Fixing a broken portable washer

Hello. My portable brand x washer has broken. It makes a kind of groaning noise but doesn’t suck up any water. Is it a gonner or has anyone successfully managed to fix these things? It’s one that just plugs straight in to the car rather than battery powered but thought about making a separate battery pack, anyone done this?

I have a mobiwash that did something similar. Started blowing fuses.

I stripped it down and found a bearing on the pump almost seized. Cleaned it it, greased it and its now working again.

Insides arent complicated, get your screwdrivers out 🙂

Ok will do some routing around the insides

Better off rooting about the insides otherwise you’ll end up with lots of plastic swarf clogging your pump.

With regards to a separate battery pack – I have a jump pack I keep in the car which has a cigarette lighter style plug socket so run the washer off of this, especially if washing multiple bikes. I figure it is cheaper to recharge the pack at home than to run the car while using the washer, plus you can move to the best location for washing

Puddings, excellent idea! Which pack did you use? Does it give the washer enough beans to work same as off a car?

This kind of thing? http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/garage-equipment/jump-leads/phaze-4-in-1-jump-starter?cm_mmc=Google+PLA-_-Garage+Equipment-_-Jump+Leads-_-594335&_$ja=tsid:60494%7Ccgn:GoogleShopping%7Ckw:594335&istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istItemId=xlqiatqlx&istBid=tzti&_$ja=tsid:35522|cid:344535484|agid:25437357364|tid:aud-80976661309:pla-211143731764|crid:89797547524|nw:g|rnd:4906992892645071288|dvc:c|adp:1o3&gclid=Cj0KEQjwzZe8BRDguN3cmOr4_dgBEiQAijjVFmtoSUjJBqIenoviqGPv2vaXx5F5UutAQNPGiNNVGecaAkS28P8HAQ

I use a slightly more powerful one due to having a somewhat arsey disco that needs a bit of welly to start in the cold if it hasn’t been run for a few days (despite new battery). I haven’t seen any power drop off although to be honest the mobi washer is not super powerful – if you have a high powered unit it might be a different story
I have the jump start 4000 from clarks (machinemart own brand)

Was probably looking at something sub £60?

i use a jump pack. Works fine

Unless your car has got a real pee-wee battery, can’t you just use the washer from the car with the ignition off?

I used to regularly use my Dirtworker to clean two bikes after a ride without the ignition on & never had any issues with the car failing to start.
I think diesels have larger batteries than petrols as they are harder to start, so perhaps that was why it was never an issue, although I suspect you’d drain the water tank on the dirtworker long before you got anywhere near draining a car battery.

Yes most of the time will just run off the car but at races its often handy to have the option of self power. Plus I want to use it in my shed as well so dual purpose.

wenanwhere – Member

Yes most of the time will just run off the car but at races its often handy to have the option of self power. Plus I want to use it in my shed as well so dual purpose.

Ah. Good for the shed & other situations when you are away from power.

The only time I used mine away from the car, I used a camping power adaptor with cigaretter lighter socket (for camping fridge) so still had to be in range of a power cable.