Headlight washers mod. Tis easy & cheap. Any car!

Today, I did a job/modification I had been intending to do for a while. Headlight Washers, on my FL1.

My original plan was to have a separate pump and operating switch, but recently watched a Range Rover operate his windscreen washers while the headlights got a wash too. That’s when I recalled a Toyota Celica I once owned – and loved. It too had headlight washers that operated alongside the windscreen washers.

So why complicate matters when a job can be done simply?

I bought two washer-jets, two plastic hose tee-pieces and black plastic tubing.

See the attached pictures and accompanying details...

2Pcs Universal Windscreen Washer Jet Water Spray Nozzle Fit Vehicle Most Cars.


T JOINER Piece 3 WAY PLASTIC BARBED CONNECTOR PIPE HOSE Reducer Air Fuel Water
I use 5mm pieces.

1M Polyurethane Tube PU Air Pneumatic Plastic Pipe Hose 6mm (OD) x 4mm (ID)


The jets needed a 9.5mm hole each (other types may need a different size) and the tubing threaded through the bodywork to be joined onto the car’s existing washer piping.


The job took only 50 minutes to do, and it all works extremely well.
Cheap-as-chips too.
Oh yeah, all the bits were bought on Ebay.uk

look great I might do mine

Is there still enough pressure to jet the water onto the windscreen at 70mph?

Is it actually worth having without wipers?

dog-man said:

Is it actually worth having without wipers?

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I'm curious about that myself. Water only headlight washers run at about 100 Psi through special nozzles, so I can't see normal screen washer working without wipers.

Other minor issue is that as the level runs low, the proper system switches off the headlamp wash to preserve remaining available water for the screen.... where it is needed most?
But it's a nice practical and cheap attempt.

Hippo said:

Is there still enough pressure to jet the water onto the windscreen at 70mph?

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Yes. I was out in it yesterday and asked my wife to watch the bonnet areas where the headlights are below.
I switched-on the washers and loads of water hit the windsceen as well as splashing over the bonnet above the lights, as it bounced off.
So all seems well, and we were shifting on the motorway, between 100 - 110 km's per hour.

dog-man said:

Is it actually worth having without wipers?

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My Celica had the washers and no wipers, as standard.
I'm guessing this might be standard across the range of vehicles.
Also, the Freelander 2 has washers for the lights and they don't have wipers, and their washer outlets look like something from a Lego kit.

PopRivet said:

Also, the Freelander 2 has washers for the lights and they don't have wipers, and their washer outlets look like something from a Lego kit

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Only the FL2 with Xenon headlights have headlight washers, which are mandated by legislation.
However the nozzles are specifically designed to spray a fan of high pressure water across the lenses. This high pressure water being supplied by a separate high pressure (circa 100 PSI) pump. These washers only function when the windscreen washer is activated, while the headlights are on and the screen wash tank is over 1/4 full.

The FL2 alternates the headlight jets anorl. One light, then the other, then repeat again.

Oh how very technical. And very boring. I once had a friend who constantly quoted, KISS ( keep it simple stupid), and he was right. He made his millions. He died a year ago.
Anyway, my point is this... what I have done works. And I will be using it. It is efficient and cleans my headlights. You don't need to try this. You don't need to fit such a system. But I have and it bloody works.
I don't know why I bother? I put forward an idea that works and the vultures jump in with what they think is best. It works. That is my final word. Have a nice day.

PopRivet said:

Oh how very technical. And very boring.

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Blimey,

Pot , kettle , black....Springs to mind..

Cheers

neilly said:

Blimey,

Pot , kettle , black....Springs to mind..

Cheers

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You're obviously right, I guess.
That was my final LZ effort.

I have just been alerted to this flounce.

It's only an 5 / 10

Sorry @PopRivet please try harder.

