Headlamp Washers
 

I've been working on my car today trying to get my headlamp washers to work and to trace a mysterious leak from the washer bottle.

I'm having a problem with understanding how the whole system works. From the washer bottle there is a small pump that propels water through a single tube to the two headlamp washers. Fine, no problem there.

Now, beneath the bottle is a second opening into a thicker tube that goes under the air filter housing and then disappears into the inner wing. I take it this takes the water to the two headlamp washers. From the same hole in the inner wing where the tube disappears comes another tube identical to the one that takes water to the windscreen washers. This tube goes back towards the washer bottle but terminates just beneath it and is connected to nothing.

Q1. What exactly is happening with these two tubes?

Q2. How does the water get pumped to the headlamps when the only pump in the bottle supplies water only to the windscreen?

Please explain to me how this system works before I go mad.:confused: :eek: :mad:

Further to my baffling headlamp washers (see above) I noticed the water leaking out of the car today after my daughter pointed it out in a car park. I popped the bonnet and with a torch peered down into the darkness. The water was trickling out from the tube I mentioned before that returns from inside the inner wing and stops just short of the washer bottle.

Why the hell is the water going out from the bottle through the wide tube and off into the inner wing and returning via a smaller tube and depositing all the water on the road beneath it??????:(

Gee, I'd love to help, but, U.S. CARS DIDN'T COME WITH HEADLAMP WASHERS! I FEEL SO CHEATED!!!!

Okay, I'm better now. Hope you get it sorted. :D

Perhaps it's better to not have something to start with than to have something that doesn't bloody work at all. :mad:

Yes, that would drive me mad. :D

I can't be of much help either since Japanese SVX's also don't have headlamp washers. However I did have one thought...

What if the fat tube goes to a pump somewhere and the thin tube is supposed to go from that pump to the washers, but somebody has disconnected it (perhaps they removed the bumper for some reason) and stuffed it back through the hole in the inner wing to get it out of the way?

Does water spray from the tube when you press the headlamp washer button?

Phil.

Japanese cars don't have headlamp washers? :eek: I'm shocked, I thought they had everything.

Water just dribbles from the pipe no matter what button I push. I think as the heat in the engine bay rises the water in the tank expands and forces its way through the headlamp washer system resulting in a dribble from this 'mystery' tube. I only seem to lose water from the bottle after a drive, never when the engine is cold.

Does anyone have an exploded view from a microfiche or something that shows how the headlamp washer works? As I said on another thread the only action I get when I the headlamp washer button is the sound of a relay or motor working behind me to the right of the rear seat.

Hi Montza, try www.subaruparts.com, there are many diagrams of SVX parts, including tranny, engine...etc. Maybe you will find it there.
Peter

Thanks for the advice my friend, I had a good look at the various diagrams but nothing came up for headlamp washers. I suppose as they weren't available on US cars they don't need to post the diagrams on the website.

This whole headlamp washer thing has got me bamboozled. I hope someone can help as it's keeping me awake at nights......well, maybe not that bad.:) Someone with a GB-spec must have worked on this part of the car at some time. Perhaps our Austalian friends have washers too and can help.

I will try to look today, if the weather is OK.

Try putting whisky in your washer bottle and gin in your rad. All you then need to do it taste this water dribbling out and you will know where it is from. :D :D :D

Hi guys have you solve it out? Shall I check my dealer for some pictures?
Peter

Sorry aweful weather at the moment. Will try again over the weekend if things are better

That would be great if you could. I'll ring my local dealer too and see if they can help. Finding out how the washers work will probably benefit all of us at some point.

Cheers mate, if I get a chance too (baby permitting) I'll get outside and try and work out how the hell these washers work.:rolleyes:

Hiya,
I have visited my dealer today and I looked at the schema. It is too complicated. They will send it to me on monday via email so I will pass it to Montza. I am working on to get the compleet configurator for SVX (torso at www.subaruparts.com) from them on CD. It is SVX decomposed to screws including subaru part numbers. Are you guys interested? I do no know weather it covers also right-steering version, it is in german language but the diagrams are perfect guides how it is assembled.
Peter