how to thaw frozen washer fluid?

[nonlinear]

I tried to use my washer fluid the other day and it wasn't working, so I opened the container to add some more and saw that the whole reservoir was frozen. It's pink, so i'm guessing the oil change guys used summer fluid, and then the shit froze. I tried adding some winter washer fluid, hoping that the summer shit would eventually float to the top and start to melt and mix with the winter, but that didn't work cause htere wasn't enough room in the reservoir. does anyone have any ideas for how I can thaw that sucker without waiting a week until we get above-zero temps again (i don't have a garage). I though about pouring some 95% ethanol in there, but not sure if that would damage my paint or anything.

thanks :thumbsup:

[adidas]

Salt maybe? Be sure to wash around ur entire windshield after ur done spraying that.

Otherwise, id go to Market mall, park in the underground heated garage and enjoy some shoppin for a fee hours while it melts into a liquid again

[chkolny541]

Originally posted by adidas

Otherwise, id go to Market mall, park in the underground heated garage and enjoy some shoppin for a fee hours while it melts into a liquid again
good idea^^

what about just hooking up an old school incandescent bulb and putting it beside the resevoir and wait a few hours for the heat from the bulb to possibly melt the fluid

[nonlinear]

i have an aquarium heater like this, maybe if the top is still unfrozen (where the winter washer fluid is) i can stick this fucker in there. it's suppossed to get to -21 tonight though, so not sure that would even work!

http://www.arcatapet.com/fullsize/9941.jpg

[turbotrip]

market mall parking lot is ur best bet

[Numi]

Even if you get the stuff in your reservoir to thaw out your lines will still be frozen..

The market mall idea was a good idea.. thats what i would do.. .

[scat19]

I agree, nice warm underground will do the trick. You could also save the fluid by taking out your tank - not sure about yours but mine is only one bolt :thumbsup:

[nonlinear]

fuck, i hate malls hahahaha.

[scat19]

clamp the line, remove your pump(s), take out the tank - take it inside, put hot water on it. done.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by nonlinear
fuck, i hate malls hahahaha.

I think that's probably your best option..... but I doubt you'll have any meaningful thawing unless it's over night.

Don't know if gasline antifreeze product will work when it's already frozen.

[EG_Civic]

methyl hydrate

[RickDaTuner]

just go buy a bottle or two of rubbing alchohal dump it in and allow it to "thaw out the water"

[Darell_n]

Originally posted by EG_Civic
methyl hydrate

x2. That's what keeps winter fluid from freezing and what trucker's use to thaw out frozen brake lines.

[nonlinear]

is there a bus from market mall to the U? i could drop it off in the parking lot tomorrow morning, and get it after work. but i hate public transportation, too hahahha :banghead:

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by RickDaTuner
just go buy a bottle or two of rubbing alchohal dump it in and allow it to "thaw out the water"

Isn't that shit bad for the line?

[nonlinear]

do they carry methyl hydrate at crappy tire (can't find it on their website)? is that shit OK to get all over my paint job?

[sgt_hawk]

You can get those stick on block heaters from crappy tire, throw one on the bottom of your Tank. and park it at market mall. uh, i know the 408 goes to brentwood? than you could take the train to the university?

[mikey008]

This is what i did...and it worked for me....

I boiled some hot water....I had someone sit inside the car with the windshield wipers turned on...and at same time holding the sprayer button or lever and NOT letting go. While that's going on....u start pouring the boiling hot water into the tank continusly until everything is melted and tank is empty. Hope that works!

If it does work, then pour yourself some winter fluid!

:thumbsup:

[schocker]

Originally posted by nonlinear
is there a bus from market mall to the U? i could drop it off in the parking lot tomorrow morning, and get it after work. but i hate public transportation, too hahahha :banghead:
Yah I think there is the 143 and 137 stop infront by staples and drop you off in front of engg before turning to go towards the mech bulding to go to brentwood.

[nonlinear]

i checked it when i got home from work, and the entire resovior was liquid, so i emptied it out using a turkey baster abd refilled the whole thing with winter wash. not sure if it melted from the bit I added the other day, or from the engine heat on the ride home, but either way it's still not working. hopefully it will work its way up the lines haha.

[revelations]

Originally posted by mikey008
This is what i did...and it worked for me....

I boiled some hot water....I had someone sit inside the car with the windshield wipers turned on...and at same time holding the sprayer button or lever and NOT letting go. While that's going on....u start pouring the boiling hot water into the tank continusly until everything is melted and tank is empty. Hope that works!

If it does work, then pour yourself some winter fluid!

:thumbsup:

If the liquid in the motor is also frozen, thats a good way to burn out the washer motor itself.

Id melt the tank first before trying to run the motor continously.

[9oInTeGrA]

it happen to me before but what i did for my car is i leave my engine running until it warm up really good it help's melt the ice.... it work for me:dunno:

[ShermanEF9]

lots of hot water and a hair dryer

[Bizzareo]

Just go for a long drive and wash your windows like crazy, this happened to me October took like 2 hours to that with highway driving.

That stuff is like %60 water. If you have a larger engine it should take even less time.

[nonlinear]

as I said, the jug thawed and I turkey-basted it out, and refilled it with winter wash. It's still not working, so i'm guessing the lines outside or the nozzles are frozen. I'm hoping it will diffuse up the lines and thaw off that fuckin' ice hahah.

[Thaco]

i wasn't gonna read the whole thread, so this may have been mentioned, but i had that happen, i put in a small bottle of gas line antifreeze, within like an hour it was thawed, then i just ran it dry and filled it with antifreeze washer fluid.

[revelations]

You could also try to find an enclosed wash bay, like the Big Bucket on Peigan. It costs nothing to wait in there and you could try spraying some warm water under your hood on the water lines.