1800: Screen Washer Jets

[VolvoRoyS]

On my 1800ES the screen washer jets are loose, so not likely to spray in the right direction. I've pulled off the small hoses but I am having trouble getting a spanner on the nut on the underside. On the top side (the jet itself) I find that a 13mm spanner fits, so what size is the nut underneath? The projection for the hose means I can't get a socket on it (would need to be a deep socket), so thought I might use a box spanner but I would have to cut it in half to get it on. Access is quite limited owing to a double skin. Anyone any ideas?

Roy

[mike gilbert]

I'm sure its a half inch nut. You will need the slim 1/4 inch drive socket to fit inside the hole in the underside of the scuttle. Offer the socket up from underneath without the ratchet attached. The projection pipe of the jet will go inside the hole of the socket so you will get it to up to the nut. Then hold the socket by hand and screw the jet down into the socket until its tight enough to hold its position after you adjust it to spray the screen.

[VolvoRoyS]

Good idea. I have had a 3/8" drive 13mm socket up there but because of the centre pipe it wouldn't go on. Hadn't thought of using the socket on its own. I'll give that a go tomorrow.

Roy

[VolvoRoyS]

Well the idea worked on the driver's side where I found that a 10mm 3/8" socket did the job but on the passenger side it's not a hexagonal nut. Instead it's a rectangular "nut" with the longer sides bent upwards not unlike the part on Brookhouse's list except that on their part there is only one bent part, shown downwards. It's very tight. I did manage to get a 9mm open ended spanner on it and using a 13mm open spanner on the jet, got a few turns in an attempt to undo the "nut". So now the jet is even more loose. I decided to remove it as I don't think I will ever be able to tighten it fully and in any case this jet has no rubber washer. As the "nut" became more loose it became more difficult to keep the 9mm spanner in place. I think I am going to have to fabricate a special tool or I could attempt to cut the top of the jet off. Bit stuck at the moment.

Roy

[VolvoRoyS]

Tried a 15mm 3/8" socket and it fitted and gripping it on its outer edge with a pair of molegrips (not possible to use ratchet as pipe for hose extends into socket) I was able to use a 13mm open ended spanner on the jet to undo it. The "nut" looks to be a home made affair. So anyone out there with a nut that would fit one of these jets?

Or I might try to get the "nut" to run more freely and use what I have.

Roy

[skysurfer]

It's rather a pig of a job as I recently had to replace one on the passenger side and it took ages as space is very limited and I couldn't get the lower retaining nut to catch the thread. Eventually managed it though. New chrome washers and nuts are available from Brookhouse. Having a magnetic aerial tool helps in retrieving the nuts if they fall off under the double skin.......

[VolvoRoyS]

I've seen the complete jet assembly on the Brookhouse site but couldn't see where I could buy just a nut - and I need only one! I also needed the rubber washer but found that the old seal off the fuel injectors that I recently overhauled did the job as a rubber washer.

Roy

[Rustinmotion]

Can you work out what thread it is ? A thread gauge is cheap and useful to have, if you know diameter and TPI you can find the bolt size and order nuts on line for small money.
I use https://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk

[Bob Meadows]

If you have a local engineering parts supplier then they will normally size these fasteners for you:~
They also stock various type of gasket materials to include rubberised cork or rubber etc.
Bob.

[VolvoRoyS]

Update on screen washers:
Having tried local fastener shops and bought the wrong ones off the internet I decided the best way forward was to try to get the "improvised" rectangular nut to fit. I had hoped that someone on the forum might have a nut I could use but drew a blank there as well. So I used some old grinding paste to on the threads and gradually worked the nut on the jet washer threads until it would move fairly freely. That was the easy part.

The area where the washers fit is double skinned so it is quite a challenge to get the nut in place. I managed by using a socket with another nut inserted to give enough height so that the threads on the washer jet would catch onto the nut. By pushing the socket up through the double skin I could see the nut flush with the upper skin so was then able to screw the washer jet on. I settled for just finger tightness as it was not possible to put a ratchet on as the fitment for the hose extends down in the way.

I have never used the windscreen wipers and not wanting to run wipers across a dry screen I decided to remove them before testing. In my car there are separate rocker switches for the wipers and washers on the dashboard just right of centre. The washer switch is spring loaded so works only when pressed. When I pressed the switch there was a bit of a screech (dry pump) and then it quietened and water squirted onto the screen. I was so happy. I was surprised that the wipers did not operate as well. So it seems that the procedure for cleaning the windscreen would be: operate washers then switch on wipers. Another job completed.