How to adjust windshield washer nozzles

Not all car owners are satisfied with standard windshield washers, which are responsible for cleaning the windshield along with the wipers themselves. To improve the quality of glass cleaning, more efficient and modern fan nozzles are often installed.

Despite a number of objective advantages, these elements also have some disadvantages. From time to time, drivers need to clean the nozzles and also adjust them to ensure the windshield washer fluid is properly supplied to the windshield.

All these procedures can be performed independently. Moreover, it takes a little time and does not require special knowledge or experience. But you need to know certain nuances of cleaning and adjustment before starting work.

Features of work

There is nothing complicated about the operation of the injectors. This device is designed to supply water or a special washer fluid to the windshield of a car.

All nozzles are divided into two types.

1. Jet. They release a stream of water and that’s it. Basic principle, nothing special. Mainly used on older cars;

2. Fan. Their feature is the uniform distribution of water or liquid over the surface of the lobovka. Such devices extend the life of the wipers because they allow them to glide over a constantly moistened glass surface.

They are characterized by several situations that require mandatory driver intervention.

• Lack of liquid. Usually it simply runs out in the tank, and the driver simply does not notice this and does not add a new portion in time. Check regularly how much liquid is in the container and monitor the level;
• A hose that has come off. I think you won't need instructional videos or photos with instructions here. Just put the hose in place and that's it. The renovation is complete;
• Freezing of liquid. Usually occurs due to low temperature and the use of ordinary water instead of a special washer. Warm up the engine more. Due to the generated heat, the liquid will defrost;
• Clogging. The most common trouble that you can deal with yourself. Everything is done quickly and without any difficulties.

Advantages and disadvantages

There is nothing wrong with driving a car with classic jet injectors. They also have certain advantages and have a number of advantages.

You can think about a replacement if the advantages of fan systems outweigh the possible disadvantages.

Fan nozzles have several key advantages:

• uniform distribution of washer fluid. When water is supplied, it falls on the surface of the windshield in a dense layer of small drops. Distribution occurs over the entire surface covered by the windshield wipers, and sometimes even beyond it. This already depends on the settings. Separate jets pour the bulk of the liquid onto one zone, skipping other areas. This makes the wipers do a worse job of removing dirt;
• The efficiency of the windshield wiper blades increases. This follows from the first advantage, since the wipers move along the wetted surface along their entire working area. The jet leaves behind dry and dirty areas. Because of this, wipers have to walk part of the way through dry dust and dirt;
• Fans do a better job of removing dried insects and stuck-on solid dirt. Some people find that the jet removes hard dirt better. In fact, small drops fall on the entire surface of the dirt, soften it faster and help the wipers complete cleaning;
• the number of scratches produced is reduced. When the wiper passes over a dry surface that the jet of a classic nozzle has failed to moisten, the brush scratches the glass. If there is a layer of dust or dirt, the abrasive properties increase significantly. As a result, the windshield becomes covered with small scratches, and its attractive appearance is gradually lost;
• Windshield washer fluid consumption decreases. This does not happen on all cars, but on most vehicles. Although washer fluid is not the most expensive consumable, even such savings are important.

Some will say that you have to pay for such benefits. But no, the price is quite reasonable. Fan-type injectors do not cost much more than jet nozzles, so you won’t have to spend a fortune on them. Cost cannot be considered a disadvantage.

But fans do have disadvantages. There are two main negative points here.

1. Freezing. Due to the peculiarities of its design, the fan nozzle is less protected from negative temperatures. Therefore, they are capable of freezing more often than their inkjet counterparts. To solve this problem, special nozzles equipped with a heating system have been developed. If you live in a region with very cold winters, it makes sense to install heating. In such conditions, even jet models can freeze, so it’s not worth calling this drawback purely the prerogative of fan sprayers.
2. Covering a large area of ​​the windshield with water. Advantage sometimes acts as a disadvantage. Since the entire glass is covered with small drops, until the windshield wiper passes over it, the driver’s visibility of the road is impaired. Under difficult conditions, even a second loss of control over the situation can cause the driver to act incorrectly. But this minus is conditional. With the correct setting of the wipers, the driver quickly gets a good view after applying a spray of liquid from the windshield washer reservoir.

