Useless screen washer jets

[black-cat]

Got a bit of a problem with my 166, the screen washers are awful.

From my experiences with other Italian cars, I'd say that the non-return valves are shot. e-learn only shows how to remove the pump or the jets themselves. ePER shows 2 non-return valves on the parts diagram but no location information.

Has anyone found where the valves are located?

And is it just me or is the automatic spray the screen then wipe feature truly annoying? I forsee that being bypassed very soon. With the current state of my washers it starts to wipe the screen before you get any water on it.

[Mitch166]

I would start with replacing the jet heads. These are not very expensive from Alfa (no point using second hand!) People tend to do stupid things like sticking pins in the holes, this often just results in restricting the water flow. Once they are working correctly you will find the auto feature excellent!

[black-cat]

I don't think they are the root cause of the problem. The motor has to run for several seconds before water comes out which indicates to me the pipes are empty. Had the same issue on my Fiat and it was the non-return valve which had failed.

[tul66]

[Once they are working correctly you will find the auto feature excellent![/QUOTE]

That's ok if your washers aren't frozen. All you do is smear all the c**p over the screen so you can't see.

Is it just me, or should heated washer jets be fitted as standard on all cars?

[Mitch166]

Strengthen your screen wash is the easiest solution

[black-cat]

Heated washers certainly used to be a factory option on Saabs.

On my Fiat the pipes ran between the bonnet skin and the sound deadening so they were nicely insulated from the engine heat.

[Ken]

Originally Posted by tul66

[Once they are working correctly you will find the auto feature excellent!

That's ok if your washers aren't frozen. All you do is smear all the c**p over the screen so you can't see.

Is it just me, or should heated washer jets be fitted as standard on all cars? [/QUOTE]

Have a look here: http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-...-motoring.html (Winter Motoring)

[black-cat]

Oooo... project!

I wonder how many 166s have the heated screen.

[bryce166]

Tonight I thought I'd been jinxed by reading this article - the jet juice had run out today and the wife put more in I got her to confirm exactly where she put the water, luckily it was the correct place, however the jets were no longer working.
(once when I asked her to check the oil level she filled it up to the top of the filler cap on the 156)
I saw the headlamp washers were working fine so water was getting through, just nothing from either windscreen nozzle, so I flushed the jets heads with neat screen solution and worked in with a brush - hey presto some action but not brill - repeated this 3 times and now she'll probably go through the whole tank in one day. Possibly she was dragging the dregs from the bottom of the tank which blocked the tiny holes in the jets.

Panic over

[niallmoran]

Originally Posted by black-cat

Oooo... project!

I wonder how many 166s have the heated screen.

I do