Patching up a leaky windscreen washer tube?

JustAnotherSaver

My wifes car is leaking windscreen washer juice. It's not gushing out but it is weeping.

I'd tried to sort out the connections on to the motor but i ended up butchering it and had to book it in to a garage to get sorted. They took a look and ordered in a new motor and patched up the tubing. They said to 'do it proper' they would need to remove so much and it would ramp up the price so they went with the cheap option. I could go the expensive route if i wished.

We didn't wish.

As it's still weeping i was trying to think how i could stop it. The idea i had was using some of this Stixall adhesive. Claims to set in wet conditions, be super strong so on and so forth yada yada.

My idea was to just get a handfull of that and just smear it all over the tubing where it connects to the motor. Really get it in and about the joint.

But there's a reason i don't DIY. First off i can't and secondly there's usually major flaws in my 'bright ideas' that i only find when it's too late.

For the experienced repairists of the forum, does this sound like it may work? Can you think of something that will work better? Before it's said, no not 'do it proper' - i'd rather just throw cheap windscreen wash in and let it weep than spend on a 'proper job' as it'll be much cheaper.

AdrianC

Cut back the butchered tube to a sound bit, joiner, bit of new. Job jobbed. Time taken - minutes, cost - pence.

Even Fred could do it.

clive0510

there is one way to fix it. have what ever needs replacing replaced and pay the bill. nothings for nothing.

MinuteNoodles

+1, pennies at a motoring shop and I believe even Halfords sell them. Failing that a packet of Sugru will also do the job.

lesalanos

Which car?  

JustAnotherSaver

AdrianC said:

Cut back the butchered tube to a sound bit, joiner, bit of new. Job jobbed. Time taken - minutes, cost - pence.

Even Fred could do it.

I love how everyone says everything is so simple.

I tell them they haven't seen me at work. They laugh and give the bent wrist wave, oh don't be silly, you can't be that bad.

No, really, i am.

Oh come on. Nobody is that bad.

Ok so you're trying to tell me you know me better than I know myself are you?

Trust me!

And anyway, the garage had at it and couldn't sort it so how do you think i'll be able to?

clive0510 said:

there is one way to fix it. have what ever needs replacing replaced and pay the bill. nothings for nothing.

Already answered this before you said.

Next...

MinuteNoodles said:

+1, pennies at a motoring shop and I believe even Halfords sell them. Failing that a packet of Sugru will also do the job.

What is pennies? Repairs? Tubes? Pumps?

Never heard of that Surgru before though. I'll bear that in mind. Thanks.

lesalanos said:

Which car?  

Astra H.

flashg67

self amalgamating tape? cheap, easy to use. I've used it on leaky hoses so worth a shot?

fred246

Carefully disassemble whatever needs disassembling. Replace whatever part is broken. Carefully re-assemble. Parts are normally cheap. A garage would quickly disassemble. Replace the part. Throw the remaining parts in the bin or shove them roughly were they were previously. So they sort the washers but cause another problem. Trying to sort it with adhesives, tape etc won't work. Not permanently.

JustAnotherSaver

I DID carefully disassemble. 
Thats what lead to the car needing to go to the garage and a new pump ended up being needed when the original had been fine. 

Like i I said to adrian before who said even Fred, whoever Fred is, could do it ... you don’t know me therefore you don’t know how I butcher even the simplest of DIY jobs. 

AdrianC

Honestly, if you're so utterly ham-fisted as to be unable to cut a bit of plastic tube, push a plastic joiner in, and push a new bit of tube on the other side of the joiner, then I do genuinely wonder how you can manage the hand-eye co-ordination needed to actually drive.

The only actual skill you need is to measure the tube - there's different sizes.

lesalanos

JustAnotherSaver said:

AdrianC said:

Cut back the butchered tube to a sound bit, joiner, bit of new. Job jobbed. Time taken - minutes, cost - pence.

Even Fred could do it.

I love how everyone says everything is so simple.

I tell them they haven't seen me at work. They laugh and give the bent wrist wave, oh don't be silly, you can't be that bad.

No, really, i am.

Oh come on. Nobody is that bad.

Ok so you're trying to tell me you know me better than I know myself are you?

Trust me!

And anyway, the garage had at it and couldn't sort it so how do you think i'll be able to?

clive0510 said:

there is one way to fix it. have what ever needs replacing replaced and pay the bill. nothings for nothing.

Already answered this before you said.

Next...

MinuteNoodles said:

+1, pennies at a motoring shop and I believe even Halfords sell them. Failing that a packet of Sugru will also do the job.

What is pennies? Repairs? Tubes? Pumps?

Never heard of that Surgru before though. I'll bear that in mind. Thanks.

lesalanos said:

Which car?  

Astra H.

Worth posting on the astra h forums to see what they recommend.  Depending on how big the hole is and where it is will decide what best.

I fixed mine on a golf by wrapping PTFE and insulation tape round it

Don't suppose you have a picture of it?