Upgrade to 5.5 litre washer fluid tank ?

Michael Moore

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2004 Phaeton W12, 2015 Golf Highline (gas)
Hi Ted:

It would have been very difficult for me to release the lower clamps holding the intercooler tube if I had not removed the headlight, and even more difficult to get the tube and clamps back in place once the large tank was installed.

A skilled VW technician, equipped with the correct special tools for the hose clamps, could probably get the intercooler tube off without having to re/re the bumper and headlight. Me - I'm a poker with a pair of pliers - I figured it was better to take the whole car apart, and make the job easy, than to try to do the least possible disassembly and wind up with scraped knuckles and high blood pressure.

I'm in it more for a pleasant time rather than quick completion....


[ February 19, 2002, 13:18: Message edited by: Michael Moore ]
 

Just Some Guy

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Location
Erie, PA
Originally posted by Michael Moore:
[QB]There is some kind of fluid tank located between the coolant tank and the windshield washer tank. It has a green cap on it, and there are two hoses that come forward out of this tank, nwards
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">He can spend hours taking his car apart to save the 27 seconds it takes to top off the washer fluid, but doesn't know what his power steering resivior looks like....
 

Michael Moore

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Truth is, I put that comment in there anticipating that there would be one of two possible responses:

1) Readers would smile, or;
2) Someone with absolutely nothing useful to contribute would jump on it.

I don't know how often 1) had happened, but now we all know 2) has happened once.

[ February 19, 2002, 13:17: Message edited by: Michael Moore ]
 

Ted_Grozier

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2002 Golf GL 4-dr
Now Michael the big question we are all begging to know is: When the low fluid light comes on, can you dump a whole gallon of fluid in?

It's not the time it takes, but that darn half-empty bottle rolling around in the trunk that gets me!
 

SVTWEB

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To fill it up it take 1.5 gallons.. When the light comes on you can put 1 gallon in it and still have room for more... The headlamp washer do eat it up quick though. I went through a gallon showing all my VW buds how it works. Sheesh!
 

SVTWEB

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Originally posted by Michael Moore:
Gallon? What's a gallon? It will hold a 4 litre jug of fluid, which is how the fluid is sold up here in Canada.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Bloody Fool... It will hold One Imperial gallon with room to spare!

You Canadians...... Sheesh!
 

loujet

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Location
Orford
Can someone tell me the part # to make the 5.5l tank AND headlight washer on a 2000 Jetta, is it possible to do these mods without having to get a euro rebar or bumper?

Sorry to ask this but after reading the three pages on this topic I'm a bit confused...

thanks
 

Michael Moore

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Loujet:

[Text deleted Feb 21 because full information was provided by SVTWEB and Roger Moore, below]

So far as retrofitting only the 5.5 liter washer tank, which is what I did, that is a simple job. I put one in my Golf and SVTWEB put one in his Jetta, so we know they fit in both of the North American model TDI's. The only parts you need to buy are the larger plastic tank (available in Europe or from some aftermarket sources in North America), and a small plug to cap off the third hole (hole for the headlight washer pump). The small plug can be purchased at any North American VW dealer, it is a 'generic' part. All the other affected parts - the cap and strainer for the tank, low level sensor, pump, mounting bolts, etc. are just re-used from the original 3 liter tank that came with your car.

[ February 21, 2002, 11:58: Message edited by: Michael Moore ]
 

Michael Moore

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Just got a note from Roger Moore, who has purchased and installed the Hella retrofit kit on his Golf:

Hella sells it independently from VW parts, normally at a Tip Top
Stahlgruber Auto House or other equivalent store. Hella Part Number - 8WS
008 558-001, €168.72
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Tip Top Stahlgruber is sort of the 'Pep Boys' of Germany.

Thanks, Roger.
 

SVTWEB

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OK... Lets do this again for those who DON'T READ THE ENTIRE POST!!!!

Headlamp washers on North American Vehicles.

What needs to be done:

Golf:
Replace Front Rebar with Euro assy
Replace Front Bumper with Euro assy
Install Hella Washer kit as described above.

Jetta:
Replace Front Rebar with Euro assy
Install Hella Washer Kit as described above.
Replace the waher nozzels with those for a Bora.
Replace the washer covers with those for a Bora.

Total cost of the job for me was $250.
 

Michael Moore

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LouJet:

Tell your dealer to have a closer look at the EKTA parts catalog page. Although the (Canadian EKTA) illustration on the page shows a 5.5 liter tank, the only part numbers listed on the text along the right hand side of the page are for the 3 litre tank.

If I am wrong, and he can actually order the 5.5 litre tank from VW in North America, this is great news. Post us the part numbers. It will save all of us from having some Vortexer coming here and posting a 'group buy' where he sells CA$ 40 parts for US$ 100 plus shipping.

North American EKTA Page showing 5.5 liter tank illustration, but only 3 liter tank part numbers


[ February 21, 2002, 23:23: Message edited by: Michael Moore ]
 

loujet

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Location
Orford
Thanks for the excellent resume!

