Umairkhalid

Hi everyone, so my 2 of my W212 nozzles seem to be jammed and only dribble water where as the 3 one shoots like a Cannon. I used a small safety pin (poked it in them) it barely goes an inch inside but no avail. Any idea how to tackle this problem myself, without having to open the whole thing up since its a big hassle.
additionally I noticed that the headlight cleaners wash at random timings. Aren't they suppose to come out after the windscreen wiper oscillates 10 times?

Thanks

pierrejoliat

I had this in a W220, so may not be applicable, but I removed the hose at the nozzles and blew low pressure air through the hose after disconnecting from the pumps and did the same at the nozzle fittings, back then, there were two pumps one for the windscreen and one for the headlights.
My headlight washers only work with the headlights on and wipers on, after using the washers at least five times for the windscreen. My older Benzes had a button on the dash, but would only work with the headlights and wipers on.

Umairkhalid

that's the thing, removing the hose is a big hassle in a w212 since the nozzles are not embedded in the hood, rather like the wipers themselves, into the plastic frame that sits just below the windscreen, and truly I might solve the problem by opening it all up, and may identify the problem, but as I said that opening up part is the very thing I am trying to avoid. Yes I may have forgotten to turn the headlights on, good catch. Furthermore, how does one reached the headlights washer, for say cleaning and what not?

pierrejoliat

I usually clean the headlight washers by pulling the flaps open and wringing out the soapy wash rag on them, gets the salt off maybe twice a winter. I would not know of a method short of loosening the cowling and looking underneath to see if a fitting is clogged or disconnected.

CaliBenzDriver

Before you try removing the 3x nozzles for cleaning, take a look at the rubber hoose on top of the FrontSAM... cut it to get easy access port and connect it back with a .10¢ plastic coupler from your local car store.

Benz has a specially formulated washer fluid that works best with our cars. I read the washer level only reports with approved fluid... Regular washer fluid tends to plugs the nozzles with particulates... not all windshield washer fluids are created equal. (Rain-X fluid is wonderful but plugs up in no time)

Umairkhalid

I am sorry but what flaps are you talking about?

Umairkhalid

by SAM you mean the fuse box? The hose is passing somewhere hear it? Great at least I can see where the problem lies.

CaliBenzDriver

nozzle hose
here is the beast hidden in plain sight.

SAM is the smart version of "fuse box" with a network module built in for remote controls.

Umairkhalid

ah yes thank you so much man 🙌

Umairkhalid

I will post my progression here for others aswell.

Left Coast Geek

rainX washer fluid gummed up the pumps and everythign on my 1992 Volvo and my wife's 1994 Mercedes, I'll never use it in anything again. had to tear the whole systems apart on both those cars and clean everything in pure water to get the slime out, then went back to using 20-10 washer concentrate, diluted in purified or distilled water, which has never gummed up anything I've used it on, doesn't streak, cuts bugs, etc.. for freezing climates I dilute 50-50, for mild climates I dilute about 6:1

CaliBenzDriver

Let these plugged nozzle point you to the fact GERMAN CARS ARE ENGINEERED FOR SPECIFIC OEM FLUIDS.
Yes, even stupid windshield soapy water needs to be OEM else the washer pump quits, the level does not register right and nozzles get plugged up.

Coolant (phosphate vs. nitrate)
Engine oil
Brake fluid
Tranny ATF $$$
Rear Differential
Windshield washer !!
...
all incorporate a failure mode (ph acid) sensitive to the wrong "compatible" fluid being used.
Only OEM works in the long run.

Else everything starts leaking super fast: engine, coolant, tranny seals... wasted!

Try not to let anyone use no-name-compatible fluids on your German ride.
✌️

Umairkhalid

Well sadly I was just putting regular water in the water fluid tank ☠, ugh Germany. Makes me wanna go towards lexus after this car.

CaliBenzDriver

amen to that... except good Japanese cars are born from German designs. They share a lot of the same bones and money-making schemes.