Cleaning methods

Now about how to clean the windshield washer nozzles. There are many methods that were invented by folk craftsmen. They are effective and easy to implement.

I'll tell you several methods. And you decide for yourself which path to take.

1. Application of a compressor. It is considered the most useful and fastest cleaning method. But you will definitely need the compressor itself. It’s not worth buying it just to clean the device. The compressor hose is connected to the nozzle nozzle and the air supply is turned on. Literally 30 seconds is enough to blow out all the dirt.
2. An ordinary medical syringe. It is inferior in efficiency to a compressor, but consumables and tools cost pennies. Water with a small amount of citric acid is poured into the syringe. All hoses from the nozzle are disconnected. It is better to read in advance in the operating manual of your car how to remove the sprayer on it. A special feature of the method is that the syringe is inserted where the water comes out and does not enter. That is, on the back side of the nozzle. This will make washing more effective.
3. A simple pin. Some people believe that you should not use pins and needles, since they can damage the glass washer spray. Well I do not know. I have used this technique many times and have had no problems. The main thing here is to be careful. Please note that pins only remove minor dirt. This is a kind of road method when you don’t have a compressor or at least a syringe with citric acid at hand. A pin or needle is inserted into the nozzle and the dirt is carefully picked out. Only those contaminants that have accumulated near the nozzle are cleaned. There's no point in going deeper.
4. Detergent and cleaning agent. The method is effective, but will require quite a lot of time when compared with other methods. Remove the nozzle and place it in a container with water and cleaning agent. Sometimes it is enough to hold the sprayer there for a few minutes. But after that you still have to wash it. With a syringe or a compressor, decide for yourself.

Adjustment

Another important element of maintaining your car's windshield washer system is adjusting the nozzles. It is required if the jet coming out of the nozzle is directed in the wrong direction.

The process itself is simple and will take just a few minutes. And how to adjust? There is no need to remove or dismantle anything. Just do the following:

• take a regular needle or pin;
• insert it with a sharp edge into the nozzle (there are 2-3 nozzles in total);
• depending on where the jet is directed, start turning the needle in the required direction;
• if the jet goes above the glass, we turn it down, and if it sprays very low, we move up;
• left and right are adjusted in the same way.

Such manipulations are possible due to the fact that the sprayers themselves have the shape of a ball rotating inside a plastic housing. Therefore, a simple needle can act as an excellent adjustment tool.

As you can see, cleaning and adjusting the windshield sprayers on your car is very simple. You just need to monitor their condition and carry out preventive measures on time. But if the injectors completely stop working, then you will have to spend from 60 to 600 rubles, depending on the car, and replace the old devices with new ones.

Read this article on how to choose windshield wiper blades.

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It’s unlikely that anyone would argue that the windshield is an important part of a car. After all, it provides good visibility, if, of course, it is in perfect condition. All drivers use a windshield washer to remove any dirt in bad weather, this increases the level of safety.

Content:

Of course, sooner or later the injectors fail and they must be adjusted in any case, since this is for your safety. It may seem that you can do without them, in most cases this is true, but in bad weather you will regret your decision.

Selection of fan jets

The simplest and most reliable way would be to purchase devices manufactured by the manufacturer of specific brands for a specific car. But if the manufacturer does not produce jets for your car, you can buy products of a universal design from third-party manufacturers.

For example, universal injectors produced by Volvo are of excellent quality. They are installed on most cars of Japanese manufacturers. Of the presented models, injectors number 30655605 are the highest quality, and standard jets from Volvo S 80 can be installed on the vast majority of car brands; for example, they fit perfectly on Chevrolet Lanos. Products produced by the Toyota plant are also an excellent option and are in steady demand among motorists.

Models from the GM plant 95226510 have proven themselves to be excellent on Chevrolet Cruze cars, injectors from Skoda fit well on the Chevrolet Aveo, and the Opel Astra H, by the way, is equipped with not one, but several models from General Motors.

