Reservoir Removal

Before

The windshield washer nozzles were missing from the Miata when I got it.  They are $20+ each and I don't anticipate using them much, so I decided to go the other way and remove the entire windshield washer system.  The reservoir is located in the front, driver-side bumper--the worst possible place for weight.

I had to remove the wheel to get access.  My normal jack is too tall to fit under the Miata, so I had to use the Miata's emergency jack.

Before

This gave me a chance to actually see the fancy suspension and brake lines I paid extra for.

 The reservoir filler had to be unbolted, and that meant loosening the air intake.

After removing a couple awkward bolts, I drained the tank.

And finally removed the last, most awkward bolt and pulled everything out.  The electrical connectors were a real pain too.

After

As you can see, this was a bit of a production.

Notice the sweet hood prop.  And yes, I did use the packaging from a ceiling fan to catch the fluid.

 Here's what came out, not including the liquid.  Total weight savings (including fluid):  13 lb, 11 oz!!!

Think my torque wrench is big enough?