Help Windscreen washers......
Discussion
Help!!!
The windscreen washers have packed up, a small amount of fluid comes out on the drivers side but notheing on the pax side and theres a sound of running water from behind the dash. The pump works (I checked), so the conection must have come off the wipers behind the dash.
The bible says to remove the dash (done) and there may be an access panel. But mines a 96 so there is no access panel!!!! It then goes on to say cut one (GULP!!!)
So heres my questions: has anyone else done this and had to cut there own access panel? Whats the best thing to use to cut GRP? Where should it be done and how big should the hole be? Also is there any wiring behind the dash to be carefull of or should I just take the car to a dealer and get them to do it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I dont realy want to start attacking my Chim with a hacksaw without some idea of what I sould be doing!!!
The windscreen washers have packed up, a small amount of fluid comes out on the drivers side but notheing on the pax side and theres a sound of running water from behind the dash. The pump works (I checked), so the conection must have come off the wipers behind the dash.
The bible says to remove the dash (done) and there may be an access panel. But mines a 96 so there is no access panel!!!! It then goes on to say cut one (GULP!!!)
So heres my questions: has anyone else done this and had to cut there own access panel? Whats the best thing to use to cut GRP? Where should it be done and how big should the hole be? Also is there any wiring behind the dash to be carefull of or should I just take the car to a dealer and get them to do it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I dont realy want to start attacking my Chim with a hacksaw without some idea of what I sould be doing!!!
Well my car's the one pictured in the Bible (2nd edition), so as you can see it's already got the access panel - however cutting a panel shouldn't be a big deal. I would first find a piece of plastic bigger than the hole you want to cut, so that you can then cover it when you are finished...
I don't remember seeing anything immediately behind the panel in terms of wires etc.
Another tip - get one of those inline one-way valves from Halfords & put this somewhere before the passenger nozzle under the dash - this will provide enough resistance to stop the dribble of water that comes out of the passenger side squirter when you take a right hand bend at speed (seems to affect every modern TVR).
Also, glue all the connections with superglue so it doesn't happen again - if the pipe looks like there is very little slack, go & buy a longer pipe, otherwise it will only happen again.
You've done the hard bit, which is get the dash off without scratching/cracking it.
I would imagine some kind of hacksaw should be fine (something with a jigsaw type blade) - can you tell from the pictures where to cut?
>> Edited by CraigAlsop on Friday 30th January 13:53
I don't remember seeing anything immediately behind the panel in terms of wires etc.
Another tip - get one of those inline one-way valves from Halfords & put this somewhere before the passenger nozzle under the dash - this will provide enough resistance to stop the dribble of water that comes out of the passenger side squirter when you take a right hand bend at speed (seems to affect every modern TVR).
Also, glue all the connections with superglue so it doesn't happen again - if the pipe looks like there is very little slack, go & buy a longer pipe, otherwise it will only happen again.
You've done the hard bit, which is get the dash off without scratching/cracking it.
I would imagine some kind of hacksaw should be fine (something with a jigsaw type blade) - can you tell from the pictures where to cut?
>> Edited by CraigAlsop on Friday 30th January 13:53
Help Please ! For my 93 Chimaera 4.0
My washers have packed-up. The tank is full, the pump is running, (what a location!), when I blow air back down the tubes bubbles are heard in the tank and the footwells are dry. What is the small (6x2x2cm) black unit with an electrical connection in the outlet line from the pump? Could anyone let me have a copy of the wiring diagram until I get the bible? I've been meaning to get one for ages.
Any ideas?
Mike
My washers have packed-up. The tank is full, the pump is running, (what a location!), when I blow air back down the tubes bubbles are heard in the tank and the footwells are dry. What is the small (6x2x2cm) black unit with an electrical connection in the outlet line from the pump? Could anyone let me have a copy of the wiring diagram until I get the bible? I've been meaning to get one for ages.
Any ideas?
Mike
Well! I've got my washers working - well at least for now!!!
