Most people don't keep a car more than 10 years so how would they know if methanol based windshield washer fluid will ruin a plastic w/s washer nozzle or not? Methanol will not ruin rubber and plastic parts overnight. It is going to be difficult for me to believe that there are plastic w/s wiper nozzles on any car that are still working after 15 years if methaol based w/s wiper solvent has been used for that period of time. I have a 1991 Chevrolet S10 Blazer 4x4 and I had to replace the center mounted w/s washer nozzle this summer because the previous owner of the car (my daughter) who lives in Seattle WA and used the GM recommended methanol based w/s solvent since she purchased the car new. She said the washer quit working six or seven years ago. For some strange reason, the Chevrolet Parts Department of GM still offers replacement plastic w/s wiper nozzles and plastic washer pumps for S10 Chevrolet Blazer as old as 1983.
The EPA Clean Air Act Volatile Organic Compound (VOL) restricts the sale of w/s washer solvents that contain more than a certain level of methanol. Due to scricter VOL laws, methanol based w/s wiper fluid is nearly outlawed completely (no more than 1% by volume) in California.
Yes, w/s washer anti-freeze is needed in Texas. FYI, Texas is not "blazing hot" as most people from "up-north" think. Texas gets as low as zero degrees F in some parts of the state and the state is large enough to have seven climate zones. Haven't you heard of the statment: "It is as cold as a well digger's [censored] in Amarillo" or "It is cold enough to bust a stump."
I have come to the conclusion that there are no non-methonol based anti-freeze w/s wiper fluids available. Use ethylene glycol or propyene glycol (Dexcool)radiator antifreeze in a w/s washer system and the w/s washer system will not last a month. The w/s wiper fluid in Californina is merely colored water as is +32 Peak w/s wiper fluid that I prevously purchased at Walmart. I got rid of that and now I use half a gallon of potable distilled water. Cannot use tap water because calcium deposits in tap water will stop up windshield washer nozzles faster than methanol. I suppose the new w/s wiper nozzles I installed will last at least as long as I can keep the S10 Blazer in running order. I purchased three extra four nozzles in case they are discontinued by GM Replacement Parts Division next week. As far as I know, Dorman is not reproducing them yet.
