Removing the washer bottle

[MikeKnight]

I've not had to use my washers much as I've not used the car a lot over the last few weeks, but I noticed the washer bottle was empty. So I filled it up, and next day it was empty again. Obviously a cracked bottle or split line, but I have absolutely no idea how to get to them as it looks like it's inside the wing.

How do you get to it? Can you get to it from underneath or does it require removal of something else? I'd also like to replace the lines as they're old and stiff/brittle and these also disappear into the wing. Please don't say you have to take the wing off just to get to the bottle.. as I need to remove the coolant bottle too in order to give it a good clean when I do the water pump and that too disappears into the opposite wing.

I really have a dislike for "hidden" bottles, especially considering how much wasted space there is in the engine bay of the SOHC twin carb model.

[spiffyguido]

I've never taken mine out, but I believe the washer bottle is most easily accessed by removing the mud guard from inside the fender. This isn't hard to do because it just clips and screws in place. There's no need to remove the fender or bumper, but you may need to remove the engine splash guard as well.

[MikeKnight]

Hi spiffy, thanks for the heads up, I did only have to remove the wheel arch/mud guard and splash guard in order to get to the bottle. There was a small leak on the pumps which I've fixed through copious use of silicone sealant (wonderful stuff) and I replaced the line going to the front washers as it was tough and very brittle with age.

However I now have a bit of a dilemma, I'd like to replace the rear washer line too as it's full of gunk and has a break in it, causing another leak. But I have absolutely no idea how to access the long line that appears to be "inside" the sill. I'd love to replace the entire line but don't know how to get access to it, my book says it's clipped alongside the fuel line but doesn't tell you how to access that either. Please advise?

Cheers.

[spiffyguido]

I've never worked on that line because my car doesn't have a rear washer, so this is a prediction, but it probably runs inside the interior of the car under the carpet near the door jam. To get to it, use a screwdriver to remove the screws in the door sill plate. Then lift the sill off and you will be able to pull the carpet back and see the wiring harnesses and hoses that run between the front and the back of the car. Not sure what side it will be on (likely passenger side), but it might be in there.

[MikeKnight]

Thanks for the quick reply spiffy. I think you're right, however it's freezing cold here in the UK and snow is on the way (again!) so for now I think I'll block the rear washer pump off and save this as a job best done in the summer.

I'll also have to check the carpets as about a litre of fluid managed to escape down the rear line before I saw and caught it, certainly don't want rot inside the car considering the interior is in wonderful condition for its age.