The Koreans, of course, also have their own universal jets, for example, Sang Yong.

The cost of Korean elements is noticeably lower than that of the Swedes, but they are seriously inferior in quality; saving in price can be a dubious fact when choosing, after all, the element is responsible for traffic safety and is not bought for one day

If you see negative reviews on the operation of the injectors after replacing the standard ones with fan ones, then pay attention to the manufacturer’s brand, since defects from non-European manufacturers, unfortunately, are not uncommon

When choosing injectors in the catalog, you should pay attention to the presence of English letters after the model number. Fan-shaped universal windshield washer nozzles, in addition to numbers, may contain letters from A to E in the code

They show the possible level of spray height, the lowest at A, and so on in increasing order to E. The absence of letters may indicate the impossibility of adjusting the spray.

The letters H and G when selected indicate differences in design.

The fan jet of the washer, type H, disperses water particles that are smaller in size than type G, thanks to which the windshield wiper is distributed more evenly across the glass, with more economical consumption. The cutout of the movable head on the H type allows for wider adjustment of the spray arm range when setting up. The fastening thread on G models is millimeters smaller, so during installation it can be somewhat loose, which is easy to adjust by placing a seal or applying sealant.

What types of malfunctions are there?

In fact, there are not so many problems, and they are divided into electrical and mechanical. Most often, problems arise in the mechanical part. Mechanical problems are simple, the first problem is lack of fluid. That is, it either simply ran out in the tank, or froze due to the low temperature. In the first case, you just need to top it up, and in the second, warm up the engine well, and its heat will defrost the liquid.

The hose could also have come off; it needs to be installed back, and the problem is solved. And the most common problem is clogged injectors. They can become clogged due to the use of low-quality fluid or due to the ingress of dust and weight.

Poor flow can also be due to problems with the pump or seals, so you should find out what the problem is.

Selection of wiper check valve

The standard washer design may not have a check valve, which is designed to prevent liquid from flowing from the hoses back into the reservoir when the suction pump is turned off. The valve ensures continuity of liquid supply, especially when the pump is turned on, since air does not enter the pipelines through the nozzle holes. The valve is a regular spring-loaded ball that closes the nozzle hole in the absence of liquid pressure.

The system can also be used without a check valve. Then it is necessary to provide a mechanical or electrical circuit for delaying the start of movement of the wipers relative to the moment of water supply.

The liquid must have time to pass through the hoses from the reservoir to the nozzles before the wipers start working. Here you can use a check valve for Zhiguli models 8 and 9. You can also use imported valves, for example, for Volvo brands or for Toyota brands - 85321-26020. As an alternative option, the use of a ready-made tee with a built-in check valve for Mitsubishi is worth considering.

A non-standard, but acceptable solution is to use a check valve used in an aquarium air compressor. It is usually located in the outlet pipe of the compressor and is highly reliable and efficient. In addition to this, you can also purchase a flexible silicone tube at the pet store for making pipes for the check valve and nozzles, which are used to supply air to the aquarium. In terms of adaptability to temperature changes and service life, this tube is much superior to the standard hoses used in Zhiguli cars.

Cleaning injectors

If you determine that the problem is due to simple blockage, you can clean it in several ways.

Compressor

This is the most effective and fastest way, but only if you are at home and have a compressor. Disconnect all associated hoses and wash the injectors with soapy water. Now you need to take the compressor hose and connect it to the nozzle. Why turn on the compressor for 30 seconds?

Syringe

A very simple method, but not as effective as the previous one. Pour plain water into the syringe; it will be good if you add citric acid there. Of course, we disconnect all the hoses and then wash them in the opposite direction. That is, the syringe must be inserted from the water outlet side, not the inlet side.

Pin

This method will not save you if the pollution is very strong. You can use it on the road. Your task is to take a pin or something similar and clean out all the dirt near the nozzle; unfortunately, you won’t be able to go deeper.

The best way

The best option, but it takes quite a long time, is to remove the nozzles and soak them in water with a cleaning agent. Leave them like this for a few minutes and then rinse them anyway, in some way.

