328 Windshield Washer Nozzles / Jets

Don't think this one's come up before, but it's worth searching the body of posts in the current & old fchat for 'windshield' & 'washer', etc.

I think I saw some aftermarket spray jets at AutoZone or PepBoys, might go poking around there to see if you can come up w/something close.

BTW, neat trick with the MityVac. Will have to remember it.

 

I've done the reverse suck with a vac pump on mine, too (but with plain water -- I don't know what the fancy chemicals will do to italian pvc plastic).

But the basic problem is that the 328 has a deeply raked windscreen with a lot of (not exactly) vertical distance -- so that's a lot of area to cover. I set the two nozzles to cover different heights (better driver's side coverage at the cost of pass side).

And then there's wind. If you adjust your nozzles to work when you're stationary, they'll wash the hood when you're moving. If you aim up a bit, you wind up spraying the car behind you. (The washer pump on mine does, at least.)

A possible aftermarket alternative are those wiper blade assemblies that have the nozzles built in, so the wiper also does the washing. That might be something to consider, as they work while moving, too.

 

I read in another thread on the subject that soaking them overnight in vinegar is a good way to clean them.

I have a pretty dumb question -- how do you remove the nozzles? I tried pulling them out with mild force and they don't seem to come out. Is there a trick to getting them out? My car is a Mondial 3.2 -- I assume they are similar to the 328.

 

On the 328, they are a press-expansion fitting. The nozzle itself pushes down to expand the seating ring. Looking at the nozzle fitting, the black rim at the car body is part of the seating ring.

Pull up on the cylindrical body of the nozzle itself. It should pop up about a eighth of an inch or so (1 or 2 mm). Then you should be able to pull the seating ring out of the hole in the car body.

When you disconnect the attached plastic hose, have some way to keep it from falling back through the hole, or you'll have to go the long way around.

If all else fails, removing the fiberglass liner from the forward storage bay should give you access to the underside of the nozzle (and the hoses).

 

Thanks guys -- I'll give it another try

 

To chemically clean the nozzles, I wouldn't use anything harsher than vinegar. To mechanically clean the nozzles, the best tool is a torch tip cleaner you can get from any welding supply house.