Frozen screenwash ?

[Paul_B]

My washers only work when it is -0.5C or warmer so I have to develop alternative techniques to clean my screen. One that works if the snow is slushy is to drive way too close to the car or van in front of you so that you get covered with spray from its tyres. Then back off with your wipers going. It clears the salt on your screen for at least about 15 minutes IME. It works for me but then you have to know the road you are doing it on so there are no sudden surprised like the car in front braking suddenly.

I don't know the problem with my washers. At the last service and MOT it failed on the washers not working properly so the garag emptied them and gave them a good clear out. re-filled them and it worked well for a short time then instead of the passenger's side not working and the dirvers side working great it is now the other way around. They said it had washing up liquid in it but as an ex lex defence rental it had perfect service record and I doubt they never put wrong stuff in I didnt. Halford best since I got it. I used to be able to pump the washer lever and it would clear it in the past now it clogs up too easily. Annoying really because the garage "sorted" the problem out without me saying yes then charged a lot fpor the trouble. Ripped me off big time.
Anyway if someone knows how to de-frost and clean out the washers on a below freezing day please let me know. -3C at best today so unlikely to see my washers working for a while. I also drive a diesel that seems to have awful heater and whereas my last petrol car heated up quick and the washers de-frosted after 10 minutes driving the current car doesn't heat up until after 30 minutes and never defrosts the washers out until air temp is about zero.

 

[marcusleftthesite]

The Comma screen wash go's down to -65c , Halfords sell it

 

[British Red]

BR ? does the IPA not affect the varnish coat on top of the car paint ?

cheers,
M

I hope not - its in most screenwash anyway - screenwash is pretty much Isopropanol and surfactants. When using it neat you just up the concentration of Isopropanol. Dumping a slurp of neat stuff into your washer bottle just increases concentration and lowers the freeze point.

40% Isopropanol in water freezes around -21C - knock it up to 50% and it won't freeze till around -31C. Saves siphoning out whats in there

As always, I'm saying what I do - no intention to suggest you should do this

Screenwash content

http://www.cloverchem.co.uk/uk/products/spauto_screen_wash_uk.htm

Dilution freezepoint calculation

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem00/chem00924.htm

General discussion on the subject

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=137215

Red

 

[vizsla]

i had the same problem this morning so i squirted ribena on the window, it worked a treat and smelt nice too.bonus

 

[PaulSanderson]

My neighbour buys neat IPA by the gallon - good slug of that in the washer bottle problem solved (no, no the beer)

great stuff...used to use it on aircraft before the H&S police got involved....its VERY bad for windscreen seals though so dont let it run... and if you get REALLY bored, you can make IPA cannons...better than RPGs!!!!

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Are the exposed jets on the bonnet subject to wind chill? I find my bottle is ok but the jet are frozen..

 

[Radix lecti]

In this weather i just pull over now and then and chuck some snow on the windscreen of my van,i dont like wet sleeves either.

 

[wanderingblade]

Did you stop the car before squirting?

Ain't got time to stop!

 

[Highbinder]

If you got to stop to squirt whats the point? I've been having trouble with mine when it's been below -5 (so basicly the last 3 weeks), if it gets too dirty I stop and smear snow across the window. Sorted.

 

[Fizzy]

Are the exposed jets on the bonnet subject to wind chill? I find my bottle is ok but the jet are frozen..

Yeah, it's usually the jet nozzle that freezes up first. Miss my Mini this weather, it had a heated windscreen and washer jets

 

[Nagual]

Good news, I have got screenwash that does not freeze to at least -8! Amazing stuff. Easy to make too, just try to make bramble wine and let something go wrong so it tastes of paint stripper.. One batch was good, the other .. well paint stripper.. lol left a couple of bottles out in the burn for past few weeks.. and not frozen.. so took a bottle and poured it on the back window of the car.. instant deicer and didn't refreeze! lol

 

[johnnytheboy]

Paul this happens all the time, take the jets out the bonnet and blow them out with high pressure air blower, gets all the gunk out of them

My washers only work when it is -0.5C or warmer so I have to develop alternative techniques to clean my screen. One that works if the snow is slushy is to drive way too close to the car or van in front of you so that you get covered with spray from its tyres. Then back off with your wipers going. It clears the salt on your screen for at least about 15 minutes IME. It works for me but then you have to know the road you are doing it on so there are no sudden surprised like the car in front braking suddenly.

I don't know the problem with my washers. At the last service and MOT it failed on the washers not working properly so the garag emptied them and gave them a good clear out. re-filled them and it worked well for a short time then instead of the passenger's side not working and the dirvers side working great it is now the other way around. They said it had washing up liquid in it but as an ex lex defence rental it had perfect service record and I doubt they never put wrong stuff in I didnt. Halford best since I got it. I used to be able to pump the washer lever and it would clear it in the past now it clogs up too easily. Annoying really because the garage "sorted" the problem out without me saying yes then charged a lot fpor the trouble. Ripped me off big time.
Anyway if someone knows how to de-frost and clean out the washers on a below freezing day please let me know. -3C at best today so unlikely to see my washers working for a while. I also drive a diesel that seems to have awful heater and whereas my last petrol car heated up quick and the washers de-frosted after 10 minutes driving the current car doesn't heat up until after 30 minutes and never defrosts the washers out until air temp is about zero.