[michalmarianek]

Hello!
I Recently bought AR Spider 1988 and just need a little advice. I need to repair the Washer Jets and I have no idea how to get under this body part.

Thanks in advance for help.

Best Regards from Prague
Michal

 

[Farace]

If the '88 is the same as earlier years, remove the wiper arms and all the pivot nuts. Remove the stainless steel trim strip at the bottom of the windshield (screw at each end). Open the hood/bonnet and there should be about four screws along the leading edge of the valance panel you want to remove, holding it to the firewall. Remove those. You should then be able to lift and wiggle the panel to release it from the clips holding it at the bottom of the windshield.

 

[ghnl]

You can't. The car was built around the cowl panel!

OK, Bob's instructons will work. Have some plastic tubing on hand as the old washer tubing is likely to be brittle. It'd be fine if undisturbed but might break when you remove the cowl panel.

 

[michalmarianek]

Thank you very much!
Michal

 

[Tifosi]

And once the new monkey pee'ers are in place, they can be aimed by sticking a needle in the hole and pivot the ball nozzle to more suit your needs.

Oh, and once the trim and panel are off, you'll be wanting some bits of thin sheet metal to slip under the little clips you'll find embedded in the rubber along the bottom of the windscreen.
The panel goes under it and the trim goes under another part of it to lock everything in place and the bits of sheet metal act as so many shoehorns, 'cuase you'll never get them all in the right place without some sort of mechanical aid.
There's threads w/pix about doing it around here somewhere.

EDIT:
This post by ossodiseppia shows one of the clips quite clearly and describes how the cowl panel and lower widshield trim fit into them.
There are like 10 in there, and the shims/shoe horns help keep everything lined up til the cowl is fully seated, otherwise you'll have a pretty good fight getting them all lined up at once and then stay that way while you weasle and tilt the panel into place.

 

[garwood1]

Have a look at the tubing to the washer jets...chances are it's petrified. I found a trick way to thread new tubing into place. Use a dowel screw (has threads at both ends), and thread this into the end of the old tube. Thread the other end into the end of the new tube. CAREFULLY pull the old tubing out, and you will pull the new tubing into place, through all the turns, grommets, etc. Beats the hell outta trying to feed it in on its own - that's like shoving limp spaghetti through a hole.

 

[Gubi]

Yes, I would assume you'll need new tubing. You may also need some 3M Stip Caulk to repair/replace the existing stuff at the base of the windshield (it's a modeling clay type of gap filler...you'll see what I mean when you take the cowl off).

Also, the washer jets are plastic so don't overtighten the nuts holding them to the cowl panel: just snug them up. If you tighten the nuts too much you'll break the nozzle in half. Ask me how I know.

 

[John Gallagher]

Cut along red line...no, seriously, save that pic of you smiling. You may need it once you open the cowl. OK, now, what's the problem? You dribbling, no stream at all, pump working? You might be able to avoid opening the cowl. Could be as simple as the nozzles being clogged. Good luck.

 

[Tifosi]

From here it looks like the left nozzle is outright missing beyond any other potential issues.

 

[seventy1]

Mine's missing both, has anyone found a generic nozzle that fits?

 

[John Gallagher]

I'm pretty sure you can get them from either IAP or Centerline. Don't know if a generic is available.

 

[Tifosi]

They're spray nozzles, not 'Alfa specific' parts :shrug:
Lotta parts places carry generic versions in various shapes, colors and even with lights if you wanna play pimp~my~ride.

Though Centerline does have that cool 'double squirt' one which would be worth having a pair of.

 

[shadowburn]

...Centerline does have that cool 'double squirt' one which would be worth having a pair of...

FWIW, with the double squirt nozzle, in order to use it, the hole in the panel would have to be enlarged a little bit (at least for the nozzle that I had and a cowl for an 87).

Was too lazy to get a drill bit to do it, and since I only ordered one of each type, I opted to replace with single squirt to match, until I get another to match the double squirt.

 

[Tifosi]

Instead of enlarging the hole, would it be close enough size~wise to run a suitable tap through, thread the nozzle in, then lock it with the supplied nut?

Kinda of a PITA, but would alleviate the worry about overtightening the nut as the sole anchorage (yeah I know, kinda silly, but I've got 'heavy' hands that aren't calibrated worth **** down in the sub~20 or so lb/ft range) and would allow the hole to remain closer to stock dimension so that things could revert back to standard with ease should there ever be the desire.

 

[Norseman50]

cannot find new nozzles anywhere

Has anyone found a source for the windshield washer nozzles/jets? One of mine was missing when I bought the car and the other snapped off when I tried (gently) to unscrew the rusted nut from the threaded plastic inlet on the bottom.

I tried to buy them from IAP but they have been out-of-stock for over 5 months.

Vick doesn't seem to have them either, and have had no luck on eBay.

I purchased "universal" replacements on amazon, but they have a larger inlet tube (that will not easily accept the alfa washer tubing) and the universal nut will not fit into the space allowed in the cowl valance.

Would like to find original type but will settle for anything that fits into the available cowl valance space and accepts the alfa washer tubing.

Thanks, Edward

 

[seventy1]

Try Centerline. I don't recall if I got mine at CL or IAP, but it was one of the two.

 

[Keyspider]

Just in the process of fixing my tubes and jets...
I confirm the removal method Farace describes.

These are the type or very similar of jet my '74 has.

Vintage Austin Healey Sprite Midget MGB Chrome Washer Jets New GWW802 | eBay

 

[Norseman50]

found them at Centerline

Try Centerline. I don't recall if I got mine at CL or IAP, but it was one of the two.

Thanks Fritz,

I was able to find them at Centerline, but it wasn't easy. They have them listed in the "Cooling System" section:

https://www.centerlinealfa.com/store/784

Thanks for your help!

Best regards, Edward

 

[Gubi]

Just to re-iterate what I said three years ago, be VERY careful when installing these not to overtighten the nut...just snug it up. Otherwise you'll shear off the hose nipple.

 

[Norseman50]

agreed

Just to re-iterate what I said three years ago, be VERY careful when installing these not to overtighten the nut...just snug it up. Otherwise you'll shear off the hose nipple.

Thanks for the tip Tom. I will follow your instructions. These little jet nozzles are fragile and hard to find. Don't want to bugger the new ones....

I see that these jets use a type of bent/spring washer underneath the securing nut. Should I avoid tightening the nut so much that it flattens the washer completely, or tighten just to the point that the washer is flat and then stop?

Regards, Edward