Can't escape learning or paying 😆

Umairkhalid

then a corolla or civic it is, here in Pakistan at least. Although huge new entry of SUVs.

pierrejoliat

These, You are very lucky you didn't take out the pump and fluid sensor in the tank, I use the regular blue washer fluid from Walmart it's never given me any issues but I use 4-5 gallons a season in each car and it's around 30% Methyl alcohol, -20 degrees F

Umairkhalid

yes, how did you pry them open??

pierrejoliat

They are spring loaded and come out easily, just use your fingers at the top, gently. If I remember correctly Pakistan has very hard water, lots of calcium, were there white deposits around your washer fluid jets?

Umairkhalid

yes slightly there were white deposits

pierrejoliat

Well,it seems you have some calcification, in large water systems, I use a decalcifier like a consumer product "Calgon" but you have to get it in direct contact with the clog and give it time to work it's magic. I don't know if that's even possible here and I would not know what that would do to the sensor or pump. I'm sorry but I think you'll need to pop out the four screws holding the cowl on the fire wall and look at the fittings, take them out and clean them or replace them.

I don't like the idea of cutting the hose and installing a fitting, it will work I suppose, but will reduce flow by 5-% {guessing] I think the hose that comes from the washer pump over the fuse panel goes into a fitting just as it goes under the cowl and over the firewall, maybe you can disconnect it there and try low pressure air from there? Maybe the hose cutting is the best choice?

S-Prihadi

I use distilled water + a few squirts of Simple Green cleaner as washer fluid.
The one I use is the Lemon one, I actually like the green one but no stock since 1 year ago. Same stuff both are the same though, except for the fragrance.
https://simplegreen.com/products/all-purpose-cleaner/
https://simplegreen.com/products/all...cleaner-lemon/

Distilled water can not be read by water level sensor at washer fluid reservoir because it simply too mineral-less and sensor cant read any conductivity.
The Simple Green is a good cleaner, not harsh at all ( biodegradeable ) and clean oil/grease really well. I use on yachts since the 90s.
I use like 4 squirts only per full fill of washer fluid and no more sensor error. Distilled water will read as EMPTY for washer fluid level sensor.

===============================

To clean the nozzles, only the nozzles and not filling the washer fluid reservoir, be patient and use kitchen vinegar ( or white distilled vinegar ) non diluted, straight from bottle.
Can you get Bostik Blue Tack where u live Khalid ?
https://diy.bostik.com/en-ID/product...craft/blu-tack


I never done this but it is a way to "submerge" your nozzlle in vinegar without removing it from the current position, hence the Blue Tack is being used as a pool or cocoon material. You get the idea.
30 minutes soaking with vinegar should help in removing the calcium build up. Be patient and do it slowly and repeatedly.
If you can access the hoses to the nozzles, you can send vinegar into the hoses by using hoses extension and place a funnel or some sort 1 meter higher than the nozzles.
Per 1 meter height you can raise the funnel above the nozzle, that is 1.47 psi or 0.1 BAR worth of natural water/vinegar liquid pressure trying to push itself into the nozzle.

I do not suggest using compressed air to blow hoses clean, because it may be too strong and if the hose comes out of nozzle input fitting ..... you will cry trying to fix it back

Vinegar is acidic at 2.5 pH. So when you spilled it, use water to make it diluted...safer for metal.

Good luck....

Umairkhalid

Okay everyone, so I have manage to take everything apart, the hose the nozzles etc, the hose seems to be open and can be cleansed easily however, any bright ideas on how to de clog the nozzles themselves? My mother suggested using a string and forcing some water from the outflow, and I was further pondered doing something like that with acid or some sanitary cleaner.

S-Prihadi

Soak it in vinegar, as I explained earlier.

Umairkhalid

sorry had not seen your reply yet, it was very informative thank you so much, so all I need to do is fully submerge the 3 in white vinegar, simple enough, however, how to find out if it is open or not?

S-Prihadi

Since u have removed the nozzles, this is so good.
Use compressed air to check air flow within the opening/orifice of the nozzles. Submerged the nozzles in water, so easy to see from escaping air bubbles.
Get aquarium clear air hose and use it withe the compressed air. place some water inside the clear air hose, water is not compressible like air, so it has more force/push.

When soaking in vinegar now that nozzle is out, use 70C temperature, it will dissolved the calcium build up faster.
70C wont' damage the plastic nozzle at all as long as you do it for under 1 hour or max 1 hour at a time.
In hot direct sun, a black color plastic item can reach 75C in mid noon.

Egg shell is 98% calcium