Filling the screenwash bottle without flooding the floor!

[Elliott99]

Has anyone devised a a reasonably foolproof technique, or magic gadget to do this? Any pointers much appreciated!

 

[sparkywig]

A funnel works, but don't fill it more than half full otherwise you'll only get one squirt before the air runs out.

 

[Elliott99]

Thanks sparkywig, I will give it a go!

 

[Earlybay1]

You cant over fill because it has an internal neck to stop that. On the other hand install an electric washer pump and either run off a remote button via ignition or modify wiper stalk to run the pump.

 

[naskeet]

A funnel works, but don't fill it more than half full otherwise you'll only get one squirt before the air runs out.

That's not quite true, but one does need to periodically top-up the inflation pressure before the reservoir is empty of water. The windscreen-washer reservoir can only be filled with a maximum of about 1 litre of water, which might not be enough for a moderately-long journey (i.e. > 100 miles) during "dirty" wet weather.

I would certainly advocate using a funnel, but with a short length of flexible hose on the end, so that one can position the funnel in a more advantageous position for filling; noting that most VW Type 2 owners in Britain have right-hand drive vehicles, for which the steering-column and pedals get in the way.

Pour water slowly into the funnel and regularly monitor the water-level in the reservoir. If by chance the water starts to overflow, pinch the flexible-hose to stop the flow.

I have since acquired a Swedish specification, 1974~79 VW Type 2, windscreen-washer & headlamp-washer fluid tank, of 8 litre capacity (with electric water-pumps for both functions), which might be easier to fill, but being made of opaque, black-plastic, this might just be wishful thinking.

I substituted Swedish-made, SVD/SWW wash-wiper blades in the mid-1980s, which were far superior to the factory-fitted , bodywork-mounted, windscreen-washer nozzles, with regard to cleaning the windscreen without smearing, and used considerably less water.

 

[ozziedog]

That's not quite true, but one does need to periodically top-up the inflation pressure before the reservoir is empty of water. The windscreen-washer reservoir can only be filled with a maximum of about 1 litre of water, which might not be enough for a moderately-long journey (i.e. > 100 miles) during "dirty" wet weather.

I would certainly advocate using a funnel, but with a short length of flexible hose on the end, so that one can position the funnel in a more advantageous position for filling; noting that most VW Type 2 owners in Britain have right-hand drive vehicles, for which the steering-column and pedals get in the way.

Pour water slowly into the funnel and regularly monitor the water-level in the reservoir. If by chance the water starts to overflow, pinch the flexible-hose to stop the flow.

I have since acquired a Swedish specification, 1974~79 VW Type 2, windscreen-washer & headlamp-washer fluid tank, of 8 litre capacity (with electric water-pumps for both functions), which might be easier to fill, but being made of opaque, black-plastic, this might just be wishful thinking.

I substituted Swedish-made, SVD/SWW wash-wiper blades in the mid-1980s, which were far superior to the factory-fitted , bodywork-mounted, windscreen-washer nozzles, with regard to cleaning the windscreen without smearing, and used considerably less water.

I didn’t know that these were a thing, I’d heard of the Swedish washer bottle before. I’ve toyed with the idea of something similar in a pair of jets fitted directly to the arms of the wipers as per some of my delivery vans, Merc, tranny, etc.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,thanks for sharing that Nigel

 

[ozziedog]

P.S.
The above post makes it sound like I have a fleet of my very own delivery vans. That is not quite the case as I’m just a delivery driver for Asda.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,I hope that’s straightened that out

 

[naskeet]

P.S.
The above post makes it sound like I have a fleet of my very own delivery vans. That is not quite the case as I’m just a delivery driver for Asda.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,I hope that’s straightened that out

The Swedish made SVD/SWW wash-wiper bladed were first marketed in Great Britain (in the MOTOR magazine)n during the mid-1980s, but I am not sure whether they are still available, even in Sweden.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/svd_sww_wash_wiper_blades_sweden.php

I hope you were not planning to purloin some clip-on washer-nozzle housings from ASDA (i.e. ASsociated DAiries) vans!

