Choosing fan-type universal windshield washer nozzles

Author: Evgeny Zhivoglyadov. Date of publication: July 05, 2016. Category: Automotive equipment.

Maximum visibility is very important for any driver, so car manufacturers pay great attention to the windshield cleaning process, which includes the operation of several systems. Thanks to wipers, proper flow of oncoming air flow and nozzles, car owners always clearly and clearly see what is happening on the road surface. However, if one of these systems fails, the other will not be able to perform at the required level, which is why it is necessary to correctly select such important elements as nozzles or, as they are also called, jets.

To purchase the right devices, you first need to understand the existing types of these parts.

Nozzle types

The following types of jets exist:

Jet - washer nozzles in the form of a hollow cylinder. At the bottom of the structure there is a fitting, thanks to which the nozzle itself is connected to the hose. There is a spray nozzle at the top. In this case, the fluid supply force can be adjusted using a special screw.
Fan nozzles. A special feature of this design is the presence of many nozzles (at least 3). It is also worth noting that in this case the liquid passes through a narrower channel, due to which the liquid is sprayed with greater pressure.

The first type is more often found on “middle-aged” cars, as well as on domestically produced cars, for example, the windshield washer nozzles of the VAZ 2110 have a jet configuration. Foreign cars and cars produced in recent years already have fan jets installed.

Washer nozzles, developed using modern technologies, are not only easy to use, but also easy to install. However, these elements also have their drawbacks.

Advantages and disadvantages of fan washer nozzles

Thanks to the successful design of the fan jets, not a narrow stream hits the glass, as is the case with inkjet models, but a wide, finely dispersed stream that covers almost the entire “lobovuha”. Among other advantages, it is worth highlighting the following:

Thanks to good atomization, dirt is dissolved more efficiently, resulting in fluid savings.
If in the case of jet nozzles, the wipers start working a little earlier than the liquid hits the glass, then the fan models are connected simultaneously with the wiper. This helps protect the glass from scratches.

If we talk about the shortcomings, car enthusiasts highlighted the following nuances:

Fan-type jets quickly become covered with ice at subzero temperatures. To avoid such troubles, you have to purchase an additional heating system for the washers.
Since a large amount of liquid immediately falls on the glass, visibility is reduced for several seconds until the wipers start working.

As you can see, such a system also has disadvantages, but all of them can be solved. The main thing is to choose the right jets for your car.

How to choose washer nozzles

It is best to choose jets specifically for your car. If you compare the fan nozzles of the windshield washer of the VAZ 2114 and similar parts for a foreign car, they will be different. Of course, these differences are not critical and you can always customize the part for your car brand, but in this case the installation will be much more difficult.

Or you can purchase universal products that are suitable for different machines. These elements are considered to be injectors with numbers 30655605 and 7845009010. They are presented in the Volvo and Sang Yong catalogs. Both jets are absolutely identical with one difference - the Korean part will cost almost half as much as the Swedish counterpart. Otherwise, both products can be used as windshield washer nozzles for Ford, Mazda, Subaru, Daewoo and other models.

Another alternative option is offered by the Toyota concern, but when purchasing jets under catalog number 85381-AA042 from this manufacturer, it is worth considering that they are sold in 1 piece. Therefore, when placing an order online, you must add two items to your cart. After purchasing the products, you can install them yourself.

What are glass washers?

Today, many car manufacturers have begun installing injectors of this type on their cars. The thing is that with their help you can supply glass washing liquid not with one or two powerful jets, but with a whole hail of drops. The main difference between fan nozzles is that they are able to cover a large area of the windshield at a time.

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Nowadays, most drivers have also begun to believe that these models cope with their task much better than the jet type. Models produced by Volvo are considered very popular. However, a concern such as Toyota, for example, also produces fan injectors.

How to replace washer nozzles

The process of replacing injectors is the same for all cars. Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare new hoses through which the “wash” will pass. A tube that is used for aquariums is well suited for these purposes.

