Windsheild Washer Fluid Problems

It seems the washer fluid in my 2002 Grand Caravan has frozen. I can hear
the pump humming, so it's not the pump. The vehicle is kept outside in NE
Iowa where the temperature got to below zero the last few days, 20-30 below
with the wind chill. Any suggestions on how to thaw it out?

Scott T. Indresano

 

Not sure where the nozzles are on this year. If they are on the hood,
you might try pouring warm water on them. Two to three times should
probably do it. You may also be able to disconnect the tubes under the
hood to determine where it is frozen. If a tube is frozen, disconnect
it, and place it in a cup of warm water.

Next time you fill the resevoir, be sure to use a good quality
windshield washer/anti-freeze. It is tempting to top off the resevoir
with water during the summer, but this of course, dilutes the anti-
freeze. I would think that washer fluid/anti-freeze should be good
down to the temp that you have in IA.

-KM

 

Find a movie theatre close to an underground parking lot?

Clint

 

You probably already realize this, but windchill does not affect the
settle out temperature of the bottle and the washer water/solution. IOW
- if actual temp. is 1°F, and the windchill is -15°F, the final
temperature after it sits for "infinite" time will be 1°F. Like I said
- you probably realize that.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

HEAT and don't try to use it until you're sure it is thawed out.
The fluid in the hoses will be frozen as well as in the fluid container.
If you could get it inside and use a heat source you could thaw it more
quickly.

After thawed remove the water from the tank, use 100% windshield washer
anti freeze fluid and run it a bit to replace the water still in the
hoses.

 

Pull the reservoir (pick a day when its not absolutely frigid so the
plastic and lines not so brittle) and bring it inside to thaw
overnight (and empty it out!). Then put it back in and fill up with
good low temp washer fluid. Then like the poster above suggested park
it in a heated parking (shopping mall etc) for a few (4 or 5?) h to
let the lines thaw out (they will thaw much faster than the
reservoir!) and then pump it lots (while still inside) to flush out
the lines and nozzles

Good luck!

 

Commercial windshield washer fluid is a ripoff. Buy straight methanol
and add about 40% water and a dash of Kodak Photo Flo. Methanol
(M100) sold at racing shops is under $4 a gallon now. The blue stuff
is 10 to 20 percent methanol.

The yellow or orange is usually ethylene glycol. If you can get
straight ethylene or propylene glycol do as above.

 

Actually, I think that the wind DOES affect it. Wind chill is just a
subjective
assessment of how cold it 'feels', and doesn't apply as such. 1 degree is
still
1 degree. But I've found that one windy cold nights my washers would freeze
up right at the spray nozzles. Same thing on the highway on really cold
days. Sometimes I could get them unfrozen by just pressing my thumb right
on the
nozzle. Other times the ice would be back up to an inch in the hose.

The only thing I can figure is that the wind hastens the evaporation of the
alcohol in the fluid near the tip, and the freezing point depression from
the
alcohol in the solution is lost. Granted, this is not a major problem, and
seems
to be dependant on the brand and type of washer fluid.

Not that it would help in this case, but back in high school I saw a washer
warmer setup. It was just an extra piece of hose you spliced into the
washer
line. You took the hose to the heater core line and wrapped it around it.
If
you were drawing heat into the passenger compartment, then the heater line
would get warm, and the washer fluid would get warm as well. I never used
it though, so I don't know how well it worked.