Removing Wiper Fluid Reservior
 

Was all excited that I replaced the hoses for the wiper fluid to the nozzles only to learn that now I have a big water leak coming from below the reservoir, i am assuming it is a hole in the reservioir, not a leak in the seal of the wiper pump.

If I need to inspect the tank/replace it, how do i remove the reservior, it appears that the coil is in the way. I assume I have to remove the battery first? Kinda dumb q's, but want to be safe.

which model car??

If this is on the 126, it should be a simple matter of shifting the resevoir slightly toward the engine then lifting the outboard side. Once lifted, pull the assembly back toward you and up. You will be able to pull the reservoir out enough to disconnect the three electrical fittings. You might find that in your changing of the hoses, you pulled the pump assembly slightly out of it's socket, causing your leak. I had a bad leak on the 560 I'm working on, pulled the resevoir to investigate and found the pump slightly out of place. Snapping it back in cured the leak.

Mike's probably on the right track, tne rubber grommets on my 560sel had worn away to nothing. Less than a buck each for a tight seal.

To Mike--We bought that 560 about 6 weeks ago, and your progress is both an education and an inspiration to me. Thanks for keeping us "posted"

Earl McLain
LaPorte, IN

It's on the 300 SEL.

I shined a flashlight by the pump and I cannot see a water leak, yet it leaks profusely. I guess the only way to tell is to remove the tank. YOu are right though that I cannot imagine how a hole got in there when it was fine a couple of days ago. The only change was that I removed and reinstalled the water pump. I need to get a new seal(s).

I'll remove the wipe pump again and inspect the rubber grommet. I just hate doing that, because messing with the pump near the battery was a real pain. The hose make a quick turn to the left and it was difficult lodging the pump into position.

Mike,

For future reference, you made no mention of the heater coils (I think they're heater coils) in the reservoir. What did you do with them when you removed the reservoir? I haven't looked at it so I don't know if it's obvious.

Thanks,
Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD

Exactly sixto. That is the $6 million Q.

For $6M, you can buy a Maybach and let someone else worry about the washer reservoir :)

In fairness to Mike, the manual says that the heater coils were added in 87 so his 86 woudln't have them. Earlier cars have nozzle heaters.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD

Alright! Something else to check out...heated tank or heated nozzles.

I didn't see any, but I wasn't looking either. There was one electrical connection on top - level sensor maybe. Plus two pumps, I assume one for the windshield and one for the headlights.

Just went to the garage and looked in the tank - no heating element. I'll check out the nozzles later.

How is the wiring connected to the nozzle? When I got my car painted, the guy removed the nozzles. When I got the car back there was a big hole in the wiper hose. The wire inside the hose short circuited and burnt a hole in it.

Is it possible that the guy did not install the hose/wiring/nozzle right and fried the hose? He was not familiar with Mercedes.

Took a closer look at the SE reservoir. There's a secondary cap around the filler cap. If you disconnect the rubber hoses and lift the secondary cap, the heating coils come right out. You shouldn't lose much coolant since the hoses are the highest point in the cooling system.

With all this discussion of how to remove the reservoir, it's interesting that I don't know how to clamp the SD reservoir. It sits snugly but otherwise unsecured between the battery and the outer firewall.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD

I don't see and "secondary cap". There is a 2" plastic screw cap and that is it.

I just called the dealer and he said that there was actually 2 pumps for this system, one to the windshield and one to the headlights.

Maybe the pump to the headlight is leaking because I do not see any water leaking by the other pump.

Guess how much for the hose for this thing?

hose from pump to heating element $57

hose to left nozzle $51

hose to right nozzle $46

ooch

I don't know if I should shell out the extra coin to get the heated hoses.

I don't have my digicam with me. The thing the filler cap screws into is a plate about 5" in diameter. Besides the filler hole it has a couple of smaller holes with grommets that the coolant pipes pass through. If you hold the coolant pipes where they enter the reservoir and twist them about a vertical axis, you should see the bigger plate rotate on the reservoir. It won't rotate much because the plate has a slot that fits around a positioning tab on the reservoir.

It could be that they changed the design of the reservoir between 90 and 91, or mine is a redesigned reservoir.

Another area that might leak is the washer fluid level sensor. I'm not sure if it's a distinct unit or part of one of the pumps.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD

Does the wiring in the hose actually touch/connect to the nozzles or do they just stay in the hose to heat the hose?