The 4.9lt washer fluid tank

[B'stard Child]

Smint said:

Every day's a schoolday, didn't know pre mixed was made with descaled water.

Demineralised rather than descaled

Smint said:

Found trucks to have worse gunging issues than in my own cars, obviously the mileages covered and constant water movement to be far higher which may have something to do with it, found it better to use just plain tap water during the summer to minimise the issue, don't know what's going on there.
Have removed the filler pipe before and hosed out the washer bottle (probably 10 litres or more) and find gunged up blue washer additive being swilled out rather than discoloured growths.

Mixing screenwashes often causes the blue gunge - best advice is use same brand all the time if you can

[Ussrcossack]

Smint said:

Lidl used to sell some of the best concentrated screenwash, at correct dosing worked down to -25, haven't seen it for a few years though.

Been buying Bluecol concentrated screenwash recently which seems good so far, any other suggestions?

I've still got some, although I think I got it in Germany
fantastic stuff

[donkmeister]

POIDH said:

While we are on the subject, it is amazing how many screenwash tanks are hidden outside the warm engine bay. So ensuring extra freezing cold temperatures when in proper winter temperatures.

That weird sound that you just heard was the scream of a thousand daily drivers of mid-engine cars shouting "YES!!!!"

There's all sorts of mods people do... Electrically heated nozzles help for mild frostiness where the antifreeze gets evaporated out of the fluid and the jets freeze with water. But to actually thaw out a system with slightly too little antifreeze... I've seen Webasto hotshot heaters, I've seen people wrap washer pipes around the coolant pipes.

[s94wht]

Ifinishposts said:

My car bugs me, it starts bonging when there is still quite a bit of fluid left in, I try to ignore it but can't resist filling it up, out of a 5l container I am always left with a bit.

Then I keep the empty containers because I am old and sad.

You have to top a Golf up quickly or it bongs incessantly. Literally, I drove an hour and I reckon it bonged 45 times.

[Mr Tidy]

B'stard Child said:

Mixing screenwashes often causes the blue gunge - best advice is use same brand all the time if you can

Good advice there. I've cleaned the washer pump filters on a couple of BMWs and then only used one brand of screenwash without any further problems.

[B'stard Child]

Mr Tidy said:

B'stard Child said:

Mixing screenwashes often causes the blue gunge - best advice is use same brand all the time if you can

Good advice there. I've cleaned the washer pump filters on a couple of BMWs and then only used one brand of screenwash without any further problems.

It was never a problem when screenwash reservoirs were in the engine bay and easily accessible - pull the pumps out clean the filters and hose out the reservoir - down in wheel arches where you have to take a wheel off, remove the wheel arch line and then unbolt the bloody thing to clean it out not so much fun

[Mr Tidy]

B'stard Child said:

Mr Tidy said:

B'stard Child said:

Mixing screenwashes often causes the blue gunge - best advice is use same brand all the time if you can

Good advice there. I've cleaned the washer pump filters on a couple of BMWs and then only used one brand of screenwash without any further problems.

It was never a problem when screenwash reservoirs were in the engine bay and easily accessible - pull the pumps out clean the filters and hose out the reservoir - down in wheel arches where you have to take a wheel off, remove the wheel arch line and then unbolt the bloody thing to clean it out not so much fun

I know! Thankfully my two were an E46 3 Series and an E86 Z4 Coupe that both had the reservoir in the engine bay.

I'm praying my E90 never needs that job because it's in the front wheelarch.

[Venisonpie]

Feck me! My car is 12 years old, only has water in the washer bottle and works perfectly.

[John D.]

Venisonpie said:

Feck me! My car is 12 years old, only has water in the washer bottle and works perfectly.

Try it on a motorway in -4.

[CraigyMc]

Venisonpie said:

Feck me! My car is 12 years old, only has water in the washer bottle and works perfectly.

My dad's wiper bottle burst because it had water in it. Scotland, winter.
Probably works fine somewhere it doesn't get cold.

[Ean218]

Jakg said:

De-ionised water is £0.60 a litre in Tesco. And a fraction of that from SpotlessWater or similar.

Even cheaper out of my water butt.

[Pica-Pica]

Venisonpie said:

Feck me! My car is 12 years old, only has water in the washer bottle and works perfectly.

Legionnaires may disagree.

[AndySheff]

I've been buying/using concentrate and mixing it with tap water ever since my first car in 1985. Never had a problem.
Now I live in Sweden it's great for mixing stronger washer fluid for winter. The stuff I buy is 50/50 in winter for protection down to -35C. I mix it about 10/1 for summer.

[nomank]

Best solution I've used for dirty washer tanks or hose lines with lots of green/dirt - pop a tablet or two of Milton sterilising in. Give it an hour and then rinse out...