Freezing Washer Fluid

While driving to Breckenridge last year, I ran into a strange problem
where my windshield washer fluid was freezing on the windshield faster
than I could wiper it off. We were west of the Eisenhower tunnel
headed down hill.

Has anyone ever had that happen before?
Do you think my fluid had been cut with to much water?
Anyway to avoid that if it comes up this year?

Thanks,
Rogue.

"RogueIT" wrote in message
...
While driving to Breckenridge last year, I ran into a strange problem
where my windshield washer fluid was freezing on the windshield faster
than I could wiper it off. We were west of the Eisenhower tunnel
headed down hill.

Has anyone ever had that happen before?
Do you think my fluid had been cut with to much water?
Anyway to avoid that if it comes up this year?

Thanks,
Rogue.

Don't use water in the solution and buy the coldest rated cleaning fluid.

JQ
Dancing on the edge

On Dec 26, 7:22*am, RogueIT wrote:
While driving to Breckenridge last year, I ran into a strange problem
where my windshield washer fluid was freezing on the windshield faster
than I could wiper it off. We were west of the Eisenhower tunnel
headed down hill.

Has anyone ever had that happen before?
Do you think my fluid had been cut with to much water?
Anyway to avoid that if it comes up this year?

Thanks,
Rogue.

No, yes, use it straight out of the container

RogueIT wrote:
While driving to Breckenridge last year, I ran into a strange problem
where my windshield washer fluid was freezing on the windshield faster
than I could wiper it off. We were west of the Eisenhower tunnel
headed down hill.

Has anyone ever had that happen before?
Do you think my fluid had been cut with to much water?
Anyway to avoid that if it comes up this year?

Not a "strange" problem at all - it's a regular occurrence in cold
country. There are several kinds of cleaning fluid on the market, with
different freezing temperatures - buy accordingly.

But be aware that you are spraying a thin coat of liquid onto a very
cold surface with a high wind chill factor adding to the issue - NOTHING
will stay liquid in some conditions. Better not to use your windshield
cleaner at all until the defroster has had time to warm the windshield
from the inside. In practice this means clean your windows off (and your
head and tail lights) BEFORE setting out. Carrying a squiggy and
scraper, and regularly stopping to clean windshields, etc, can be a
lifesaver - literally [and I use "literally" in its proper literary sense.]

"RogueIT" wrote in message news:baffed08-f279-

While driving to Breckenridge last year, I ran into a strange problem
where my windshield washer fluid was freezing on the windshield faster
than I could wiper it off. We were west of the Eisenhower tunnel
headed down hill.

Has anyone ever had that happen before?

All the time.

Do you think my fluid had been cut with to much water?

If it contained any water at all then yes. You should never add any water at
all, even in the summer. In the summer you should be using the pink stuff
which contains bug solvent. In the winter the blue stuff contains
antifreeze. Buy windshield washer on sale at Walmart or the grocery store
where it sells for $1.99 instead of the gas station where it sells for
$4.99.


Anyway to avoid that if it comes up this year?

Keep your defrost blowing, at least partly.



Thanks,
Rogue.

On Dec 26, 10:32*am, lal_truckee wrote:
RogueIT wrote:
While driving to Breckenridge last year, I ran into a strange problem
where my windshield washer fluid was freezing on the windshield faster
than I could wiper it off. We were west of the Eisenhower tunnel
headed down hill.

Has anyone ever had that happen before?
Do you think my fluid had been cut with to much water?
Anyway to avoid that if it comes up this year?

Not a "strange" problem at all - it's a regular occurrence in cold
country. There are several kinds of cleaning fluid on the market, with
different freezing temperatures - buy accordingly.

But be aware that you are spraying a thin coat of liquid onto a very
cold surface with a high wind chill factor adding to the issue - NOTHING
will stay liquid in some conditions. Better not to use your windshield
cleaner at all until the defroster has had time to warm the windshield
from the inside. In practice this means clean your windows off (and your
head and tail lights) BEFORE setting out. Carrying a squiggy and
scraper, and regularly stopping to clean windshields, etc, can be a
lifesaver - literally [and I use "literally" in its proper literary sense..]

A good description. I'd like to add:
Sometimes it's soooooooooo damn cold that nothing will clean the
windshield and the spray only makes it worse. Luckily when it's that
cold it is usually very dry as well. And like lal says, you would be
in pretty good shape if you get it clean to start. But know that if
you run the wiper at all it could make it worse. So just run as long
as you can and don't worry about your windshield being perfectly clean
as long as you can see out.

There have been a couple of occasions during extended cold that I have
had to travel and the salt has made the road damp enough and driving
into the sun that I was blind at times. I took to taking a pretty good
spray bottle with warm water with me. I kept the df going full to keep
the glass as warm as possible and could reach out and get enough
moisture on the window to improve visibility.

My windshield has cracked too from using the defroster. I imagine that
the warm water could do that too but that hasn't happened to me.

Thanks everyone...I was not aware that washer fluids were cold
rated...
Hopefully this year I will be armed to the teeth with knowledge.
thanks again,
Rogue

Norm wrote:
... In the winter the blue stuff contains
antifreeze. Buy windshield washer on sale at Walmart or the grocery store
where it sells for $1.99 instead of the gas station where it sells for
$4.99.

The blue stuff around here has alcohol to lower the freezing point - the
alcohol will evaporate over time if your system is open to the air
leaving nothing but water. You can add alcohol (vodka?) or something to
lower the freezing temp again. Some of the other varieties have glycol
or other stuff which works better - shop around.

On 2008-12-26 06:22:15 -0700, RogueIT said:

While driving to Breckenridge last year, I ran into a strange problem
where my windshield washer fluid was freezing on the windshield faster
than I could wiper it off. We were west of the Eisenhower tunnel
headed down hill.

Has anyone ever had that happen before?...

Wait about 15 seconds and it should sublimate away and clear your view.

Mike...

--
Breckenridge Ski Photography: http://BreckenridgeSkiPhotos.com
Breckenridge photo ski blog: http://Powderday.us
Carpe powder-diem!