R230 Windscreen Washer Bottle Question

[ajp558]

Hi,

I have just purchased a stunning black 2006 SL350 and I am now becoming immersed in the battle against roof leaks and creaks armed with a bottle of Krytox and my index finger thanks to the numerous helpful postings on this forum.

However, I do a question if I may? While topping up the windscreen washer bottle last night I noticed a thin rubber tube like a breather pipe clipped inside the filler which appears not to be connected to anything down below. Is this correct or should it be fitted onto something down below?

If so, then I assume I will need to look at removing the driver side front wheel and wheel arch liner to get access to the washer bottle and clip the tube back onto whatever it should attach to?

Many thanks for any helpful replies. I am hoping that I am not the first person this has happened to.

AJP

 

[television]

Hello and welcome, all I can do is to send you the water bottle info paper

 

[ajp558]

Television, that would be very much appreciated.



AJP

EDIT: Paper received. Thanks again.

 

[television]

OK and sent,,, you can edit out the address

 

[Ikebaddog]

Congrats on your purchase, superb motor, photos???
If you find out the purpose of that tube, could you let me know...... Have got a suspected leak from washer bottle, ( seems to have cured itself now!,,) and am curious about that tube.

 

[reflexboy]

Mine has that tube too.....erm.....no idea. Sort the leaks out (water and ABC fluid) and you're gonna have the best summer ever in your new toy.

 

[television]

Mine has that tube too.....erm.....no idea. Sort the leaks out (water and ABC fluid) and you're gonna have the best summer ever in your new toy.

Summer, what is that when its about

 

[star]

It ment to stop water backing up when filling by letting the air past.

 

[ajp558]

Thanks all for your replies and encouragement.

I have only just come indoors after having to wait until the snow & sleet stopped before I could get the car out of the garage and follow the various instructions on lubricating the rubber seals.

I have to confess that although I bought some blocks of wood cut to various lengths I didn't have the courage to switch the engine off and prop the roof open as per Malcolm's instructions in the DIY guides. I plan to cover the ends in self-adhesive felt before using them so as to avoid scratching the roof or windscreen surround.

So, it took me about 4 hours in the dark, jumping between pressing the roof switch to keep the roof open, applying Krytox lubrication and dancing around in the dark to trigger outdoor security lights to add to the light provided by my head torch before pressing the roof button again.

The SL is now back in the garage on a conditioning charger to look after the battery in the boot. So far I have had the car since Tuesday, driven maybe 20 miles but spent more than 20 hours on maintenance. That includes some time messing about with a computer trying to burn CDs and DVDs which will play MP3s.

I also hope I have found and fixed the loudest creaks by fixing two light grey plastic clips which attach the boot carpet liner to the boot lid. They had come out of their sockets and needed re-attaching to the carpet and then pressing back into the boot. They made quite a loud cracking sound when pulling off the drive onto the road and crossing ridges etc. At least that is what I hope was causing those noises.

As reflexboy says, I cant wait until Summer when it should be leak-free and I can enjoy it.

With regard to the windscreen washer bottle rubber pipe, it just looks like it is a breather pipe which is not attached over anything at the bottom. I have to confess that I dislodged it last night while investigating what I took to be a leaking washer reservoir. I topped it up with strong washer fluid with a low freezing point last night and kept topping it up when the fluid level kept going down. I then wondered if something was blocking the filler tube so I waggled the rubber tube. I then smelt strong alcohol and looked down to see a growing pool of blue washer fluid under the front right hand side wheel. After putting a washing up bowl under the wheel arch I went indoors to inform the wife who asked how the SL was going that I had "broken it". A search on this forum soon informed me that the fluid filler does not have a sealed connection to the actual reservoir, so if you keep topping it up it will keep pouring out onto the floor. Not a great idea, but I guess Mercedes spend their effort focusing on the genius of a metal-folding roof.

I now know that I am not the first one to think I have a leaking washer bottle. But perhaps I am the first to accidentally yank the rubber breather pipe out. It was quite fiddly getting it back in. I checked the operation of the washer afterwards and all looks good - windscreen and headlight washers all working, and no sign of a leak once the fluid level had settled down after I overfilled it.

So, tomorrow I hope to get the car out in daylight and see what needs to be done about the leaks which appear to be under the C pillars. I bought a 2006 car thinking that the leaks would have been fixed in the design by then. But there are signs that the bottom of the boot has had some water. I spent over an hour polishing the tool kit which had rusted, washing the tool bag and cleaning the spare fuses while it snowed outside. I have read the threads on using a couple of inches of hose pipe to reinforce the rubber seals under the C pillar but it may get to the stage where I think the garage I bought the car from should step in.

