Obsolete parts, now getting worried

[steve2006]

Over the last few months I had noticed my windscreen washer jets were becoming very weak and it got to the point where they were just getting the water a few inches up the windscreen so investigation required.

Plenty of time spare at the moment ( I’m on call so have to be available) so today decided to take a look.

The Celsior is a little different in respect to the Lexus LS400 in that it has the normal screen wash reservoir in the wheel arch but also has a rinse bottle at the front of the car behind the bumper crash bar. The apparent reason is you wash the windscreen and then rinse with plain water from the front tank. The wiper stalk has push forward for one function and push the end button for the other.

First check was the washer nozzles which were all clear, (tip to remove them is to slide a credit card under the nozzle facing side which will release the tang allowing it to pop up then repeat at the other side).

On the Celsior there is a double pipe connector just before it enters inside the bonnet, I disconnected this and tried the washers, water poured out of both so supply was there.

I then concluded that there must be a blockage between the pipes inside the bonnet and the nozzles which there was but here’s the problem. There is a little device which connects both the screen wash and rinse pipes and then has 2 outlets to the nozzles and this was the cause of the problem, nothing was coming out.

A quick check on Toyodiy showed the part and provided the part number...putting the number into Amayama revealed it was obsolete.

I also think this part is not only a combiner but has a one way valve inside.

I decided to order a couple of Y pieces and a one way valve but Toyota decided to use  an internal diameter of 4mm on one reservoir pipe and 6mm on the other so also had to get a suitable reducer.

The annoying thing was the part price was listed at around £3.00 and for once it has cost me more to make a replacement. 

I seem to remember other parts for the earlier models which are now becoming obsolete which could be the end of the line if a substitute cannot be obtained.

 

[Malc]

22 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

if a substitute cannot be obtained

I'm quite sure that ingenuity will not be short when it comes to you thinking hard about substituting the existing for a completely different set-up from a more modern and available model / marque .................. these cars cannot simply be " gone  " for the sake of a windscreen wash arrangement that's a little  " out of the box  "

your ingenuity will prevail for sure 

Malc

[LexIS200Sport]

That is basically what's happening with my '82 Datsun Laurel. I'm having to either fabricate replacement bits or find close match with adjacent models of that period.

I have had some success with BeForward where Amayama had failed. They are basically an online broker for parts breakers in Japan.

For more recognised models like my R31 Skyline (and I'd imagine the Celsior too), Yahoo auctions Japan was also a good source for obscure parts. 

[steve2006]

Yesterday the new Central Locking system got fitted so today, having now got most of the parts, it was back to sorting the windscreen washer problem.

I joined the 2 washer nozzle pipes together using one of the 4mm Y pieces easy enough.

As previously mentioned the car has both a wash and rinse reservoir and one uses a 4mm pipe the other 6mm so I fitted an in-line plastic reducer on the 6mm so we’re all 4mm now. 

Another Y piece connected the 2 reservoir pipes together and an additional short piece of pipe connected the 2 Y pieces together.

I wasn’t sure if I needed some non return valves, I did order some but failed to notice that they were being sent from China with  May/June delivery date but it all seems OK without them with instant water flow when demanded and no apparent back flow between the reservoirs. If I do get problems I’ll fit them on arrival.

Adjusted the nozzles for aim with a fine needle and working well.

I managed to break the clips that fasten the sound deadening to the bonnet which needs to be partially removed to get to the plumbing but ordered 10 replacements from flea bay for a couple of pounds and fitted fine.

[Malc]

my screen washer nozzle non-return valves on my 56 plate Honda Legend are still available thankfully at £15.80 incl vat ............. I replaced one last December and the other side the year before ..............and a £1 cheaper then .......  so if these last another 13 / 14 years / 128k miles I'll be happy .........  but rubbish longevity compared to the Lexus for sure

Malc

I tried to persuade her to have a Ls400 back in 2016 when we got the car .....  something about herd immunity against breakdowns was mentioned at the time

[Malc]

39 minutes ago, Greer said:

what about those for breaking

not many 94 Celsior imports though !

Malc

[Malc]

sorry, I thought the issue was the special washer nozzles not specific to our usual Ls400s !

Malc

[steve2006]

To clarify the washer nozzles are fine and the same as the LS400. Apparently the LS430 nozzles also fit and these have 3 jets instead of 2 on each nozzle giving an improved spray onto the windscreen. 

The main difference is that the Celsior has both a wash function from the normally positioned reservoir in the front left wheelarch and a rinse (plain water) reservoir behind the front bumper beam although I top both up with screen wash in case the front one freezes up in the winter with just water in it.