I'm back from a quick run to U. of Cinci. In the rainy mist I discovered I have no fluid in the back. I just filled up the tank. I hear the motor when I turn the switch, but nothing is happening. Looks like the hole is in the wiper itself. Aaron replaced the wiper for me last fall. Is there something I need to do? Take it off and blow it out? Duck tape?

 

Proceed with caution!!!! The early Minis had a bad habit of burning out the washer fluid pump. I think they share a resivoir, but I could be wrong.

What happened was the motor used the fluid as a coolant and if you ran the pump when there was no fluid the motor got too hot and stoped working.

 

OK. I'll be careful. My neighbor came over who has the 02MCS. We got a little fluid coming out when I totally filled the tank, so I think it's a clog. She is going to ask her husband what he has done in the past with a similar problem.... maybe sticking a pin in the hole... maybe compressed air or water. I hope that is all it takes.

 

If your front washer works, there is a good chance your rear washer is just clogged. To clear the clog, you need to remove (unsnap) the plastic part of the wiper at the pivot point that has the squirter. This will expose a metal nipple which could be clogged with gunk. Take a pin and clean out the tube and try the washer. It should let go a stream about the diameter of pee and shoot about 5 feet. ( This is a good feature to annoy tailgaters, by the way). Once the tube is clear snap the plastic cover back on and see if the problem is cured. If not, you'll have to clear the gunk out of the plastic piece. The air cannisters for cleaning computer equipment works good for this,
Good luck.
George

 

[QUOTE=ramjet77;2128950]If your front washer works

Excellent info. Thanks a lot!

 

I think George is thinking of man pee "It should let go a stream about the diameter of pee and shoot about 5 feet." I would go with bigger than a squirt gun smaller than a fire hose

 

Man pee was assumed although I didn't really dwell on it. I'm sure this will now take a nice turn off topic. Meanwhile my lunch was cancelled, so I'll go out in a bit and mess with my wiper.

HEY... what is that headlight washer thing anyway? The second place to fill fluid on the right as you are looking at the engine. I looked in the "MANual" and didn't see a decent explanation of what that does/how I make it do it.

 

No worries I can take any conversation back to the third grade level instantly

As for the lamp washers i do not have them so I do not know how they work :(

 

Latest report... the plastic cover was removed successfully. The man pee stream worked fine -- I'd say about 12 feet (dogs on driveway were impressed!), so the clog is in the plastic part that has a right angle bend. Toothpick frags didn't work. I'll go to the car wash with the power wand and blast it and if that doesn't work, get a can of air.

 

bread wrapper wire with the covering stripped off works great for cleaning that

 

Another great idea!
I'm just back from the DIY carwash where I chased the plastic piece around the stall with the high pressure wand. Put it back on. Presto. That did it. Back to normal outflow.

Now to figure out the lamp washing thing... anyone???

 

I think I actually do know how it works. If you are driving with your wippers on and your headlights on it will squirt fluid every so many swipes to clean the lenses. I could be very wrong, so I hope others will chime in on this.

 

My 03, 06, and now the 07 cars with headlamp washers would wash the headlamps every third time I washed the windshield only when the headlights were on.

 

Your car has an enlarged prostrate. Guess you now know your car is a male. Best get him to the doctor for a check up.

 

[QUOTE=rigidjunkie;2129729 driving with your wippers on [/QUOTE]

Is that like a wipper snapper?

 

I will begin a regimen of Flomax immediately.

 

Sounds like the cure.