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The Windshield Sprayers are AIMABLE!!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by TonyPSchaefer, Jul 3, 2005.

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  1. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    I am one of the many who complained early on that the windshield washer fluid sprays just an inch or so above the folded wipers. Thus, the outer reachs of my wipers are merely smearing the dry dirt around.

    Yesterday, bored to tears, I decided to take a closer look. I've attached a picture. I apologize for the crudeness of the picture. You can see that each sprayer is split in two with each side containing a rotatable sprayer housing of two spouts. (I'm having difficulty coming up with descriptive words). Using needle-nosed pliers, I managed to move one higher. So high, in fact, I believe it was spraying over my car.

    BE CAREFUL*
    I managed to mangle my passenger sprayer though it still works. Do not attempt to aim the sprayer by grabbing the vertical tab. Oh it's deliciously attractive and looks like an awesome way to aim the sprayers. You WILL regret it.

    What worked for me was to put one end of the needle-nosed pliers under the rotating sprayer and the other on the outside of the housing. Ever so gently I was able to move the sprayer up. It was a little harder at first, presumably because it hadn't moved before. Once I have initiated movement, I got the tiniest screwdriver I had and could push the spouts around.

    Once I got the hang of it, I was able to aim them all higher and strategically place the streams exactly where I wanted them. I did use what seemed like a good deal of washer fluid, but feel good knowing that my windshield now cleans TONS better.

    Note that there are actually eight streams that shoot at your windshield and some cross paths before hitting your glass. With some tinkering, you can make them hit exactly where you want.

    The ones in the back do not seem aimable.

    *I assume no responsibility if you squish, mangle, or otherwise negatively affect the function of your sprayers.
     
    #1 TonyPSchaefer, Jul 3, 2005
    1 person likes this.
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Congrats on your find!

    Hmm, I just want the rear to spray a bit better. All it does is just release liquid in two directions. I could've let the rain do that.
     
    #2 Tideland Prius, Jul 3, 2005
  3. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    Having the sprayer out on the hood where it can drool washer fluid on the hood and clog from a wax job doesn’t make sense to me.

    I like the system on my 1984 GMC pickup truck better. The sprayer is on the under side of the wiper arm itself. The spray is applied exactly where need . . . not on the car driving behind you! (That is unless the car behind is tailgating . . . then large dosages are called for :p )
     
    #3 Sufferin' Prius Envy, Jul 3, 2005
  4. Gen2

    Gen2 Member

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    All I can say is, Thank You!
     
    #4 Gen2, Jul 3, 2005
  5. jimofdg

    jimofdg New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer\";p=\"103740)</div>
    Sounds like Tony has found a way to keep the Hummers from following too closely! Great work!
     
    #5 jimofdg, Jul 6, 2005
  6. dgw

    dgw New Member

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    I had to laugh because I had the exact same experience. Eventually I settled on a large slot screwdriver to encourage the nozzle head to move in the direction I wanted. Minute adjustments yield surprisingly large results on the windshield! I also found the best result was to cross the streams from adjacent nozzle heads so they overlapped as symmetrically as possible (note: not easy to do). One more thing, aiming a little lower than you might think is optimal will give better coverage, because on the upstroke the fluid spreads outward along the edge of the blade towards the end.
     
    #6 dgw, Jul 6, 2005
  7. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dgw\";p=\"104622)</div>
    I thought crossing the streams was baaaad?...
     
    #7 mikepaul, Jul 6, 2005
  8. priusham

    priusham New Member

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    It'll kill her, AND US!
     
    #8 priusham, Jul 6, 2005
  9. ml194152

    ml194152 Member

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    I've been aiming windshield washers on my cars for years. All you have to do is insert the sharp end of a safety pin into the washer hole and turn the safety pin to your hearts content.
     
    #9 ml194152, Jul 6, 2005
  10. LewLasher

    LewLasher Member

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    I've been away from PriusChat for a few months, so pardon the untimeliness of this, but:

    When I saw this thread topic (among the 47 pages of "view posts since last visit"), my first reaction was that Tony was so enamored with the windshield sprayers that he lapsed into French for some reason and was exclaiming generally that the sprayers were REALLY NICE!!
     
    #10 LewLasher, Jul 27, 2005
  11. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    :cool:

    Originally, I meant to type that they are amiable. Once I realized my typo I figured that I'd might as well create a post to go along with it.
     
    #11 TonyPSchaefer, Jul 27, 2005
  12. Anonymous

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    I must say that I was rather surprised when I tried the front washer for the first time yesterday. Maybe it's just having a new car in general, but the feeling was not unlike replacing my old shower head with a new supersoaker massaging unit.
     
    #12 Anonymous, Jul 27, 2005
  13. mdh

    mdh New Member

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    Sorry to bother you about such a simple question. I would like to move the washer streams higher on my car. You mentioned inserting a pin into the hole and turning it? I assume you mean "move" rather than turn? Do you do this for each hole or just move the whole unit? Can you adjust each stream?

    tks much and sorry to ask just a basic question.
     
    #13 mdh, Jan 4, 2009
  14. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    If you use 2 pins you can rotate the nozzle but the 2 streams from each ball nozzle will still be the same distance apart. So by turning them a little you could make one squirt higher than the other. You might play with one of each nozzles streams on the top of the screen and the other just above the wiper.
     
    #14 patsparks, Jan 5, 2009
  15. mindbash

    mindbash New Member

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    I have been using pins for aiming washers for years as well. Works on most cars.

    A safety pin gives a good grip, but could be a bit thick. Ordinary pins does the job. Just grab one from the next shirt you buy.

    In my experience pins is the best method. I tried using pliers once. That felt quite crude and more likely to break someting compared to the pin method.
     
    #15 mindbash, Jan 5, 2009
  16. fgoodyear

    fgoodyear New Member

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    By using a pin, you can rotate the nozzle in any direction you want. you don't need two pins. Just stick the pin in and use it like a joystick..... but be careful a little goes a long way. Like the other person said.... Been using that method for many years. Sometimes they get stuck and take alittle to get them to move, but DON'T use pliers or screwdrivers. All you will do is ruin the nozzle.
     
    #16 fgoodyear, Jan 5, 2009
  17. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Being the consummate prankster, I can't wait 'till I get home. Aim one towards the sidewalk, while waiting for the green light. Aim the other straight up in the air to squirt the tailgater behind you on the freeway. :D
     
    #17 hill, Jan 5, 2009
  18. Rokeby

    Rokeby Member

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    Hill,

    +1, but why not use one/both of the nozzles for the hatch window for the tail gater?
     
    #18 Rokeby, Jan 5, 2009
  19. mdh

    mdh New Member

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    thank you everyone.... my stream also does not look very strong.... should i just use my air compressor? Any recommendations? My friend's prius is much stronger.
     
    #19 mdh, Jan 5, 2009
  20. Scummer

    Scummer Eh?

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    Darn, you beat me to it. Only that I used a pinhead needle.
     
    #20 Scummer, Jan 5, 2009
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