Confused german headlamp washers

[Widge]

Hi guys,
It appears that the little german dwaf behind the grille in my '88 325i is getting altsheimers , he is 17 years old bless him, and probably hasn't been fed for a while.
When I press the wiper stalk to wash the screen the lights get washed too every time, and they get washed for about 3 times longer than the screen, this even happens when the lights are off. I dunno how it is supposed to work but that can't be right. is there an ecu or elector gatety bit that has got broken and is supposed to control the wiping etc...
As for the rest the six bavarian midgets under the bonnet still peddle quite hard when you use the pokin pedal
Seriously any help would be greatly appreciated,
I can deal with mechanical but electronics is too much for me,
Cheers
Dave

[sabrje]

There's a relay attached to the washer reservoirs - try swapping that for a different one. Mine got to the point where it was squirting water on the headlights as soon as I turned the ignition on and emptying the reservoir - swapping the relay sorted that little problem for me...

[Widge]

Cheers Mate
I'll try that at the w/end when I can get near a scrappy.

[sabrje]

If you're still looking one's just come up on e-bay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 59593&rd=1

[Widge]

Cheers mate but I got one in a scrap yard for Ԛ£1
It hasen't solved the problem though. I think it is the motors because the left one is supposed to control the right one.

[Drew]

I have a similar problem but i cant get my headlight wasers to work with the lights on or off,Could that be the relay as well the fuses are fine.

[Widge]

Dunno mate. I still haven't got mine working. If you wan't I can email you a PDF that explains how to get the motors working again. I think it sounds like yours are siezed. My left one works but the right dosen't and it sprays water for ages. I will keep looking. I wonder if any of the guys on the forum used to be BMW mechanics?

[Drew]

That will be great mate cheers,Excuse me for being thick but whats a pdf.My email ad is on my profile.

[Widge]

Hi mate can't find your email on your profile.
A PDF is an Adobe Acrobat file, you can download an Acrobat reader for free.

[320Touring]

was just about to post a new topic about this but saw this just in time

my headlamp washers spray forever, so guess i'll check that relay!think i'll prob have to rebuild the wiper motors too!

[Brianmoooore]

The headlamp washers aren't dependant on the headlamp wipers working. i.e. water should still be sprayed onto the headlamps, even though the (probably seized) wiper motors don't work. No water is probably a dud pump, a leak in the pipework (especially the white non return valves), or the control relay mounted on the washer bottles.
Remember when working on the headlamp wash/wipe that it only works with the lights on, and then only every fifth? application of the screen washers.
Easiest way to sort the system, is to unplug the wipers and washer pump, and to power them one at a time with a fused lead from the battery, then deal with the control ststem last.

[Widge]

Mine work it's just the conrol system thats buggered. I think they're supposed to wash and wipe every 10 sweeps of the screen wipers.