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Retro Fit Washer Level Sensor


ajt
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When I first tried the ELMconfig utility, see guides, I turned on the low washer level warning, which I then quickly turned off as it always chimed I had low level. Oviously sensopr was not fitted.

The main reason I want this facility is because it is most annoying when you get a dribble and it only smears and makes the windscreen even more opaque. The fact that it is illegal to drive with an empty washer bottle, well there's another good reason.

As we all know the level of the bottle cannot be seen without removing offside wheel and wheel arch liner. Now I don't mind doing this once a week....oh no wait, I mean how stupid that the level cannot be determined without stripping the car.

So I thought it cant be that difficult to retro fit so off to eBay I went.

I purchased an secondhand vauxhall omega level sensor, main reason being that it came with the rubber grommet attached. Less than a fiver delivered. It was waiting for me when I came home for lunch, so I stuck my multimeter on it and found it had a resistance of approximately 200ohms when closed and infinite when open, so seemed ok to me (though I must admit I assumed it woould read closer to 0Ohms when closed).

I miced the grommet at its thinest poit and found it to have a diameter of 19.86 mm. So i took an old mop bucket (flat sides) and drilled an 18mm hole. I pushed the grommet in and then the sensor into the grommet. Perfect fit. Went back to work.

Left work just after 4 and stripped out the water bottle. I was slightly disappointed to find no plug for a sensor, but did note that the connector feeding the washer pump had an additional 4 wires in it, and noted two of these to be both Orange/black, which to me implies they should be connected by perhaps the level sensor! So off i went.

1. The inside arch of the washer bottle had a nice flat, with a circle marked on it. I used this as my template to drill and proceeded to make an 18mm hole (with a step drill).

2. The rubber grommet has a flat on it, which lined up exaclty with the flat on the washer bottle.

3. I then extended the wires from the sensor, and cut the orange black wires going to the socket and joined the two pairs together with bullet connectors.

4. Used ELMConfig and turned the warning back on, but could not get it to trip the warning with a completely empty or full bottle. So put it all back together and shall have a play at the weekend.

Update (couple of hours later):

It is now working, with no other changes see post 5 and 6

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Just did a search for "washer level grommet" on the e bay, scary money for a bit of rubber.

Anyone wanting to do this should get the omega sensor with grommet, and then throw the sensor away! It looks like to ford one I have purchased is almost identical to the omega one, with the exception that it is new.

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i stll find it mad that my 2006 zetec climate has it maybe easier to get the bottle out of one

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It works.... Couldn't leave it alone until the weekend, so just went out for quick drive and WANING LOW WASHER FLUID beeeeep.....yeay! :)

Put a litre of screen wash in and warning has gone. Result.

Must be some built in hysterisis that needs it to be low for a certain amount of time, live and learn.

@artscot:

Wouldn't you know it, just changed my search on eBay to be "zetec washer bottle" rather than "focus washer bottle", and hit this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-FORD-FOCUS-ZETEC-1-6-WASHER-BOTTLE-AND-PUMP-/290694573360?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43aebf2d30

So complete item including sensor and loom (note sensor is exactly where I put it, sweet), so should be quite straight forward remembering you need elmconfig to turn the option on, which I have and am willing within reason to assist anybody.

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The new level sensore I ordered off eBay arrived yesterday, and as I was already under the the car (removing starter) I thought I may aswell switch the new one in.

I checked its resistance first and found it to be 1 Ohm, more as I would have expected. I had to modify the omega plug, but managed to get it to fit.

It now works more as I would expect, i.e. indicating empty wash bottle when it occurs, and not at next engine start!

So all in result and cost about £15.

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wow excellent great news this is definitely going on my to do list

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it should state empty washer fluid until its filled even on next engine start with the amber light or am i not reading it correctly

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It does say low washer fluid until enough washer fluid is put in to float switch again (approximately 1/2 liter I think), regardeless of engine restarts.

The problem I had was the first sensor I got I think was a bit dodgy, but turned out to still be cheaper than buying the required rubber grommet by its self.

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