After this, you need to complete the following steps:

Remove the upholstery and carefully pull out the plastic clips.
Remove the buffer foam pads. They are usually held in place by tape, so to reinstall them you will need to prepare some fresh duct tape.
Detach the covers on the plastic parts.
Remove the hoses through which the fluid is supplied.
Remove the old injectors.
Connect the pipe to the new jets.
Connect the check valve to the jet connections and pipes.
Check the system operation.

When replacing standard nozzles, it is also necessary to purchase a check valve, which will not allow the fluid to “roll back”, due to which the wipers often start working long before the cleaning composition appears on the glass.

Sometimes new washer nozzles do not work as expected (the fluid flows too high or low, offset to the side, etc.) and in this case additional adjustment of parts may be required.

Installation and configuration procedure

When replacing yourself, you need to take a number of steps:

dismantle the car hood trim, if present.
Disconnect the washer fluid supply pipe from the nozzle.
remove the standard product.
check the presence of a check valve on the removed copy; if it is not there, then you need to purchase it in addition. Its purpose is to maintain stable pressure. Without installing a check valve, the liquid will flow back into the container. A valve is installed in front of the tee.
After installing new models, the hoses are reconnected.

After installation, you need to adjust the nozzles to suit your needs. You shouldn’t put this event off for a long time; problems with the review will force you to do it anyway, but it’s already on the way. The speed and thoroughness of removing dirt from the windshield depends on the settings of the nozzles.

If after replacement during test spraying the liquid is not applied to the right place, adjust the nozzle by placing a sealant. Electrical tape folded several times will also work. You can adjust it with a needle by moving the nozzle nozzle away from the body.

In general, the process of replacing jets is simple and similar on all cars, including domestic ones such as Priora, Granta, 2114, Largus, Niva 4x4, Vesta, etc.

How to adjust washer jets

No specialized equipment or special skills are required to adjust the nozzles. All you need is a regular needle or pin. In order to figure out how to adjust the windshield washer nozzles, it is enough to understand that they have a spherical shape and rotate freely inside the plastic housing. So it's simple:

Feel free to insert the pin into the nozzle and begin to turn it in the direction you need.
If the liquid hits the glass too low, then twist the pin upward.
If the jet hits very hard, this can also be corrected with a needle.
On foreign cars, the injectors have 3 jets, which are best adjusted differently. The extreme ones should be at the lowest points, as they hit the sides of the car. It is better to direct the middle ones to the central part of the windshield, and the remaining central jets are better to direct to the upper part of the glass.

You can also clean the washer jets yourself.

How to clean washer nozzles

If the jets begin to work incorrectly, then most often the problem can be solved by cleaning these elements from contaminants. Before cleaning the windshield washer nozzles, prepare:

pin or sewing needle;
compressor;
large volume syringe;
soap and water.

Before work, it is recommended to check the level of cleaning fluid in the tank, since the jets may not work due to a missing washer. After this, you need to disconnect the washer nozzles from the hoses and slightly press on them until they rise.

Next, follow these simple steps:

Wash each nozzle in soapy water.
Connect the compressor, turn on the blower and process the nozzle under high pressure.
If you don’t have a compressor at hand, you can use a syringe into which you need to draw water.
Clean the holes using a regular needle or pin.
Insert the syringe into the nozzle and start flushing.

Of course, the compressor will be much more effective, but if the nozzles are severely clogged and do not allow liquid to flow, then with the help of improvised means you can at least temporarily solve the problem.

Another way is to leave the jets overnight in a soapy solution, and in the morning try to reuse the syringe or compressor. This will be useful in case of particularly severe old contamination.

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.

Universal check valve for Toyota injectors

Here you can use a check valve for Zhiguli models 8 and 9 under number 21080-5208550-00 in the VAZ parts catalog or a check valve from the fuel system under number 2108-1156010-01. You can also use imported valves, for example, for Volvo brands - part number 30896546 or for Toyota brands - 85321-26020. As an alternative, it is worth considering the use of a ready-made tee with a built-in check valve for Mitsubishi - part number M850641.

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.