Removing windshield washer tank?

amirpc · 10-31-2008, 01:51 PM

I've developed a leak in my windshield washer fluid tank, and for the life of me I can't see any easy way to take it out. I've searched around some and found minimal information.

Can anyone give me some pointers here? This is on an '86 951.

Catamax944 · Catamax944's Garage

I think you have to remove the batwing and take it out the bottom.

steveu812 · 10-31-2008, 05:56 PM

Hah! It is in fact possible - I just had to remove mine and patch a seam crack at the mounting tab that is near the tow bracket. To remove the tank, jack up the front of car and support it with a jackstands. I Turn on the headlights, then unplug the headlight motor near the tank, then turn off the headlights - they should stay raised. Next, remove the washer motor by sliding it to the right. Unclip the wires that are in the clips on the tank and move them out of the way. Remove the tow bracket and the bolt for the washer tank next to it. Remove the bolt on the middle mount tab behind the inner fender liner. Finally remove the mounting screw that is visible from the top. The tank should be loose. It takes some patience and I had to force it a bit to get it past the power steering cooler loop, but once past that it dropped out the bottom. Installation is the reverse of removal.

To fix the tank, I end up using a soldering iron to "weld" the seam. for filler, I shaved some slivers of material from the other tabs. I had no idea if it would work, but I figured I had nothing to lose. Once cooled, it held water. but I chickened out and slathered on some clear silicone - just in case. It doesn't leak yet. I knew that if I reattached it by that lower tab, it would fracture again, so I fabbed a bracket to support the bottom of the tank and left that tab unattached.

Good luck.

krystar · 10-31-2008, 06:14 PM

steve's directions are right on. good luck

mikepellegrini · mikepellegrini's Garage

This is something I have to do to my 951 - the tank has a big hole in it somewhere. I was afraid I'd have to tear the fender off or something.

I'm really glad to see you post this solution. I think I'll have a go at it tomorrow!

Thanks!

amirpc · 11-01-2008, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveu812

Hah! It is in fact possible - I just had to remove mine and patch a seam crack at the mounting tab that is near the tow bracket. To remove the tank, jack up the front of car and support it with a jackstands. I Turn on the headlights, then unplug the headlight motor near the tank, then turn off the headlights - they should stay raised. Next, remove the washer motor by sliding it to the right. Unclip the wires that are in the clips on the tank and move them out of the way. Remove the tow bracket and the bolt for the washer tank next to it. Remove the bolt on the middle mount tab behind the inner fender liner. Finally remove the mounting screw that is visible from the top. The tank should be loose. It takes some patience and I had to force it a bit to get it past the power steering cooler loop, but once past that it dropped out the bottom. Installation is the reverse of removal.

To fix the tank, I end up using a soldering iron to "weld" the seam. for filler, I shaved some slivers of material from the other tabs. I had no idea if it would work, but I figured I had nothing to lose. Once cooled, it held water. but I chickened out and slathered on some clear silicone - just in case. It doesn't leak yet. I knew that if I reattached it by that lower tab, it would fracture again, so I fabbed a bracket to support the bottom of the tank and left that tab unattached.

Good luck.

Thanks for the info! I've now got all but the inner fender bolt out. Getting that tow bracket off was a PAIN, had to go buy a bolt breaking bar.

amirpc · 11-01-2008, 02:31 PM

This is a MUCH bigger pain than you might think.

There is a duct that cools the brakes in the way on mine I think I'm going to have to take all of that apart.

amirpc · 11-01-2008, 03:39 PM

Haha even after you take EVERYTHING off on the bottom (and most things on the top), you really still can't get it out because there is a tube coming off of the bottom of the tank that just won't come off!

I don't know how you did it, but I'm giving up. It'll just have to leak.

Schumi · 11-01-2008, 04:24 PM

I remember removing the tank.. it was the biggest pain. It is a very creatively shaped piece of work...

amirpc · 11-01-2008, 05:17 PM

Yeah, I just got done putting everything back together

I Just smeared the bottom of the tank with silicone. Hey, theres a CHANCE it'll work...

Seriously its like they purposely built it so you can't get that tank out.

steveu812 · 05:48 PM

Wow. Sorry to hear you so many issues with it. Mine didn't have any tube on the bottom nor the brake duct.

Quote:

It is a very creatively shaped piece of work...

What's really interesting to me is that mine had a VW logo molded into the plastic in one spot, and there is a provision for a pump on one side near the bottom. But the way it's in there and how it's obviously designed to accommodate the headlight makes me wonder. I suspect that this is because of the early 924's VW/Audi heritage.

amirpc · 11-01-2008, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveu812

Wow. Sorry to hear you so many issues with it. Mine didn't have any tube on the bottom nor the brake duct.

I think that it might be different because I have a turbo...or is yours turbo too?

HondaDustR · 11-01-2008, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveu812

To fix the tank, I end up using a soldering iron to "weld" the seam. for filler, I shaved some slivers of material from the other tabs. I had no idea if it would work, but I figured I had nothing to lose. Once cooled, it held water. but I chickened out and slathered on some clear silicone - just in case. It doesn't leak yet. I knew that if I reattached it by that lower tab, it would fracture again, so I fabbed a bracket to support the bottom of the tank and left that tab unattached.

Good luck.

+1 on the "welding". I've fixed cracked plastic 100 gal. water tanks for livestock at a farm I used to work at that way and they held pretty well and with no sealant given the fact 100 gallons of water is pretty heavy and the ground they sit on is anything but nice and flat.
Just make sure you add enough extra plastic to fill the crack. The soldering guns with the trigger work the best since they are easy to turn on and off. Just cycle the heat on and off so as to melt but not smoke the plastic. Otherwise, it is practically identical to welding.

steveu812 · 11-02-2008, 04:13 PM

No, mine is not a turbo. It appears that makes a difference.

petrolhead611 · 11-03-2008, 03:35 AM

You can also use a hotair gun to weld the plastic .It seems they all fail around that lower mounting tab. Some of the tanks have a second pump for headlight washing, that stiff plastic connecting tube is very dificult to remove.