window wash fluid in coolant reservoir

[greencrew]

Emergency question. A friend of mine was adding window washer fluid to her new car, and mistakenly poured it into the coolant reservoir.

What is your take on this? What steps to fix, and how serious is this?

I think the contents of the reservior canister needs to be drained, then flushed, and refilled.

 

[Ray Garlington]

Assuming she hasn't driven the car and her coolant reservoir had something in it when she started, little or no washer fluid made its way into the radiator; so, draining the reservoir and refilling with coolant would work ok.

Can you estimate how much washer fluid made its way into the cooling system proper?

 

[Trav]

Not a big deal.
If the car has a radiator cap then just remove the overflow and wash it out and refill.
If the pressure cap is on the bottle then just leave it until you have time to do a normal drain and flush.

The alcohol will not harm anything although any detergent may cause a little foaming, if the amount is small it should not be a problem (assuming she didnt put a whole gallon in).
Back in the days before glycol based fluids antifreeze was alcohol based and very similar to windshield washer fluid.

 

[Errtt]

I dunno, but there are different fluids out there and I don't know much from one to another. So I would guess what she used, how much, and if she drove the vehicle.

Maybe she will discover something good about it and post it (jk)

 

[Hallmark]

It's likely just ethanol & colored water, both compatible with any coolant...no problem.

 

[bepperb]

So... um... how long does it take with a turkey baster to drain a coolant reservoir? At least it's cold out, right? That's all I'd do, drain it, refill with distilled and coolant, and forget it ever happened. Assuming it was recently.

A full drain/refill of the coolant system probably would be a good idea, but it's a little too cold for me.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: bepperb
So... um... how long does it take with a turkey baster to drain a coolant reservoir?
Siphon it out with a small hose.

 

[eljefino]

Windshield juice is 70% methanol which will boil out. I would still try to get it out, of course. Fastest way would probably be to undo the little clamp to the little hose at the rad (is this a non pressurized tank) and hold the end of the hose lower than the lowest part of the tank, it'll start a siphon and let it dribble down into a catch pan.

 

[Sal69]

I ran it in a winter beat that blew a hose and leaked 2 gallons worth alover the road. Didnt hurt it any in the 12 miles I drove it but the car wasnt the kind of thing that was bothered by pretty much anything (Quirt low of oil, well I got some supertech power steering fluid, that'll work)

To get it out I would do as eljefino says.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: bepperb
So... um... how long does it take with a turkey baster to drain a coolant reservoir?
Siphon it out with a small hose.


Agreed... One morning while I was in a haze and servicing a Dodge truck, I did the same thing. Added a gallon of washer fluid to the coolant overflow tank... Oops. I grabbed a length of hose and the now empty washer fluid jug and siphoned it back out, then refilled with new Mopar coolant (we stock it). Nobody was the wiser, except for my co-worker to whom I spilled the beans to.

All I have to say is "Nobody's perfect"...

 

[greencrew]

Thanks for your prompt responses. I forwarded this information back to her, and I believe her Father was going to help her drain it out with a small hose. The car is an Infinity which is less than a year old. I don't think she dove it very far. She was very concerned that she just cost herself an expensive repair bill.