unclogging washer jets

[mjb]

One of my headlamp washer jets is trickling out and I suspect rust/linescale. Has anyone got any thoughts on using Viakal/Calgon to clean them out?

[STALLED]

Can you remove them from the car?

If so - Soak them in warm soapy water and then use a sewing needle/hyperdermic syringe to clean out the jets!

[steve_earwig]

I reckon you'll have to take them off, unless you planned running descaler throught the whole system

[Nicodemus]

Take them off and leave them to soak in vinegar at least overnight. If the vinegar can get into the nozzles it'll descale them fine. Works on steam loco injectors

[steve_earwig]

I was just thnking "Coke Adds Life" (to clogged injectors)

[mjb]

I reckon you'll have to take them off, unless you planned running descaler throught the whole system

Actually, I was...

Headlamp jets are a bumper-off job aren't they?

[DaiRees]

What's anything that can descale pipes going to do to your paintwork though Matt?

Can you make the headlamp washers run on their own (so that al least you're limiting where the stuff goes, could wash it sraight off then)? Have you tried picking the nozzles with a pin to see if it's just scummed up or whether there's a more permanent blockage in there? Maybe a past owner has used washing up liquid, that tends to gunge up the nozzles.

[mjb]

The coupe uses D8 headlamp washers as far as I can tell and the D8 bumper covers break easily, so I'm hesitant to start trying to force the covers up and desperately trying to think of a sensible way of sorting it out without having to take the bumper off

[DaiRees]

Well I don't know what the springs are like on the D8 ones, but I just pulled them up on mine and they're not very strong. You can easily lift them just by getting your fingernails under there (no need to lever anything against the bumper) and then hold them with one hand while you fiddle with the nozzles with the other hand....

(that all sounds a bit dodgy doesn't it? )

[mjb]

I don't think there are springs on the D8 ones - the covers are connected to the jets which raise and lower under water pressure

[DaiRees]

They're sprung to hold them closed, when you activate the pump the water pressure pushes them open against the force of the spring, then when you stop the pump the springs pull them closed again.

The reason I'm surprised how weak the springs are is that the company I used to work for made bits of these (the covers and various internal mouldings) for a customer that supplies some major car manufacturers (mostly the japs), so we used to have jigs to test the fit of the covers. Pull the head out, then attempt to hold it with one hand when fitting the cover with the other hand, then let it go and keep your fingers well clear, those springs were seriously strong!!!

[mjb]

They're sprung to hold them closed

You sure about that on D8s? I've smashed them in the past by pulling them up (no spring, just connected to the jet piston) and SNAP the cover leg's broken...

[HimBigChief]

Just been and checked and there's no springs on my D8 washers. The cover folding flat against the bumper is held there by the downwards 'pull' from the washers when retracted.

[DaiRees]

OK we appear to have a crossed wire here....

The painted cover is attached to the "head" of the washer mechanism, the mechanism itself contains a pretty big internal spring, you can't see the spring, it's inside the cylindrical body of the washer mech, the bit that's mounted behind the bumper. The way they work is that the water pressure from the pump overcomes the force of the spring and causes the inner bit to rise out of the outer bit and hence out of the bumper, when you stop the pump the spring pulls the whole lot back in.

Matt, I've been up to see Neil this afternoon and, despite his protests, experimented with pulling the washers up on his coop. They are a bit different to mine but still work in the same way, so go ahead mate you won't hurt it. Get your finger nails under the edges of the cover and gently but firmly lift it, it'll come out about 2" before it stops, then you can hold it out with one hand and have a look / pick at the nozzles.

[DaiRees]

Here you go Matt, the coupe ones come straight out of the bumper not angled towards the middle of the car like mine, and as a result they won't come out quite as far as these, but you get the point. Should be able to have a good go at checking / cleaning them this way.....