Probably the best style of clip-on washer-nozzle housings I have seen, with four adjustable ball-nozzles, are those (Item 113 in the following line-drawing) used on the top-hinged rear hatches of Mercedes Vito vans, and the associated 90 mm long hose-retaining clip (Item 107 in the following line-drawing)

These wiper-arm mounted, clip-on, washer-nozzle housings (only two nozzles!), are the stock, factory-fitted front windscreen washers, on the circa 2002 onward, Nissan Cabstar pickup truck.

I've seen similar washer systems, on other modern pickup trucks, vans, lorries and cars. Note in particular, the through-bodywork connector, which outwardly appears to be identical, to that supplied with the VDO accessory kit, of VDO part No. V 1018.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/lit/vdo_wiper_arm_jet_sweden.php
The top photograph, shows the main components of the universal, VDO/SWF wiper-arm mounting, clip-on, washer-jet kit, which I used for the cross-over-arm, pantograph rear-window wiper system, of my 1973 VW Type 2.

The kit comprises:

(a) 1 clip-on washer-jet housing with four adjustable ball-nozzles
(b) 1 through-panel, right-angled connector
(c) 1 small-bore rubber hose
(d) 3 wiper-arm, hose-retaining clips

 

[ozziedog]

Seeing as there is a kit Nigel, that has to be the easiest way forward. I should imagine that the difficulty in bringing this through the holes for the existing jets would be negligible At the same time I’m guessing would be appropriate for the electrification of the system whilst incorporating a micro switch as per several threads on the LateBay and indeed on here the Earlybay.com. I should imagine for the entrepreneurial types in the VW community a nicely proportioned and fully inclusive kit from micro switch to powered pump to piping and clips and nozzles ready to simply install by the less talented ( me ) amongst our throng, especially if it had an in line fuse and instructions on exactly where to fit it on the fuse box, I’d imagine that would be a sales winner .

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, so let me know when the kits ready and how much inc post

 

[Earlybay1]

Forget all the contraptions. Two nozzles as fitted by VW with twin jets are adequate. The standard air is okay but electric pump is better. Keep it simple!!

 

[naskeet]

Seeing as there is a kit Nigel, that has to be the easiest way forward. I should imagine that the difficulty in bringing this through the holes for the existing jets would be negligible At the same time I’m guessing would be appropriate for the electrification of the system whilst incorporating a micro switch as per several threads on the LateBay and indeed on here the Earlybay.com. I should imagine for the entrepreneurial types in the VW community a nicely proportioned and fully inclusive kit from micro switch to powered pump to piping and clips and nozzles ready to simply install by the less talented ( me ) amongst our throng, especially if it had an in line fuse and instructions on exactly where to fit it on the fuse box, I’d imagine that would be a sales winner .

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, so let me know when the kits ready and how much inc post

I am not sure whether the "SVD/SWW wash-wiper "kit" or SWF/VDO clip-on washer-jet "kit" are still available in Sweden. I know there are now various clip-on washer-jet "kits" available in Great Britain, but they seem rediculously expensive to me!

I lost contact several years ago with the SVD/SWW wash-wiper company in Stocksund, Sweden, so I have yet to determine whether the kits or replacement rubber refills are still available. Several messages to the Swedish Trade Legation in London, have yet to elicit any reply! I am toying with the idea of asking one of the Chinese windscreen-wiper manufacturers (many have sought to join my LinkedIn network!) about the possibility of reproducing these, if there is no patent in force.

When I first installed the SVD/SWW wash-wiper kit in circa 1985/86 on my family's 1973 VW Type 2, I simply removed the VW's factory-fitted, two single-nozzle housings from the bodywork's cruciform-shaped holes, and modified a generic blanking-grommet to fit the holes and made a central circular hole in the grommet for the small-bore rubber hose.

 

[naskeet]

Forget all the contraptions. Two nozzles as fitted by VW with twin jets are adequate. The standard air is okay but electric pump is better. Keep it simple!!

I have no experience of substituting the post-1979 windscreen-washer jet-housings, each with two adjustable nozzles, but on my 1974 Triumph Toledo 1300 "HL Special", I re-positioned the original washer-jets, and retro-fitted two identical supplementary washer-jets that I had salvaged from the local car breaker's yard.

This provided much improved water distribution across the windscreen, but used far too much water, resulting in an almost empty two-pint reservoir, after only an 80 mile journey! When I substituted the SVD/SWW wash-wiper blades, the water distribution was far superior even to this four-jet system and used far less water than the original two-jet system.