Citroen ZX windscreen washer help

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angle
Posts: 21
Joined: 23 Apr 2013, 08:44
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Citroen ZX windscreen washer help

Post by angle »

Hi,

I'm new to Citroens, having bought a '92 ZX 1.6 Aura as a temporary car last year. I liked it too much to sell it when I left the country for a while, so its been standing since last August - I was really impressed when I gave it a wash and put it in for an MOT to see how much it had deteriorated and it only failed on the windscreen washer not working.

The thing is - the problem isn't immediately obvious, so any help before I start replacing parts at random would be really appreciated. Neither the front or rear washers are working, although when you pull / twist the column stalk the front / rear wipers come on as normal, which makes me think its not the stalk, but there's no noise from the washer pump. The fuse (assuming its F2, the handbook says this is for front and rear wipers and 'high pressure pump') is intact, and I've blown through the piping from the non-return valve under the bonnet to the windscreen jets. The obvious thing would therefore seem to be the pump, although I haven't got back from work at a sensible enough time to start messing about under the car yet. The thing is, having contacted the very helpful Adrian at French Auto Parts, apparently mine is an early model with separate front and rear pumps. Are they really both going to have failed, or is there something I've missed?
citronut
Posts: 10937
Joined: 29 Apr 2005, 00:46
Location: United Kingdom east sussex
My Cars:
x 92

Re: Citroen ZX windscreen washer help

Post by citronut »

hi and welcome

these pumps can fail through lack of use,

i would not say a 92 model is an early car

i just looked on service citroen and it shows three different part No.'s over the ZX range, and going by the drawings they all mount in the washer tank at the front of the car,

i think it is more likely you have one pump for both as both ends dont work,

sometimes give the pump a bash whilst someone is operating the switch can bring them back to life,

if you send me the last 8 digits of your chassis/VIN No. i will get the OE part No. specific to your car,

were are you located
Regards, malcolm.

current ride a BX 1.7 TZD estate
1986 MK1 BX 1.9na D Auto(in Mothman Andy's stable )
layed up roppy 1.9TD XANT estate, now gone to meet her maker
purple and lilac metalic 2CV(VIOLET)registered to her in doors
1972 DS special been layed up aprox 31 years
beko1987
Posts: 219
Joined: 19 Nov 2012, 13:59
Location: Thame, Oxon
My Cars: 2002 Xsara HDI 110
x 16

Re: Citroen ZX windscreen washer help

Post by beko1987 »

My XM was bought with 'broken' washer jets, with no noise from the pump. A quick unblosk had it sorted.

Have you taken the main screenwash feed pipe off and pulled the stalk? Soon tell you if the pump is working or not. Stale old screenwash could have congealed or similar in the nozzles?
1997 Citroen ZX
1997 Citroen XM
1994 Citroen ZX
1997 Citroen Xantia
2005 Renault Laguna
2001 Renault Laguna
2002 Peugeot 406

1997 Citroen ZX
2002 Citroen Xsara
angle
Posts: 21
Joined: 23 Apr 2013, 08:44
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Re: Citroen ZX windscreen washer help

Post by angle »

Thanks for all the help so far - I've made sure there's no blockages in the nozzles or the bits of pipe that are accessible from the engine bay, so looks like I might have to get the wheel and arch liner off and have a poke around. I'll report back.

Citronut - I've sent you a PM with the VIN, thank you.
beko1987
Posts: 219
Joined: 19 Nov 2012, 13:59
Location: Thame, Oxon
My Cars: 2002 Xsara HDI 110
x 16

Re: Citroen ZX windscreen washer help

Post by beko1987 »

I stripped a screenwash motor apart on a landie a little while ago, it was a simple little thing. A bit of dis-assembly and a prod with some WD40 may coax it back into life? May be worth chucking a multimeter on the plug before you start so you don't waste an afternoon in the sun drinking beer and working and find out it's another fault.

Hang on, that sounds like a lovely way to spend a day, ignore me! :twisted:
1997 Citroen ZX
1997 Citroen XM
1994 Citroen ZX
1997 Citroen Xantia
2005 Renault Laguna
2001 Renault Laguna
2002 Peugeot 406

1997 Citroen ZX
2002 Citroen Xsara
citronut
Posts: 10937
Joined: 29 Apr 2005, 00:46
Location: United Kingdom east sussex
My Cars:
x 92

Re: Citroen ZX windscreen washer help

Post by citronut »

service citroen dose list two seperate pumps for front and rear below are price and part No.'s using your chassis No.

Part Number Description Quantity Price excl. VAT Price incl. VAT Total incl. VAT Selection
0000643458 WINDOW WASHER PUMP 23.22 GBP 27.86 GBP 27.86 GBP

0000643460 WINDOW WASHER PUMP 37.04 GBP 44.45 GBP 44.45 GBP

i would still check the pumps and there plugs out directly before you get new pump/s,

firstly pull the plug off and back on of each pump, if still nout give them a tap whilst someone operates the stalk/switch,

i think the pumps used to be around £8 or £9 quid each from the likes of GSF

obviously being two pumps they will have one outlet spout each,
Regards, malcolm.

current ride a BX 1.7 TZD estate
1986 MK1 BX 1.9na D Auto(in Mothman Andy's stable )
layed up roppy 1.9TD XANT estate, now gone to meet her maker
purple and lilac metalic 2CV(VIOLET)registered to her in doors
1972 DS special been layed up aprox 31 years
angle
Posts: 21
Joined: 23 Apr 2013, 08:44
Location:
My Cars:

Re: Citroen ZX windscreen washer help

Post by angle »

So, with the help of my girlfriend's tiny hands I managed to get the pumps off at the weekend, and it quickly became clear that no amount of fiddling with connections, hitting with a hammer, swearing or weeping was going to make them work. So, after failing to persuade any mail order companies to send me one first class today I went and bought Brixton's entire stock of early 90's PSA washer pumps (one each in stock from ECP and GSF), £20 and £16 respectively. Switched them over, and... a jet of water comes flying out of the corner of the bonnet at a 45 degree angle to the car. Leak promptly covered up with duct tape, and I have working washers! Retest here I come, thanks for all your help everyone.
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