tn535i wrote:From my experience...
Agree... get the new tee with built in check valve. It's the only thing that really seems to work right and I think it is even designed to help balance the flow left to right.
From memory the nozzles snap into place unless the little protrusions in the plastic are broken or worn away. Not too hard to remove the from the hood and no glue should be needed to hold them back in place.
If you clear it with a wire or guitar string it may just push junk down in there that will quickly plug it again. Take them out and soak them in vinegar or such to break down the hard deposits. And use a length of hose to suck fluid up into the nozzle. Vinegar won't kill you if you get a taste of it.
Unplug the heater unless you really need it. The problem with the heater is it will just accelerate the formation of deposits. At least that's been my experience on my 6er (w/ heaters) with realitively low miles while the other cars (w/out) with high miles not nearly as bad to plug up. And it can leak fluid through the heater part if the little gasket goes bad. I looked into these once and I think they were discontinued. Probably one of those things that sounded like a good idea but proved to be the source of more problems than the rare problem it solved.
You also know you can use a safety pin or stiff wire to aim the nozzles once they are all cleaned up.
Yes, consider new (unheated) nozzles which I think are $10-11.
Awesome tips. I'm personally not convinced about the heated nozzles being a bad thing, though.
And I guess my "protrusions" must have been broken away.
Maybe it it worth mentioning you can "make" your own washer fluid. I mix
1z's Kristall Klar concentrate with distilled water. They claim it prevents mineral build up, I haven't used it long enought to say for sure myself.
BRRV wrote:...Next, avoid, at all costs, commercial methanol based washer fluid. It's mixed with hard water, full of crud and minerals, and it will clog your nozzles. See that white stuff?
I use a concentrate I buy from 1Z (Einszett), distilled water and in the winter time 90% IP alcohol added as an antifreeze. You can also buy an alcohol-based washer antifreeze from 1Z, but it's expensive. Since doing this, my nozzles never freeze, gum up, or stop working. They do, however, continue to need slight re-adjusting every month or so.
I have gone the route of adding isopropyl alcohol as well, but I would not recommend it. Not isopropyl, anyway. It is an oil solvent and, I suspect, the reason the rubber on my wipers dryed out very quickly.
wkohler wrote:I use a small paperclip bent into shape. I run it in each nozzle, several times, then try the switch. It usually works. I also always do this with the hood closed. Shawn D. uses a piece of acetylene torch cleaning rod which fits nicely in the nozzles.
For washer fluid, I use a P21S concentrate mixed with distilled water. Works indubitably well.
^The first bit is about cleaning the nozzles.
Link to P21S "windshield wash booster".