Tips for choosing

When a driver decides to buy something for a car, the following problem arises. What is the best way to choose and not make a mistake with the decision. This applies to both fan nozzles and foam generators for cars. But if you read our material, you won’t make mistakes.

There are two main approaches to selection:

• buy original ones;
• take universal ones.

But not all cars have the opportunity to complete or purchase original injectors. Therefore, we have to look for an alternative solution. There are no fans that fit literally every car. Be sure to take this into account, otherwise no adjustment will help you.

There are several most popular options:

• Set of injectors for Volvo S80. Suitable for many Japanese and Korean cars. One piece will cost 350 rubles;
• Korean sprayers from SsangYong. This is a high-quality clone of the previous version. Used on many machines, plus it costs only 160 rubles for 1 unit;
• Devices from Camry. Quite versatile, effective and high quality. The current price is approximately 300 rubles per piece;
• Devices from Skoda and Volkswagen. Suitable for German and Czech cars, plus well adapted to Lanos and Aveo. But the price is also high, about 300 rubles.

Look for options that are suitable specifically for your car. I absolutely do not recommend using cheap devices. This is exactly the same as choosing the wrong fog lights. They will stand on the car, but will not be able to effectively perform their functions.

Adjusting the nozzles

So, if the fluid is supplied poorly or there are problems with the direction of this fluid, then it is necessary to make adjustments. It's not that difficult and you can do it yourself without any problems, you just need a pin or a needle.

Everything must be done very carefully, as the plastic case can be damaged. First you need to insert the needle into the nozzle hole and then start making adjustments. You need to use careful movements to achieve the correct position so that the stream has the correct direction.

If you have a foreign car, then you need to be more careful here. The fact is that the nozzle supplies several jets in different directions and this should be taken into account when adjusting. The reason is that if you don't take this into account, three or four jets will be sent in one direction and less of the windshield surface will be affected.

Video

The safety of a vehicle depends on many factors, including visibility. The driver must understand what is happening around the car at 360 degrees, and glass and mirrors are used for this. The driver receives most of the information through the windshield, which should not have cracks, chips, refract light rays or otherwise interfere with visibility.

During rain or snow, visibility through the windshield is reduced due to contamination. To clean the windshield, a suitable agent is supplied from the washer barrel through the nozzles, which is picked up by the wipers and spread over the surface of the glass, cleaning it. It is extremely important that the nozzles, when spraying, fall into the operating area of ​​the wipers and do not block the driver’s visibility with the stream of water. To do this, they need to be adjusted, and in this article we will look at how to do this.

Dismantling

It will be much better if you remove the nozzle, as this will be more convenient for adjustment. This will also be useful if you just want to replace it with a new one. In order to do this, you must first remove all suitable hoses. There is a nut for fastening, you need to unscrew it and then calmly remove the washer.

If it gets hard, it’s better to spray in WD-40 and wait a little, as too much force can break the washer. Putting it back is more difficult and you need to be even more careful here than when removing it.

New injectors will cost you about 300 rubles, and for AvtoVAZ models you only need to pay 60 rubles. The price may be slightly different due to the brand of the car; of course, they will cost more for expensive cars.

Adjusting the windshield washers is not difficult, but the main thing is to do it all carefully. For more information, watch the video instructions.

Installation

Installing and adjusting fan nozzles is a simple task that any car owner can handle. You will need the injectors themselves, a check valve (can be purchased at any auto parts store), a knife, a screwdriver and a little time. Procedure:

1. Dismantling old injectors. This may require removing the hood trim. See vehicle repair manual.
2. In front of the tee (the place in the water supply pipe where it is divided into two), we retreat 5-10 cm to the washing machine tank, cut the pipe and insert the check valve into the slot. The arrow on the valve should point in the direction of fluid flow. If the valve is present, skip this step.
3. Installation. It is more convenient to remove the tube and put it on the nozzle, and then insert it into the socket. Not another one!
4. Before reassembling, check for wrinkles and fluid leaks.

Adjustable nozzles allow for better glass cleaning