Washer bottle relocation instructions

The post '93 80 series TLC has all the mounting holes necessary for a factory battery tray.

The first step is to relocated the factory washer bottle to free up space for that tray.

Pre '95 models (from what I've seen) also have a little airbox contraption on the airfilter inlet that gets in the way of the auxiliary factory battery tray. That airbox also needs to be relocated and requires some extra work - an exercise left to the reader ;-) Some people have just removed the airbox (essentially a resonator) but if you live in a smog capital then you run the risk of getting smacked by the smog police...

To relocate the washer bottle was a challenge. The first attempt was to use a smaller aftermarket washer bottle which barely had sufficient pressure to sprinkle the windshield. Then a search for a location somewhere in the engine bay for the original washer bottle commenced. Eventually the spot behind the cruise control module was indentified as a good place - and pretty well the only place.

I then made up a set of metal brackets to allow for the easy relocation of the washer bottle to an accessible area between the rear of the air cleaner assembly, the rear of the cruise control module and the passenger firewall.

Note: I don't make/sell these anymore.

Installation Instructions:

Remove the washer bottle from its stock position on the fender.

  1. Unplug the power connector to the washer bottle motor. There is a small tab that must be depressed as you pull upwards on the plug.
  2. Siphon any remaining washer fluid out of the bottle (optional).
  3. Remove the three bolts that fasten the washer bottle to the fender, these can be reused to fasten the auxiliary battery tray.
  4. Unplug the hose that runs from the motor/pump on the lower part of the washer bottle. This hose carries the washer fluid to the front and rear windshield nozzles. If you haven’t performed step 2 above, be prepared to plug the hose with you finger. Drain all fluid from the bottle, this will ease the installation phase below.

Extend the washer bottle motor cable

  1. Disconnect battery ground if desired. (If you have activated the anti-theft feature of your stereo, ensure you know the code and how to enter it in).
  2. Remove several inches of the outer wrapping from the plug end of the cable to expose the two wires.
  3. Cut the two wires, one approx 2" from the plug, the other approx 3" from the plug. Cutting the two wires in this fashion ensures that the wires do not get crossed in the process of adding in the extension cable. Place the plug aside.
  4. Trim the insulation from one of the wires back ¼" or so and insert into one of the provided butt connectors. Crimp the butt connector securing the wire. Repeat this step on the other wire.
  5. Take one end of the provided extension cable and insert one wire into the free end of one of the butt connectors from step 4, crimp and secure the wire. Repeat this step on the other wire.
  6. Take the plug and the other end of the extension cable and perform steps 4 and 5 again. Insert the extended cable into the provided slit sleeving.
  7. Wrap electrical insulation tape around the connections.
  8. If you performed step 1, reconnect battery ground and reprogram clock and stereo as required.

Install relocation brackets and washer bottle in new position (refer figures 1,2,3)

  1. Refer to the figure below to identify each of the brackets and where they will be bolted.
  2. Remove the two bolts and metal washers that secure the cruise control module to the US passenger side fender. Attach brackets #1 and #2 as shown in figure 1 and loosely fasten with the same two bolts and washers.
  3. Remove the bolt and washer that fastens the rear air filter bracket to the fender. Attach brackets #3 and #4 as shown in figure 2 and loosely fasten with the same bolt and washer.
  4. Test fit the washer bottle up against the brackets and ensure that no part of the vehicle rubs on the bottle. It may be necessary to bend the small bracket that retains the brake line on the fender to ensure clearance between the washer bottle, see figure 3.
  5. Plug the extended power connector into the washer bottle motor. If you wish, you may trim the length of the hose – now that the bottle is closer to the firewall, otherwise roll up the extra hose length and secure with a tiewrap. Plug the hose into the washer bottle motor/pump.
  6. Attach the washer bottle to the brackets. Ensure the mechanical cable that runs from the cruise control module to the fuel system fits between the washer bottle and bracket #3. Wrap the provided spiral sleeving onto the cable to prevent it chaffing on the bracket or bottle. See figure 1.
  7. Use the two 7mm (13mm heads) bolts and nylocs on the two upper washer bottle tabs. The 5mm (10mm head) bolt and nyloc secures bracket #4 to the lower right washer bottle tab. Ensure you have placed a washer between the rear of the washer bottle tabs and the nylocs. You may have to slightly drill out or ream the washer bottle holes to allow the supplied bolts to smoothly fit through the holes.
  8. Tighten all loose bolts. Refill the washer bottle and test it. Run it a bit to clear out the air in the hose.

Tools/parts required:

Figure 1. A view of the relocated washer bottle and three of the support brackets. You can just see the spiral sleeving that protects the cruise control cable running between the bottle and the lower right support bracket.

Figure 2. A view of the relocated washer bottle from the firewall direction. You can see the 4th support bracket at the bottom left of the washer bottle. It bolts to the same aircleaner mounting bolt as the vertical bracket (seen on the upper left of the washer bottle) and picks up a lower washer bottle mounting tab.

Figure 3. Right at the bottom of the washer bottle rear, you can just see some of the coiled brake line. This is the line that may need slight bending to not rub on the bottom of the washer bottle.

Figure 4. The finished view of the relocated washer bottle in the background with the auxiliary battery installed in the factory tray occupying the space that the washer bottle was originally in.

Figure 4. The four brackets that I made to relocate the washer bottle. Bracket 3 is the 'interesting' one. After making the prototype set, I just cloned each one when I made up a few new sets. The numbering below matches the numbers in the other pictures and the text. The brackets are made from 1" wide 1/8" thick steel.