Leaking washer bottle/reservoir any ideas on how to fix?

[Ade33]

I noticed when I filled my washer bottle up the other day fluid leaking onto the garage floor.

Took the bottle out and could see it had been repaired before by a previous owner..

I see from previous threads that they are notorious for leaking where the bulkhead bracket that is attached to it by some sort of plastic welding.

My previous owner had removed the bracket and drilled holes in the bottle and used some rubber washers and self tapping roofing fasteners to attach the bracket

It's leaking from one of these holes.. The fastener appears stripped and has a small hair line crack in the body of the bottle..

It's made of polyethylene which is notorious for being very difficult to glue.

Any suggestions on how to fix this?

I would simply get another one from. The breakers if I could but the bottle has two pump holes. One for windscreen and one for headlamps which is very rare on a Z3 and so far I have been unable to find a replacement
. Hence the fixing option is currently necessary..

Any thoughts??

 

[Zephyr]

For a while, silicone sticks will do the trick for you but will not last for more than a year or so.
In order to seal this you will need to find an flat iron long enough to reach the hole from inside the tank, melt the silicone to completely fill the hole while said iron is keeping silicone from dripping and when it starts to become solid again press gently from the inside so as to make a flat surface covering the hole and then some more on the perimeter.
Then repeat on the exterior.
This worked for me many times and I hope what I say makes sense.

 

[Zephyr]

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And also this might work... never tried it.

 

[Peter1450]

Personally I would just replace without the headlight washers, just makes a mess imo took them off the e86 even though they worked!

 

[Mike Fishwick]

I would remove the auxiliary air pump, and find a larger tank which would fit in place of it. Have a look at a breaker's stock of tanks. You may even find a tank with a headlamp washer entry too. Perhaps a tank from an alternative type of BMW would do the job - I am not sure, but I think I have seen such a washer tank on a facelift Z3?

 

[Ade33]

Thanks for all the replies.. What I learned is that

1) Polyethylene which is what the water bottle is made of is extremely difficult to glue onto.. In fact I'm not sure there is a glue that will stick to it.. Melting and welding together seems the only option and I really only wanted to try that as. Last resort

2) Very few Z3's were equipped with headlamp washers and whilst washer bottles for Z3's with a single pump for the windscreen washers are easily available from breakers ones with a hole for each pump are not.

3) I tried the usual suspects on here for one but no joy

4) There is a guy up in Liverpool who breaks Z3's and advertises on Evil Bay and knows his stuff.. He had one which he tested for leaks before sending and quickly dispatched to me. He wasn't cheap but I'm now sorted with a replacement!

 

[Mike Fishwick]

A large washer reservoir is available for the Z3 - fitted in place of the auxiliary air pump - see the second entry for the September picture of the month - the American V8 conversion picture.

 

[Ade33]

I'm sorted now as I've managed to source the bottle I need but does the one in the photo have openings to accommodate both windscreen washer pumps and headlamp washer Pumps Mike?

 

[Mike Fishwick]

No idea - try looking at the ETK parts catalogue, which may list both types, as headlamp washers were an option in some markets

 

[Ade33]

OK cheers for that.. As I said I'm sorted as I managed to source an identical replacement in the end after much searching

 

[Mike Fishwick]

The large reservoir is for LHD cars, where the brake servo prevents the fitting of a 'normal' reservoir.

 

[Ade33]

So basically won't fit a RHD?

 

[Mike Fishwick]

I cannot see any reason it will not fit RHD - but without the auxiliary air pump - look at the photo I referenced and check the ETK or Real OEM.