2000 Astra - Windscreen Wash filter clearance

The filter on my Astra got blocked totally, and Haynes indicated that
renewing the filter required removal of both the front bumper and the LH
wheel-arch trim. Checking the web archives indicated that just the trim
needed to be loosened. Neither of these struck me as attractive techniques
in view of my not finding new wheel-arch trim fixings in Halfords etc.
With suitable precautions, I tried dissolving the crud but that wasn't
successful. (I live in a hard water area.)

What did work was to use the garden hose, and back flush the washer pipework
and reservoir from the near side washer jet hose. This is accessible after
removing the rubber seal at the rear of the engine compartment, and then
releasing the black plastic trim from below the windscreen. (No screws
involved.) Reducing the 0.5" bore of my garden hose to the 3mm or so
required to fit the washer hose was more miss than hit, and I got pretty wet
from the mains water pressure spray! It took quite a long time before the
water overflowing from the washer bottle reservoir came clean, and that was
with some persuasion from the garden hose pushed into the bottle, and
waggled around.

Anyway, my washers now have more guts than they've had in years. (I did buy
a new filter and was surprised that it was as little as ~£2 from the main
dealer.)

Has anyone had this job done by a dealer ? Cost ?

 

When my pump failed the nice girl at the dealership said it would be
£60 for them to have a look. She wouldn't give me the price for the
pump!

I obtained a pump from another dealer for about £30 and fitted it
myself. Haynes is wrong ... you can get access by removing two of the
torx screws holding the wheel arch liner in place. Replacing the filter
would not be difficult.

Best wishes,

JB.

 

A bit off topic for this group, but a few years ago the heater fan on my
Safrane failed. Main dealer quoted >£700 - roughly £350 for the fan (a/c
type) and the rest for fitting. I got a salvaged fan for £100 post paid,
and had it fitted in 45 minutes. And that was away from home, without a
manual and the first time I'd done that job. With practice and 20-30 years
off my age, I'd have done it in 15-20 minutes.

....in Blackpool. So that's why they're so expensive.
--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK
http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm



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