Frozen Windscreen Washer

[JK0]

Yes, I know I should have put extra fluid in before the cold weather, but this year I forgot, and the inevitable happened. I have now had a week of travelling around with a bottle of water, and stopping every so often to wash the windscreen.

I looked on the internet about how to defrost the system, and it suggested as follows:

Syphon out all the liquid, and fill up with hot water. Run the washer, and then syphon out the water and refill with fluid.

Today I went to B&Q to buy some tubing, and got a vile mouthful of fluid syphoning out the existing. Then I refilled with hot water. Still nothing, not even a buzzing sound, so I syphoned out the hot water so it doesn't freeze overnight.

Eventually I twigged that the seized motor had blown the fuse. No spares of course, so I have just been to Halfords. It is now dark, and snowing, and I will have to leave the problem for tomorrow.

Is it likely that the motor was damaged by being frozen, or will it work when I defrost it?

[JK0]

Panic over folks.

The snow stopped, so I just went out with a torch and replaced the fluid & fuse. Fortunately going out for the fuse warmed up the engine bay, and defrosted the tubes, and the system now works.

Thank God for that!

[leaseholdanswers]

Yonks ago I drove to work at the crack of before dawn. I had de iced the windscreen but took a diversion into a vale and freezing mist turned my windscreen to a sheet of ice. I had to drive dog like, head out of the window

A few days later and ever since then its been heated front windscreen as standard. Never again.

[JK0]

Yonks ago I drove to work at the crack of before dawn. I had de iced the windscreen but took a diversion into a vale and freezing mist turned my windscreen to a sheet of ice. I had to drive dog like, head out of the window
A few days later and ever since then its been heated front windscreen as standard. Never again.

I know it's not recommended, due to the risk of cracking the glass, but I tip a kettle of boiling water over my car windows to de-ice them. (I have been doing this for 30 years, and never cracked one yet. )

The result is that they don't fog up until the car's heater has a chance to get going.

[ram]

Is it likely that the motor was damaged by being frozen, or will it work when I defrost it?

Yes, . . . . but

Before posting this, ( preview )I noticed your washers
now work, but info here -- just in case, for others.

First principles:-( for others reading )
The water at the jets will freeze first as they have the least in the
actual jet.
If only mild frost, deicer at the jets, and the warming of the engine
after 20 minutes may unfreeze the rest of the system, using
de-icer on the acutal outlet of the jets again after 20minutes.

The water in the tubing freezes, followed by the pump.
So if all frozen, putting hot water in bottle only may not work.

If the pump is frozen it wont pump the hot water.
Some early pumps had a hard rubber impeller, and the pump turns,
but impeller does not ( frozen ) and used to destroy the slotted /
square hole in the impeller, so when unfrozen the pump never
works again.

Looks like you say, either the frost has destroyed the motor, or
the fuse has blown, or the pump impeller is still frozen so the
motor wont turn the frozen impeller.

But before you test the pump, make sure all pipes are unfrozen, as
you cant pump through frozen pipes.
But if you have time, remove the pump ( assuming replacing fuse
does nothing ) and put very near a radiator, and after an hour,
if frozen, may work when you put it back on.

De-icer for washers wateris available. Failing that, meths in about
25% should keep washers clear.

by the time i finished writing this, warming up JKO's engine
and replacing the fuse cured the problem.
Fortunately, this week the temperatures are not too low to freeze
everything solid if cars run 20 minutes every day.

P.S.
Never use boilding water, only very warm water.

[JK0]

Thank you anyway for your long reply RAM.

[jta]

Here is a tip that may save you hundreds, pinch your wife's hair dryer an hour before you need the car put the hair dryer under the bonnet and switch it on, do not attempt to start the engine if you suspect it may be frozen, it will rip your timing belt to shreds, when you can turn the engine by hand then start it and run it for no more than 30 seconds switch off and wait another ten minutes for the heat to permeate then do it again, Only then can you be sure it's all de-iced. Remember the heater pipes can freeze too, that can stop circulation around the engine causing overheating of the engine while you freeze your toes off. Always make sure you have the correct percentage of antifreeze in your cooling system, never ever just use plain water to top up. (I've made a fortune from frozen engines)

[leaseholdanswers]

And that's good advice from jta, as you will need your car.....

to live in if your wife catches you using her hair dryer

[theartfullodger]

The 1st house I bought in Scotland (Highlands..) which I bought at auction, not seen inside, came with a garage. After completion I moved in, opened garage, there was a car: Odd, I thought & asked neighbour did they know??

Oh yes, that's Curly's (another neighbour). I enquired of Curly if so/why/when shifting... Ah, he said, if I've been to the pub & come back late Mrs Curly won't let me in so I sleep in my spare car in your garage.... about 6 months later he finally moved it.. about 2 years later they got divorced...

I never asked Mrs Curly if Curly's squirters worked....

[leaseholdanswers]

One issue with Canadian houses is that its common to have them started and running in the garage and they make a big song and dance about off gases in the house!

Suicide friendly is something you don't see in the brochure.

But then it's a toasty -11 right now and -21 for tonight....

this is summer right now the lake is frozen.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&...h=149&hovw=339