Washer fluid temperature rating????
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Hinckley Ohio
Washer fluid temperature rating????
I have now bought several different types of washer fluid rated for either 20 or 25 degrees below zero only to find them freezing around 10-15 degrees above zero. I used some deicer last year that didn't freeze.
How can companies sell something that is labeled for -20F when it freezes about +10F. What am I missing??? (It is not windchill, windchill relates to how fast it cools off, not the temperature).
:confused:
How can companies sell something that is labeled for -20F when it freezes about +10F. What am I missing??? (It is not windchill, windchill relates to how fast it cools off, not the temperature).
:confused:
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: SANTA CRUZ CA
Re: Washer fluid temperature rating???? (LT4BUD)
You might add a pint of isopropyl alcohol ($.99) to your reservoir. You will smell it, but it will prevent freezing. (Keep the empty bottle for evidence, in case a trooper wants to give you a sobriety test.)
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Iowa
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Re: Washer fluid temperature rating???? (LT4BUD)
What are you trying to say here? That the washer fluid freezes in the bottle under the hood? Or that it freezes shortly after it contacts the windshield?
If it is the latter, that is due to the alcohol in the washer fluid evaporating quicker than the water, leaving the water behind, to "freeze" on the windshield.
Personally, I don't see where adding Isopropyl to the mix will prevent the flash-freezing that occurs on the windshield, as all it would do is increase the proportion of alky to water, in the bottle.
I could be wrong though, and as I always say...'twouldn't be the first time either.
Karl
If it is the latter, that is due to the alcohol in the washer fluid evaporating quicker than the water, leaving the water behind, to "freeze" on the windshield.
Personally, I don't see where adding Isopropyl to the mix will prevent the flash-freezing that occurs on the windshield, as all it would do is increase the proportion of alky to water, in the bottle.
I could be wrong though, and as I always say...'twouldn't be the first time either.
Karl
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Hinckley Ohio
Re: Washer fluid temperature rating???? (MagikDraggin)
I am complaining about both the fluid freezing on the glass and the washers becoming inoperative due to ice in the spray nozzles. Seems like this shouldn't happen at temperatures above 20below.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: Pineville, Louisiana
Re: Washer fluid temperature rating???? (LT4BUD)
the evaporation rate of isoprophyl alcohol is not great at that low temperature and if you add it right before freezing temps and keep adding some each day then you should not have an evaportation problem. Now I am not advocating using the isoprophyl alcohol because I don't know how well it works on the windshield or how much it lowers the freeze point of water when added.
The windshield cleaner I use is made by Rain X and it uses Methyl Alcohol and it says Freeze Protection to 30 degrees F......WOW :eek: A 2 whole degree protection :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
The windshield cleaner I use is made by Rain X and it uses Methyl Alcohol and it says Freeze Protection to 30 degrees F......WOW :eek: A 2 whole degree protection :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Hinckley Ohio
Re: Washer fluid temperature rating???? (CowboyNVette)
It just seems to me I shouldn't have to add anything to a product that is supposed to do the job as purchased. The products I have used say minus 25 and yet appear to freeze at a much higher temp. Apparently no one else is having this problem, which I find hard to believe since I have encountered it with several products on several different vehicles.
