Removing Front Wing On Xm, easy?

Hi all

I want to access the washing liquid tank for a little conversion that I'm doing with the plippers -which I'll present when done-.

I can see the 5-6 top bolts accessible from engine bay, but what else there is? Please don't tell me I need to remove the front panel to undo some bolt behind the sidelight!!

Thanks very much

George

Depending what you want to do, it is possible to remove the tank without removing too much else - I managed it once.

Remove the wheel and the wheel arch cover.
Remove the filler neck under the bonnet - 2 or 3 screws and it then pulls out.
Then I think there are 1 or 2 bolts inside the engine bay on studs from the tank.
Then it is loose and moves around.
Unplug the connectors and pipes to the motors - it will then dump it's contents on the road of course.
With a lot of manoeuvring and probably some swearing you will manage to get it out. The key is to get a large square'ish protuberance on the tank by the indicator repeater light past some part of the structure if I remember correctly.
I think I removed the repeater to stop the wire getting in the way.

In true haynes style, refitting is the reverse of removal - but perhaps with a different amount of swearing.

Hi Rowan

I basically need access to the rear screen washer pump hose and connectors. Want to re-route this pump towards the front windscreen -and similarly rewire its cable-. From your experience do you think that I can access these if I just remove the wheelarch? No need to remove the tank if not...needed.

Thanks
G

I would say it is too tight to access them without removing the tank. I took mine tank out as the front washer pipe had perished. I replaced it up to a join under the scuttle somewhere. I had to get the tank out to be able to access the pipe properly to replace it.

I worked on the basis of 'I should be able to do it without removing the tank' which turned into 'I'll have to remove the tank - how do I do that' which eventually turned into 'at last I have got it out'. Or words to that effect

I seem to remember the pumps are right up against the inner wing with very little room. The hardest part is possibly reconnecting the pipes and connectors to the pumps when reassembling as I found you had to do it by feel.

I would say have a go at removing it through the wheel arch and see how you go. You may be surprised to find you can get to what you want just by loosening the tank and shifting it about a bit without removing it fully. That is fairly easy to do - it is the getting it right out which involves more manoeuvring.

Hi George,

Please see my posting on 20th Movember 2007 under "XM issues". Do a search for "windscreen washer" under my name.

Derek

This post has been edited by DerekW on August 12, 2008 05:55 pm

Thanks alot Rowan and Derek. Sounds a bit more complicated than I was hoping for, either way. Seems I have to forget my little conversion for now and do the heater matrix first...

Thansk!
G

Hi George,

I've upgated my original posting by including a 'photo of both tanks so you can see what you're up against.

It now appears in today's postings of course.

Derek

Hi George

From memory I think you can get at the wiring in the front of the engine bay just before it goes through the chassis and under the wing. Similarly the rear washer supply pipe can be found just before it goes up inside the windscreen pillar. Will see if I can check and confirm this in the next day or so.

Regards

John

Of course. Should have thought of this possibility.

Thanks!
G

That logical answer to your problem escaped me as well. But I find that's happening more and more these days.

Derek