I tried the blowing again then sucking, I got some fluid through quite soon. Tried the pump again and after a few seconds there was normal flow. This worked with and without the electrical connection to the small unit ( no. on it is 25526954). There was no voltage from the lead when the washer switch applied.
The fluid take a few seconds to squirt at the wipers as though a non-return valve is stuck open. Is that what the small black unit is?
Also, surely the pump is self priming?
Anyway, for the time being....
Mike
I tried the blowing again then sucking, I got some fluid through quite soon. Tried the pump again and after a few seconds there was normal flow. This worked with and without the electrical connection to the small unit ( no. on it is 25526954). There was no voltage from the lead when the washer switch applied.
The fluid take a few seconds to squirt at the wipers as though a non-return valve is stuck open. Is that what the small black unit is?
Also, surely the pump is self priming?
Anyway, for the time being....
Mike
Ok bit the bullet on sunday and went for it....
First drilled a hole in the back of the dashboard as recommended only to find another pannel of GRP, drilled a hole in that one as well. Guess what... another panel of GRP!!! so thats three pannels of 1/8" GRP all within about a thumb nails width of each other. Not realy feeling very happy about having to cut three holes in successive GRP panels.
I phoned TMS earlyer in the week and they said, to do this job they come in from the engine bay on a pre-2000 car (as mine is). After taking this advice I removed the bonet catch and drilled a hole in the GRP inbetween the two holes for the bonet catch. After extending this hole out and removing some of the foam padding that is behind the GRP, the washer tubes could be seen. The tube to the pax side washer had come away from the T-connecter. Unfortunatley the tube from the pax washer could not be seen and another hole had to be drilled in front of the washer nippile below the grill (tube from T-connector to pax washer was 3cm long!!). The tube from the pax washer nipple was then exposed through the new hole and a non-return valve fitted with some Super Glue. A new peace of tube was then fed down the inside of the GRP and connected to the T-peice (again with super glue) and the other end connected to the non-return valve.
After taking the opportuninty to put super glue on all the conections it was then checked for opperation (it worked!!!) The whole lot was then shoved back into the car, making sure it doesnt foul the wiper mechanism. Ally plates were then placed over the holes with plenty of sealer and screwed into place. The bonnet catch then re-fitted and the whole lot checked again.
It was alot easyer to come at it from the engine bay and the two plates cannot be seen unless you know that they are there. It also means that if it happens again I just have to unscrew the plates and not have to take the dash board out.
First drilled a hole in the back of the dashboard as recommended only to find another pannel of GRP, drilled a hole in that one as well. Guess what... another panel of GRP!!! so thats three pannels of 1/8" GRP all within about a thumb nails width of each other. Not realy feeling very happy about having to cut three holes in successive GRP panels.
I phoned TMS earlyer in the week and they said, to do this job they come in from the engine bay on a pre-2000 car (as mine is). After taking this advice I removed the bonet catch and drilled a hole in the GRP inbetween the two holes for the bonet catch. After extending this hole out and removing some of the foam padding that is behind the GRP, the washer tubes could be seen. The tube to the pax side washer had come away from the T-connecter. Unfortunatley the tube from the pax washer could not be seen and another hole had to be drilled in front of the washer nippile below the grill (tube from T-connector to pax washer was 3cm long!!). The tube from the pax washer nipple was then exposed through the new hole and a non-return valve fitted with some Super Glue. A new peace of tube was then fed down the inside of the GRP and connected to the T-peice (again with super glue) and the other end connected to the non-return valve.
After taking the opportuninty to put super glue on all the conections it was then checked for opperation (it worked!!!) The whole lot was then shoved back into the car, making sure it doesnt foul the wiper mechanism. Ally plates were then placed over the holes with plenty of sealer and screwed into place. The bonnet catch then re-fitted and the whole lot checked again.
It was alot easyer to come at it from the engine bay and the two plates cannot be seen unless you know that they are there. It also means that if it happens again I just have to unscrew the plates and not have to take the dash board out.
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