Rear washer jet blocked

[SteakAndAle]

My rear washer jet is blocked somehow - so badly that the washer fluid was escaping under pressure from the wiper motor housing and through the tailgate!

Tried clearing with a pin and compressed air but no joy. I've now removed the rear wiper assembly and opened it up; wiper fluid inside but no major damage. Still can't seem to clear the jet, though - any suggestions? Thinking of soaking it in something, maybe an acid (vinegar/citric) to dissolve limescale. Can't see down the tube though so not really sure what's in there.

If I can't clear it I'll have to replace the whole motor assembly, which seems a shame as otherwise it's in good nick.

[ron]

My rear washer jet is blocked somehow - so badly that the washer fluid was escaping under pressure from the wiper motor housing and through the tailgate!

Tried clearing with a pin and compressed air but no joy. I've now removed the rear wiper assembly and opened it up; wiper fluid inside but no major damage. Still can't seem to clear the jet, though - any suggestions? Thinking of soaking it in something, maybe an acid (vinegar/citric) to dissolve limescale. Can't see down the tube though so not really sure what's in there.

If I can't clear it I'll have to replace the whole motor assembly, which seems a shame as otherwise it's in good nick.

If you can't clear it,may I suggest an accessory jet fitted to the tailgate? It's a damn sight cheaper that a new motor assy.

[SteakAndAle]

My rear washer jet is blocked somehow - so badly that the washer fluid was escaping under pressure from the wiper motor housing and through the tailgate!

Tried clearing with a pin and compressed air but no joy. I've now removed the rear wiper assembly and opened it up; wiper fluid inside but no major damage. Still can't seem to clear the jet, though - any suggestions? Thinking of soaking it in something, maybe an acid (vinegar/citric) to dissolve limescale. Can't see down the tube though so not really sure what's in there.

If I can't clear it I'll have to replace the whole motor assembly, which seems a shame as otherwise it's in good nick.

If you can't clear it,may I suggest an accessory jet fitted to the tailgate? It's a damn sight cheaper that a new motor assy.

What's an accessory jet? (sorry - google isn't helpful in this case)

[ron]

My rear washer jet is blocked somehow - so badly that the washer fluid was escaping under pressure from the wiper motor housing and through the tailgate!

Tried clearing with a pin and compressed air but no joy. I've now removed the rear wiper assembly and opened it up; wiper fluid inside but no major damage. Still can't seem to clear the jet, though - any suggestions? Thinking of soaking it in something, maybe an acid (vinegar/citric) to dissolve limescale. Can't see down the tube though so not really sure what's in there.

If I can't clear it I'll have to replace the whole motor assembly, which seems a shame as otherwise it's in good nick.

If you can't clear it,may I suggest an accessory jet fitted to the tailgate? It's a damn sight cheaper that a new motor assy.

What's an accessory jet? (sorry - google isn't helpful in this case)

It's a stand alone jet that you fit independently .Most accessory shops should be able to supply one.Just make sure you fit it correctly so it does the job.

[SteakAndAle]

Success! Removed the jet spindle and soaked in hot citric acid for a bit, then gave it another blast of compressed air; black gunk shot out and the nozzle is clear. Now I just have to clean the gunk off the wall

One final question: I'll need to replace the grease for the wiper gears before I put this all back together - any tips on what type to use? There's both metal and plastic moving parts in there. Google tells me silicone grease is a safe bet..?

[jj9]

Yes, silicone grease gets my vote.


.

[SteakAndAle]

All right, last question on this I promise!

The wiper motor assy was originally mounted via big (7-8mm) pop rivets, which need a big ass rivet gun to install. From a search it looks like most people have replaced them with nuts + bolts - but how do you get between the tailgate's inner & outer metal layers to install?

(I'm thinking of using rivet nuts instead, as they seem like less faff in this application - any thoughts?)

[Tomcat3]

Riv nuts get my vote on blind holes.