002 anyway. So why did my screen washer pump die with no warning last week? It had worked perfectly last time I used it and I don't use it for long squirts - just pulses - so it has/had an easy life.

An eBay £7.99 special fitted this afternoon has sorted my problem in about fifteen minutes work - most of which is emptying the reservoir and refilling it afterwards. BMW supplied VDO units cost c.$45.00 according to RealOEM and are demonstrably not bullet proof, so an eBay special is the obvious choice.
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: What makes a screen wash pump fail?

Post by mrscalex »

It might have become clogged. Or it might just have given up.

I don’t think 16 years is too bad. My brother’s 8 years old 1 Series pump has stopped working. And I’ll have to take the driver wing off for that.
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2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: What makes a screen wash pump fail?

Post by motco »

mrscalex wrote: Fri 27 Jul, 2018 14:07 It might have become clogged. Or it might just have given up.

I don’t think 16 years is too bad. My brother’s 8 years old 1 Series pump has stopped working. And I’ll have to take the driver wing off for that.
I suppose that's progress! Mine should not have been clogged as I pressure hosed the reservoir out not long ago - pump removed. Because my tin-top has headlight washers and needs filtered water to avoid scaling up of the nozzles, I use demineralised water for the screen wash in both cars. Maybe that's the problem because demin water has no chlorine in and it will grow algae more readily?
TWO
Joined: Tue 05 Apr, 2011 22:04
Posts: 177

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Chelmsford

Re: What makes a screen wash pump fail?

Post by TWO »

I had exactly the same problem. Hardly ever used and failed on MOT DOH!!!

I removed and cleaned the windscreen water bottle pump (full of congealed windscreen washer additive) which worked for about a week.

Replaced with new OEM pump for about £18.00 ish...….cheaper ones are available; but how much do you love your Zed :)

My recommendation is to replace with new; saves having to repeat the process several times, and give windscreen a blast once a month, just to keep the pump turning over.


Good Luck
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Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Re: What makes a screen wash pump fail?

Post by Mike Fishwick »

You do not give us the full story - did the motor fail, or did it run but not pump anything?

Older washer pumps (up to the early 2000's or so) have a habit of the impeller coming loose on the shaft.
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: What makes a screen wash pump fail?

Post by motco »

Mike Fishwick wrote: Sun 29 Jul, 2018 07:42 You do not give us the full story - did the motor fail, or did it run but not pump anything?

Older washer pumps (up to the early 2000's or so) have a habit of the impeller coming loose on the shaft.
Mike, it was silent, dead, not moving, expired - much like the proverbial Norwegian Blue parrot! The car is June/July 2002 (cannot recall which) in last week of production of Z3. The old pump is on the bench in my workshop and I may well dismember it, when I'm feeling destructive, to do a post-mortem.
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: What makes a screen wash pump fail?

Post by motco »

Seized motor due to corrosion. Once removed it was possible to make it run after a bit of tweaking, but it chattered furiously with dry bearings. It now lies in the bin. :?

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