Washerfluid reservoir relocation on Gen5 ?

Have a Gen5 with a new aluminum front bumper. Looks nice but.... on a black 4Runner the washerfluid reservoir (white) is highly visible and exposed to brush and debris. Anyone know of easy way to relocate this inside the engine bay? Using reservoir from a Tacoma or something?

 

Check out the link. It's pricey but a solution. I have the pelfrey bumper on my black runner so I feel your pain. Some people paint the tank black others fabricate a shield for it.

http://www.shrockworks.com/2010-2014-FJ-Cruiser-Windshield-Washer-Fluid-Reservoir-pr-16273.html

 

I've often wondered why those bumpers aren't designed with, at the very least, a fascia cover to hide the reservoir. It would be better if, for the $1500+ you pay for one, they included a relocation kit; because that exposed reservoir looks awful and is so susceptible to damage.

 

Thanks for the link - very helpfull. Thought about coating it w underbody spray sound deadner,
but still doesnt offer much protection. You solution looks like more than adequate , just more than
i want to spend on this item. Think i will end up Tig welding up a smaller than stock alum box for R Rear engine bay. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge tho.

 

If you can weld I have seen a shield made that bolts on looked good and sturdy. Leave that spot in the engine bay for a second battery.

 

Shrockworks includes a cover WITH their bumper!! just sayin'

 

Hello,

After installing a Southern Style Offroad bumper and 2nd stage (wings), the stock windshield wiper fluid bottle was sticking out underneath and in front of the passenger front tire. This was an even bigger problem when I did my lift and added 34 inch tires. I looked around to find out how other folks dealt with a wiper reservoir relocation.

I'm too cheap to buy a properly engineered solution. They also appear to interfere with my behind grill light setup. I was also unwilling to relocate everything on the front passenger side of the engine compartment (power steering res., secondary air whatsit). Not satisfied with available setups, I came up with the following:




I use a 2nd Gen Tacoma reservoir, which is basically rectangular and smaller (but taller) than the OEM 5th gen 4runner bottle. I drilled a second hole for the rear wiper fluid pump. I re-route the hoses and wiring down through the dust flap just below the passenger side headlight (no modifications necessary).

I use a big stainless hose clamp (leftover from stage bottle rigging for scuba diving) to retain the reservoir. The hose clamp has a fabric sheath to protect the reservoir and the painted sheet metal of the truck. There are two chunks of sheet metal that support the radiator and headlights and are spot welded together. Where the two pieces join there is a loop/gap that creates a "tunnel" of about 3/4 inch diameter at just the level for the hose clamp to hold the reservoir. I ran the hose clamp through this gap between the two pieces of sheet metal and it does a really great job of holding the reservoir securely.





The reservoir has a rubber ring on the bottom that covers a protrusion in the plastic that fits into a sheet metal well on the Tacoma (see this at the bottom in the photo below).




I found an eye-bolt with a 1-inch diameter hole (the same diameter as the rubber ring). A bit of scrap j-bracket bolts onto the SSO bumper and forms the brace for the eye-bolt. This is probably overkill (the hose clamp can hold the reservoir just fine), but over-engineering is what DIY is all about!




Adjustable 1.5 inch transparent ventilation pipe attaches to the stock down spout/filler cap. I can fill the reservoir from the original location using the stock spout. I cut a hole in the Tacoma reservoir filler cap and fed the ventilation pipe into the reservoir. The ventilation pipe hangs down into the reservoir. It is a snug fit, so that the wiper fluid will not spill out if the liquid sloshes. If fluid does spill, it will just drain out under the bumper.

I should also mention that I already relocated the power steering hard lines when I added a power steering cooler in front of the condenser (below the lower radiator bracket). The stock hard lines would interfere with the reservoir in this location, but one could either bend the lines or move the reservoir up slightly.

This setup is still very experimental. I have not yet tested or run the new system for any length of time. But it seems to work. I will report back on any problems or additional modifications. I am still looking at how best to hold the hoses in place without pinching them. I also need to find a new dipstick (the stock one snags on the corrugations in the air filter hose -- I think I will just try a length of reinforced transparent 5/8 hose, since this will fold but is also more rigid than the stock dipstick).

Please let me know your thoughts or suggestions for improvements. I benefit from the folks here who know mountains more than me about just about everything mechanical. Thank you.

 

Very nice job! Did you happen to snap a before photo of the oem reservoir, or did you remove it when you mounted the bumper? I know you described it above, just curious how they compare. Also, was the pump wiring connection on the Tacoma reservoir the same, or did you have to swap connectors and/or pump?

 

There is a lot of information out there about removing the stock reservoir (it is easy). You can find de-installs on 4runners.com, YouTube, etc. Most of discussions of relocation involve installing either an expensive aftermarket (usually aluminum) tank or a much smaller reservoir. I like the 2nd gen Tacoma reservoir because it is roughly the same size as the OEM 4runner one. I used the original 4runner pumps and wiring. No changes. I did not even have to alter the length. I ended up with a spare pump (the Tacoma reservoir came with a pump). I may use it for a future project, such as installing a washer for my backup camera.