Windshield washer fluid

[Jocko]

I always wipe the blades when I clean the screen. Gives you the opportunity to check for damage too. I use neat screenwash concentrate, on a piece of kitchen towel.

[madasafish]

Regarding screenwash and windchill:
Screenwash contains water which evaporated when air is passed over it. Even very cold air will help some water evaporate - not a lot but some. That means the faster you go, the more evaporation - and the colder teh remaining mix gets. So teh wash mix can in theory fall below the temperature of the air and bodywork.

I remember in the 1980s getting up at 4am to drive 200 miles South. I had a company Sierra and the wash bottle was in the front wheel arch behind the wheel. On cold winter mornings (say -10C) the wash bottle would freeze solid after 4-5 miles travel   a real pia..those were teh days we had 1 meter deep snowdrifts outside our garage doors.

[Jocko]

Screenwash contains water which evaporated when air is passed over it. Even very cold air will help some water evaporate - not a lot but some. That means the faster you go, the more evaporation - and the colder teh remaining mix gets. So teh wash mix can in theory fall below the temperature of the air and bodywork.

I remember an experiment at school where the science master placed a beaker, with a little ether in it, on a wet bench top. He then blew through a straw dipped in the ether, and the water froze. It was demonstrating the latent heat of vaporisation. Don't think "Elf and Safety" would be happy about that these days!

[Spencer69]

Hi Culzean and Jocko, have to agree with addition of (as you choose) methylated spirits. I usually add a slug of cheap vodka (well not gonna buy decent stuff, even if it is for the jazz!) to the 5 litre I buy. This has resulted in non frozen screenwash as well as non frozen nozzles.

I will advise though, at times of using screenwash you can actually smell the vodka as you're driving along...just make sure plod isn't driving behind :-)

[DoobieNewbie]

I am a bit stumped now. I just put filled up the windshield washer tank to the brim last Monday and when I checked today (Friday), I can't see anything in the tank. I used the halford ready mixed washer (color blue). After putting the fluid on monday, I checked under the car for any leaks after 2 hours and did not see any so I figured there should be no leak there.

I did try to spray both front and rear windshield and it does have something coming out. Should I be concerned about a leak somewhere or is there a tank underneath where all the fluid is going to?

[Jocko]

As you can see from the bottle shape, it doesn't take much to empty the neck.



I wouldn't worry about it.

[DoobieNewbie]

Thanks Jocko. I thought I may have a leaked or cracked part. I really appreciate the input and advice.