I am now reading up on the various threads about getting the car "fixed" so the digital display shows mph and not kph (I miss that from the Porsche Boxster I traded in for the SL350).


Cheers all.
AJP

 

[Gkinghorn]

Yes those plastic clips which hold the liner to the boot took me ages to find too ... Tho I confess I didn't get the big cracking noise you hear.. Just a very annoying clicking... I simply removed the one I had that was causing the trouble...tempted to use a blob of no nails!


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[ajp558]

Hi Gkinghorn,

I am sure that I read a thread of yours into the early hours this week which led me to the carpet clips tonight.

I struggled to clip one of them back in and I did think about some form of glue for just a moment, but I know I wouldn't be happy with that, even if no-one else saw it I would know.

I do hope that I don't end up spending more time listening out for strange noises than enjoying the car. I was fortunate enough to buy a Porsche 996 C4 when they first came out. I had been dying to have a 911 since I was a child and sat in one at the Motor Show in 1976 I think. Sadly I spend more time worrying about it than enjoying it. The only times my wife ever drove my "dream car" was to allow me to climb all over the back searching for the source of various creaks and rattles, going up and down the same road so that I could try and shove folder self-adhesive felt strips in every nook and cranny. These things have a way of taking over your life.....

 

[television]

Its an odd thing the washer bottle, when I had Gordons car, after 2 years with it the washer bottle would always be empty and need filling, I removed the arch line, took a look around and filled it and just no leaks at all, this was about the same time as Helen had leaks with hers. I put mine back together and it never did it again in the following 4 years, so an odd thing to be sure.

Re using the wood to prop the roof, I had not thought much about the cut ends. I use 100 tooth blades on my cross cut saw the cut is as smooth as a babies bottom it Do not think a not so smooth cut would mark anything, but better safe than sorry.

I do have a roof noise info pack if you would like it.


Re any boot clips that will not stay in and new clip from MB will work much better than an old distorted one.

 

[Gkinghorn]

I have propped mine open with plain old wood a few times ..yes it's a heavy roof but if you place it correctly its fine... No marks on mine from it...

And Malcolm I think that's the first time you have referred to the car as 'Gordons car'


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[television]

I have propped mine open with plain old wood a few times ..yes it's a heavy roof but if you place it correctly its fine... No marks on mine from it...

And Malcolm I think that's the first time you have referred to the car as 'Gordons car'


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I am old Gordon and am coming to terms with it That is a very nice example with all leather inside trim, and they do not offer that anymore

 

[Gkinghorn]

You know I love it ...despite the 'consumers offline' and cold bum I get during this long winter!


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[television]

You know I love it ...despite the 'consumers offline' and cold bum I get during this long winter!


==========================

I do hope that you come to the meet and I will bring a parcel of a few things that I have promised

 

[Gkinghorn]

That's the plan Malcolm ... I still need to find this pesky noise source on drivers side window which has eluded me so you'll be coming for a drive in it!


==========================

 

[ajp558]

Its an odd thing the washer bottle, when I had Gordons car, after 2 years with it the washer bottle would always be empty and need filling, I removed the arch line, took a look around and filled it and just no leaks at all, this was about the same time as Helen had leaks with hers. I put mine back together and it never did it again in the following 4 years, so an odd thing to be sure.

Re using the wood to prop the roof, I had not thought much about the cut ends. I use 100 tooth blades on my cross cut saw the cut is as smooth as a babies bottom it Do not think a not so smooth cut would mark anything, but better safe than sorry.

I do have a roof noise info pack if you would like it.


Re any boot clips that will not stay in and new clip from MB will work much better than an old distorted one.

Having a washer bottle filler connection to the reservoir which isn't sealed is a very strange design indeed and I am annoyed it caught me out then left me worrying I had pulled the breather pipe off something hidden behind the wheel arch. I haven't owner a Merc before so I have quite a bit to get used to, including the parking brake arrangement and having both the indicators, high beam and wiper controls all on one stalk, but with no stalk on the right hand side.

I think that when I try the wood prop for the first time I am going to pad out the area underneath with pillows just in case it falls....

If you can send me the roof pack that would be great so that I can familiarise myself before I attempt to fix any more noises.

I am sure that you are right about the roof clips. I think I'll remove one and tale it to a Merc dealer to buy a couple of replacements.

The snow has stopped here in Fleet, so who knows, I might actually get a chance to drive the car today! :lol:

 

[Mic]

My roof prop is shaped with the VERY rough V groove for the windscreen end and the extension piece for the roof end. I use a couple of micro-fibre cloths, simply because that is what is ''to hand'' in my garage, as softening between the car and the prop. The shortest distance of the prop, bottom of V to the long support at the other end is 380mm.




Mic

 

[television]

Detail sent