PopRivet said:

Oh how very technical. And very boring. I once had a friend who constantly quoted, KISS ( keep it simple stupid), and he was right. He made his millions. He died a year ago.
Anyway, my point is this... what I have done works. And I will be using it. It is efficient and cleans my headlights. You don't need to try this. You don't need to fit such a system. But I have and it bloody works.
I don't know why I bother? I put forward an idea that works and the vultures jump in with what they think is best. It works. That is my final word. Have a nice day.

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We're not having a go at you. Just surprised it works.

The FL2 system for eggsample has quite a violent headlight wash. Our local mot tester shouts a warning then hides behind a door and watches it through the window. The bounce oft of water is quite surprising and he's had screen wash in he eye's before. Also the pressure is much higher than normal windscreen wash, which your system is sharing. The more outlets of water... the lower the pressure. Hence why I was wondering if there was still enough pressure to the windscreen at speed. I've come across some cars that don't seem to have the power to jet the windscreen at speed. Tank was full. It may be a case the FL1 standard washer setup has excess pressure that can be used as you have done.

JohnM70 said:

I have just been alerted to this flounce.

It's only an 5 / 10

Sorry @PopRivet please try harder.

Click to expand...

who let you in?
yer make the place look untidy

PopRivet said:

Anyway, my point is this... what I have done works.

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Well done.

PopRivet said:

It is efficient and cleans my headlights.

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If it works for you, then that's all that matters.

PopRivet said:

I don't know why I bother? I put forward an idea that works and the vultures jump in with what they think is best. It works.

Click to expand...

It not the "vultures" thinking what's best at all. It's the manufacturers who fit these washers as standard to other vehicles. They don't waste money fitting large pumps, special nozzles and control parameters for nothing.
May of us "vultures" are just surprised such a low tech system is of any benefit.

But at the end of the day. If your system works for you, then you've achieved what you wanted.

if the main sticking point is the pressure,then why not fit the motor from a fl2 headlight washer system to a small separte bottle, and only power it when the headlights are on. everyone would be happy then surely?

I do love scanning over a poprivet thread

Thanks to all the positives. I aim to provide alternatives to what other marques/makers provide for exceptional costs.
I optimise what could be available - at a fraction of the cost, ensuring that my suggestion is not only beneficial but also proven to work.

My headlight washers have now been used by myself, having driven through several local Thunderstorms today (Jeez - they were friggen torrential) with sandy-laden rain; to prove what I have offered is worthy of fitting.
And if you live in the Northern latitudes, you could keep your water-bottles filled with 50/50 water and meths for exceptionally low winter temperatures.
The methylated spirits (meths) prevents the wash from freezing and quickly defrosts your windscreen and headlights. Condensation can appear on the internal windscreen, in consequence, but is quickly dispersed by your heater-fan.
You just need to ensure your washer bottles are kept filled. Distilled water is best - by the way.

On another note... the Fuel-rail connector plug I recently fitted (bought from Ebay) failed. I'm uncertain what caused it to fail, but it did! And only after a steady 156 km drive to a mall. My wife went shopping... I had a repair job to do! While she spent the cash I saved it, in a manner of speaking.

The original connecting plug had been soldered onto new wires, using what I was left with, and an in-line 3xpin plug - carried on-board my car in a pack-up of spares I now carry. I replaced the new faulty connecter with the original, combined with an in-line plug, and it worked. It got me home.
My next plan (tomorrow) is to remove the sensor itself and 'tin' the existing sensor's connectors (x3) with solder.
Also, to determine what might have caused the failure of a new plug? My multimeter will be red-hot by the time I finish, I swear.
I suspect there might be some sort of wear&tear on the sensor's x3 connectors, especially when two seperate connecting plugs have failed. That seems conclusive, to me.
I'll keep all informed.

I'm aware I can get rather heated in my retorts, but I do carry-out an extensive series of tests to prove what I suggest/recommend.
I'm doing what I do because I believe my Freelander, and all who own/runs one, could use the information I provide.
I also enjoy the challenge of making something good better. Cheaper, too.
If I seem abrasive to some, it's because I try to do my best for all. I do not like any kind of failure. I am my own worst critic. Trust me.