Washer Bottle Cap & Tube.

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s.unsworth
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Washer Bottle Cap & Tube.

Post by s.unsworth » 31st December 2018 - 9:53am

Is there anything on here about how the Late Type 3 Windscreen Washer Bottle Cap and Tube works please ?

My original one that was on the Type 3 when I bought the car in 1988 worked perfectly, until the car was stripped down for the Body Off rebuild. It never worked again after the rebuild.

I always used to inflate the Spare Tyre. Connect the Tube to the Valve to pressurise the Washer Bottle then disconnect it, and inflate the Spare again.

I bought a new Cap & Tube assembly from VW Heritage 311 955 979 ( B ? ).

Cautionary tale here - although the replacements have kept a Type 3 Part Number, the Tube is not long enough to reach from the Spare Wheel Valve to the Washer Bottle on a Late Type 3 ! Some fool must have decided that the Tube did not be as long to reach from a late Beetle Spare Wheel Valve to the Washer Bottle fastened inside the Spare Wheel, so made it shorter to save money. I’m not sure the replacement one works properly in any case.

My temporary solution has been to fit a Schrader Valve cut from an Inner Tube Inside a Washer Bottle Cap and pressurise the Bottle that way. However I would like to get an Original type Cap and Tube working the Washers from the Spare Wheel again. My best ( only ) theory at the moment is that the Connection on the end of the Tube that Screws onto Valve on the Spare Wheel has stopped working, maybe failing to press on the Valve Core to let the Air out ? But how does the insides of the Bottle Cap work please ? I really don’t want to cut it open to find out.

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purplepeter
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Re: Washer Bottle Cap & Tube.

Post by purplepeter » 31st December 2018 - 11:29am

If you look inside the connector to the tyre, theres a little black bit that depresses the tyre valve- They can break off & not allow the bottle to pressurize
Then, look inside the Helphos valve & You'll see a white tab that engages with the tapered neck of the bottle.. this bit often seizes.. a quirt of WD40 frees it up

s.unsworth
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Re: Washer Bottle Cap & Tube.

Post by s.unsworth » 31st December 2018 - 10:12pm

Hi Peter,

Thank you. Might be a bit of both faults. I’ll give it a try !

Ta

Steve

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mattjay1991
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Re: Washer Bottle Cap & Tube.

Post by mattjay1991 » 5th February 2019 - 6:52pm

I’ve got a spare cap and tube if you need one?

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Dave Summers
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Re: Washer Bottle Cap & Tube.

Post by Dave Summers » 7th February 2019 - 10:21pm

I don't like the pressurising off the spare wheel, and much prefer the earlier version which was a Schrader valve on the washer bottle. When I eventually get my 412 ready for the road I may well convert it to that system. If you want originality (as I usually do) then you'll want the pipe off the tyre to work, but personally, if the system you have works, I'd stick with it.
Dave
412 Variant
411 2-door saloon

s.unsworth
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Location: Up North ( It`s Grim)

Re: Washer Bottle Cap & Tube.

Post by s.unsworth » 17th February 2019 - 6:01pm

Finally got around to looking at it. Removed the Valve end that screws onto the Spare Tyre Valve from the Original Tube & Cap Assembly Can not blow any air through the Tube. Did the same thing with the supposed replacement Tube & Cap Assembly bought from Heritage. I can blow through that one. Tried blowing through both the old & new ends removed from the tubes. Can blow through both of them in both directions. That must be wrong. I would have though there should be no path through until the Centre has been pressed by screwing it onto a Schrader Valve

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purplepeter
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Re: Washer Bottle Cap & Tube.

Post by purplepeter » 17th February 2019 - 10:24pm

You wouldn't be able to blow through, unless the white tab was depressed by being in the neck of a bottle!

s.unsworth
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Re: Washer Bottle Cap & Tube.

Post by s.unsworth » 18th February 2019 - 12:58pm

That is not the case with the Replacement one supplied by VW Heritage. No problem blowing through that one without pressing the white tab in. It’s black not white on that one. The air blows out of a tiny hole near the tab. There is no such hole to be seen on my Original.

Tried spraying the Original with WD 40 as suggested. Not made any difference . . . . . yet.

Thinking of making my own new Air Tube using a flexible Spare Wheel Valve Extension Hose. I already have a 1 metre long one with a brass end that fits the Valve on the Spare on one end and a Schrader Valve on t’other. ( They are made for checking the pressure / blowing up the Spare on vehicles where the Spare is inaccessible. )

That or I’ll make up a new Bottle Cap with a Schrader Valve in the middle.

Thank you for the offer of a Spare Tube and Cap mattjay1991 but I really want to get the ones I already have working.

s.unsworth
Posts: 434
Joined: 10th November 2006 - 6:17pm
Location: Up North ( It`s Grim)

Re: Washer Bottle Cap & Tube.

Post by s.unsworth » 2nd March 2019 - 4:51pm

Did the simple Mod. Cut a new HGV Schrader Tyre Valve extension in half. Removed Tube from Washer Bottle Cap. Fit cut half of HGV Schrader Tyre Valve extension to Washer Bottle Cap. Put Cap back on Bottle. Pressurised. Checked Washers. That worked.

Didn’t use the 1 Metre extension. Just a short one, as they are less than £2. Alternative is to use t’other end of the Valve extension Tube screwed onto the Spare Tyre Valve and pressurise the Washer Bottle that way.

That was the replacement Washer Bottle Cap supplied by Heritage. Worked for a while then lost pressure somewhere.

Tried the same Mod on my Original. That didn’t work at all. No pressure getting through Cap into Bottle.

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