Did someone get the european rebar part #, my dealer has the same rebar # for every jetta from 99.5 to 2002 including the wagon.. He also tells me he can get the 5.5l tank, pump, nozzle, nozzle cover, etc...
 

loujet

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Location
Orford
My dealer confirmed me he can get the 5.5l tank for 57 can$. They usually take 10% off the price if you often buy parts there. I gave the 1J0 955 453 L (the J or the L as been changed to a G but it is still 5.5l goes in 99.5 to 02MY all.) he also told me I can get it in 4-5 days. He taked about my project, he can get all the euro parts within resonnable delay & price.

>>I will double check with him today, I also want to check the rebar availability, but I need to find the right part # first (as I was saying he only had 1 part # for every jetta from 99.5 to 02)

[ February 22, 2002, 06:16: Message edited by: loujet ]
 

Ted_Grozier

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With the help and inspiration of fellow TDI'ers at the Michigan GTG, the 5.5l tank is now in my Golf!

The installation is exaclty as Michael describes - and beleive me there is no way to fit this thing without removing the headlamp and intercooler tube and moving the fuel filter out of the way.

You can have the bumper off in five minutes - easy - although you might have to crank the steering left and right to remove eight torx screws. There are only a dozen or so in total.

The only tricky part is popping out the grille to get at the top bumper screws.

Hondo even gave me a free fillup of "blue stuff"!

Ted
 

doctorkb

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Originally posted by Ted_Grozier:
The installation is exaclty as Michael describes - and beleive me there is no way to fit this thing without removing the headlamp and intercooler tube and moving the fuel filter out of the way.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ok, just for the sake of clarification.

Is there anything special I need to know before I go removing my intercooler hose that is shown in these pics? What about the fuel filter?

Obviously, there's diesel in the fuel filter lines... what about the intercooler hose? Am I going to have to watch out for fluids coming out of it?

Thanks,
 

Ted_Grozier

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Kb for the fuel filter you don't actually undo the hoses, just unscrew the clamp and pull the filter out of the bracket while hooked up, then remove the bracket.

And maybe a little oil will come out of the intercooler hose, but no serious bleeding. Make sure to get it seated properly when you reassemble, as it is on the pressurized side of the air intake.
 

Michael Moore

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For sure, you have to remove the headlight, it is the only way to get the big tank to fit in there. You can re and re the little tank without removing the headlight, but you can't fit the big tank in without taking the headlight out - and even then, there is not much space to spare.

Michael
 

jjvincent

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Bethlehem, PA
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Jetta, 2K, Green
From experience with working on Porsches (which have really big washer containers) I have seen some problems with big containers. Some people wouldn't drive their too much so the fluid would sit there for years. You might add a little bit here and there but not too much. It was quite common for the washer fluid to get old and start leaving solid particles in the bottom. These particles would end up in the pump (causing it to lock up) or in the nozzles (causing them to stop squirting).

I can't see this being a problem with a TDI owner since just about all of them drive their cars year around. I just suggest that you let the container get pretty low before you fill it again. Many people continually top their container off and this could lead to the deposits.

At least I was able to bring up another point since this topic needs more posts. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 

MOGolf

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Another time to install it might be during a timing belt change. You might not have to remove the headlight then since the engine mount will be out of the way and allow more room for manuevering. I thought of doing it then to find out, but I just couldn't wait.

Now it's going to make doing a TB change and pump timing adjustment a little more time consuming. The space between the small bottle and the intake tube was convenient for such things. I'm willing to suffer this inconvenience since I use the washers more frequently than I change the timing belt.
 

meganuke

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Anyone have the part number for the VW washer fluid?
 

MOGolf

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The fluid is G 052 164 A1 "windshield cleaner concentrate with anti freeze".

Usually what I get has part number WAL MAR T. /images/graemlins/wink.gif
 

meganuke

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Thanks. The wife likes the lemon scent from the VW stuff. I'll have to see if Autozone has something similar.
 

John B.

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Feb 19, 2002
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Calgary
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2002 Jetta GL TDI
Installed today. 1 hour start to finish. Thank You MM for the great instructions. It would have been a large PITA without them. People should not worry about removing the bumper, it takes no more than 10 minutes tops with the nice instructions above.

The only thing I added was to unclip a couple of wire holders, one at the front and one that runs below the washer tank. This allowed the wires to be moved out of the area, which I think make inserting the new tank easier. Oh, and I din't move the fuel filter, so it is not necessary, but would make getting the upper bolt much easier.

Looking forward to being able to empty a whole bottle of washer fluid when the light comes on....
 

meganuke

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FYI, you don't HAVE to remove the bumper or headlight to get the 5.5L tank in. But it will take you the better part of a day to do it. If I were to do another, I would remove the headlight (which requires removing the bumper). When I installed mine, I was at a friend's house and didn't have access to all the necessary tools to remove the bumper (like a jackstand).
 

tongsli

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2000 Jetta TDI, 2004, Jetta Wagon TDI PD
I've never used a jackstand to remove my front bumper only for the rear bumper. For the front, you should be able to turn your wheel to the right and left far enough to get a stubby torx driver in the wheel well.
 
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