Headlight/Windshield Washer Tank -- Reinstall?

[piscator]

I'm stuck, mentally. Nothing new there. Should I reinstall the Headlight/Windshield washer tank in my 1979 Targa?

I dismounted the washer tank and fuel overflow tank to clean the left front fender well (part of my total refresh) and can't decide whether to put it back. I did searches and read about the small generic tanks with integrated pumps and even bought one from Amazon. I also purchased a new Bosch replacement window washer pump.

And, I renewed and tested the headlight washer pump. It works perfectly and outputs close to 300 GPH -- in case anyone needs to know.

So I've got a redundancy and duplication of numerous washer parts and can't decide which ones to put in. At the moment, I'm leaning toward putting back what was there, since keeping things original is usually my default strategy.

Anyone care to comment or offer a push in one direction or the other?

[jjeffries]

It is a bloody big lump of a thing. Still there in my 82 SC. Cannot imagine how long of a trip one would need to be on to require all that washer fluid capacity. The fuel tank overflow I'd want to retain. John/CT

[GH85Carrera]

The tank is crazy big. I have been on many long trips. One of the worst for a messy windshield and headlights was going through Utah, and in a light mist. The side roads were all dirt, and every farmer and trucker brought mud onto the road.

My Grand Prix while 911 turned brown. I use the windshield squirters a lot and the headlight washers regularly. I have no idea home much fluid I went through, but I did add a gallon of squirter fluid at one fuel stop. I was real happy to have a working system.

[piscator]

John, that tank is indeed "a bloody big lump of a thing" or as Glen's describes "Crazy Big"!

Thanks guys! You helped push me in the right direction. I’ll keep the existing setup.

When I first started working in there, the fender well was so caked with mud I thought, 'This needs more air and drainage up here." Now that's it all cleaned up it looks much better. Fortunately, I have all the components and they're in almost new condition.

And I will say, after spending a couple of hours on it, I was once again 'gob-smacked' by the genius of the Porsche engineers. Whether you think the headlight washer is a smart addition to the car or not, it is very cleverly designed.

Glen, I think you're the only guy I know of with extended headlight washer experience! I always forget it's there. One sunny day, I somehow used it by accident. Got out of the car and wondered, 'How the h-ll did my headlights get wet? Ahhhhh yes.'

You're right that it's a big tank. Well over a gallon! If you recall, there's a nodule on the lower inboard side of that extends about 3" into the front of the fender-well. It makes the tank an odd shape and a bit challenging to reinstall. What could have been a rather straight-forward concave tank, is instead, a rather complex molding. It seems the engineers weren't going to sacrifice an Milliliter; if the space was available.

The other thing I noticed is that the air-space around the tank is just about equal, inboard and outboard. That got me wondering, just what kind of meetings did the Porsche engineers had to determine that distance? Were there arguments over a millimeter one way or the other? Gauntlets thrown and careers sacrificed over the issue?... “I won’t work here another day, if we reduce the headlight washer capacity to such dangerous levels!!”

Probably not, these guys would have had hard data to support such decisions. So did they put the car on a lift and wear raincoats while measuring water falling down through the fender-well? Safety goggles while measuring the pressure quotients at the headlight nozzles? Amusing to picture!

And lastly, I marvel that the engineers designed these complex shapes in the days before CAD. Not that there’s anything particularly unusual about that. But I wonder, how many mechanical drawings were done at the drafting board of just that washer tank alone? Amazing to think on!

[GH85Carrera]

Robert, I learned a long time ago I am weird, no wait, I prefer "special"

I actually drive my 911 on long roads trips almost every year. I have been to 40+ states and Canada in it, and I plan to hit all of the lower 48 states. I have driven my 911 through mountain passes with heavy sleet, light hail storms, and watched a tornado out the passenger window. I have driven in the 118 degree heat of Needles California, and zero degree temps of an bitter cold winter day. The trip to Savanna, GA in August and the heat index of 135 was just hard to be breath and I drove Roebling Road and had a blast. This year my pans are for Key West, Florida. I will be at almost 175,000 miles when I get back from that trip.

These cars are meant to be driven, and I drive mine. I drove it 200 miles yesterday on a quick round trip to Tulsa, OK and back.

[86 911 Targa]

Just did a complete refresh on all of the
front end washers.

Hoses, sprayers-everything.

pm me with any questions.

Best,

Gerry