Freezing window washer

In article <H4Gvj.1761$RQ3.646@trndny05>, "Oppie" > wrote:
>Last I knew, denatured alcohol is Ethanol with a poison added to render it
>undrinkable (otherwise it is taxed as liquor). Methanol is poisonous as-is.
>Methanol: C-H3- OH, Ethanol: C2-H5-OH

That's correct; the most common denaturant for ethanol is methanol. Either one
will work just fine to keep your windshield washer fluid from freezing, and
neither one will harm the finish on your car.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

I have better fluid in the tank now and it seems to be better. The fluid
originally in there was what the dealer kept topping it off with every 3
months.

My mom's car had the same issue and it is a 2007. First winter. They
replaced the fluid pump. We both thought that kind of odd since when it was
warm it worked fine.


"oppie" > wrote in message
news:lyquj.7302$wG2.876@trndny09...
> Really basic question - are you using winter mix washer fluid? Summer mix
> **will** freeze up while winter mix is good to -20F (iirc).
>
> I haven't seen this problem on my -01 lw300 but had a really annoying
> problem on an old Dodge Caravan where the wiper mounted windshield
> sprayers were in a high pressure zone that would often force (rain or ice
> melt) water back down through the tubing where it would freeze. Regularly,
> would have to remove the sprayer and a length of hose, take it inside the
> cabin and thaw it out...
> The lw300 has the sprayers mounted on the hood in a low pressure zone and
> does not have this problem.
>
> "Coasten1" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> Hello
>> I have a 2007 Vue AWD. It seems that whenever the temperature drops
>> around 20 degrees, my washer fluid does not spray on either front or back
>> windows. I know the fluid is not frozen. (at least in the tank) My mom
>> has a 2007 Ion and it did the same thing. They replaced the fluid pump
>> in the Ion. My mom really hasn't been driving in the cold for us to know
>> if it fixed the problem.
>>
>> Has anyone else had this issue?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>

I lived in Alaska for 18 years @ -30 -40 and -50 degrees .. -62 at one
point -- anyway .. when I refilled my windshield wiper tank with " 30
below" fluid <like that would work> - I always added table salt to the
reservoir to keep the lines / squirters clear .. 2-3 teaspoons per
refill -- never had a problem with freeze-up.

You must have good windshield wipers. I would think that the salt would
leave behind a film on the windshield.
I made the mistake of adding brackish hudson river water to my windshield
resevoir. First time I attempted to use the sprayers to clean the windshield
rendered it almost opaque.

"Jon Jon" > wrote in message
...
>
> I lived in Alaska for 18 years @ -30 -40 and -50 degrees .. -62 at one
> point -- anyway .. when I refilled my windshield wiper tank with " 30
> below" fluid <like that would work> - I always added table salt to the
> reservoir to keep the lines / squirters clear .. 2-3 teaspoons per
> refill -- never had a problem with freeze-up.
>

The salt I added to the wiper fluid reservoir wasn't enough to "make a
difference" between the ice, snow, and other elements my wipers / car
experienced in Alaska; it did, however, keep the lines from the
reservoir to the hole in the squirter below the wiper operational.

I'd like to be able to buy "Alaska" wiper blades in the "lower 48" ...so
far, haven't seen them.

off topic: -- headlights in Alaska never turned on from April til
...Sep..??///// ..... so not a problem Apr, May, June, July, August ...
then September - walalawa ------ one discovered they have a burnt out
headlight when turning them on for the first time in " 6 Months" ...

I did learn how one heats up the oil pan in a car in -40...-50.. -60
degree weather -- we tawkin when not close to a heater core - or engine
heater. If the car won't start and ya think it's because the oil in
your oil pan has frozen, ya take a tin cake pan, place charcoal
bricklets in it, light them, allow the flame to die out - much like you
would at a Summer BBQ - then place the pan on the ground below the oil
pan of your engine - usually after an hour or so, the frozen oil retrns
to liquid <or gel> form and your car MIGHT start.

Sum Bitchin Weather !!!!!