frozen washer jets

[dicsosfa]

hi

having driven to west yorkshire yesterday lunch time in my 300 tdi disco, after 10 mins on the m6 the windscreen washer jets froze up (am using about 75% screen wash and 25% water all year round) had to stop at different services a few times to defrost them because the screen started to get very dirty then ok for about 20 miles then stop again,

arrived in yorkshire and topped up with about 2.5ltrs of neat screen wash (said down to minus 20 on it ) and kept it going for a few mins until enough had gone through the pipes, but it still froze in yorkshire and on the way home thinking of some kind of heater in or on the washer bottle ?

does anyone have any idea's have seen some 12v plug in elements for inside the car like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hot-water-heater-eliment-12v-Car-12-volt-element-van-/300448082896?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item45f419ebd0 can these be adapted with a thermostat to fit inside the bottle as i do not want them to keep freezing up on me

Roy

[DiscoHere]

Hi

Before I begin I have to say I have not done this as yet so it may not work.

However having said that I have been experiencing the same problems here with the freezing weather and having checked I have determined that the problem is the jets themselves icing up.

I intend to extend the tubing used to deliver the screen wash and wind it around the large water pipe to the radiator. The radiator pipe will heats the liquid in order to deliver a heated screen wash. What I can not say is if it will unclog the frozen jets described above.

I will try it over the Christmas holidays so I will let you know if it works during the next freeze up

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a better New Year

Hugh

[Maverik]

Its a pain... I had a similar problem on my 90 the past few days, I've not had the problem of freezing bottle, but just the jets, been trying to think of a way to give them a bit of heat. With regard to washer fluid, i was using neat (-5) stuff and it was still slushy in the morning, I ended up draining it and putting in -15 de-icer fluid from a manual squirt pump spray, not exactly windscreen cleaner but its wet and gets rid of the salt and doesn't seem to freeze at the jets.

Have been looking at heated washer jets (often installed in models of ford etc.) was thinking of trying to disect the heater element from them and attach it to my TD5 center jet...

Edited December 20, 2010 by Maverik

[zoltan]

If you want the Ford FINIS number for heated jets it is 6747267. They're about £8 each so not too big a deal

[zim]

This isn't much help, but my p38's have been perfect in this weather....what's the difference ?

[David Sparkes]

... my p38's (washer jets) have been perfect in this weather....what's the difference ?

The difference is in the underbonnet insulation. The 38A has most of the bonnet insulated (for sound purposes) but the pipe work to the jets, and the jets themselves, are not covered by the insulation. Thus underbonnet heat level is maintained by the insulation covering those parts of the bonnet where heat loss is not required, while the engine heat is concentrated to keep the pipes and jets warm.

Two general points:

I suggest that it helps if snow is cleared from the jets manually, before the journey starts.

Check exactly what it is that you are putting in the washer bottle.

Some stuff you buy is pre-mixed to be effective down to a certain level of temperature. This makes the product easy to use, just pour it in, but is the most expensive way of buying the least effective screenwash.

It is better to buy the 'concentrated' stuff, and dilute as required by pre-preparing a mix OUTSIDE the car, but AFTER reading the instructions. Remember that Coolant antifreeze becomes less effective as the concentration rises above 50%. This is more to do with heat transfer than freezing, but emphasises the point that blindly assuming 'more is better' is not always true.

The information is on the bottle, read it.

Once pre-mixed to your specification, use is as easy as the commercial pre-prepared mix, just pour it in.

[smokinv8]

I intend to extend the tubing used to deliver the screen wash and wind it around the large water pipe to the radiator. The radiator pipe will heats the liquid in order to deliver a heated screen wash. What I can not say is if it will unclog the frozen jets described above.

Hugh

Ive been planning something similar for ages but hadnt thought of utilising the heater hose, I was going to attach the screen wash pipe to a length of brake pipe and place it alongside the manifold to absorb the heat instead.

[Escape]

This isn't much help, but my p38's have been perfect in this weather....what's the difference ?

Unfortunetaly, i'm not so lucky with my P38a. Yesterdaymorning I didn't bother to clear them, but last night all the snow was gone (car had been parked inside all day long) but still couldn't get the jets to work. I'm sure the fluid in the tank and pipes doesn't freeze, but I think the jets themselves get clogged with frozen stuff. I can imagine it's even worse for the Defenders, as the jets are further away from the heat of the engine.

[fozsug]

Cheap Vodka works well!!!!!

[mickeyw]

This isn't much help, but my p38's have been perfect in this weather....what's the difference ?

Doesn't your P38 have heated washer jets? My 1990 RRC does. That combined with pipes that run through a V8 engine bay tend to keep things thawed

If you want the Ford FINIS number for heated jets it is 6747267. They're about £8 each so not too big a deal.

And which is the best model of Ford to rob said items from when in the scrappy?

Yep, cheapskate me,

[Jeff Young]

My wife's Ford has the heated jets, but the tubing leading to them still froze the other day. (She hadn't bothered to put any antifreeze in last time she filled it.)

So I think a complete solution is both the proper antifreeze (to keep the tubes clear) and heated jets (to keep them from clogging with slush).

Jeff.

[landroversforever]

Our problem is with the Headlight washers on the Volvo XC60... They freeze up and therefore can't drop down and let the flow run to the windscreen washers (heated!).

[zim]

Doesn't your P38 have heated washer jets? My 1990 RRC does.

Nope...

My heated windscreen is slowly freaking out....need a replacement for next winter i think.

G

[mel]

Yeh,

A real p.i.t.a. when the jets freeze up and it happened on Sunday when on return journey from Eastbourne. The outward trip ok as i put some boiling water in bottle but by the time we came home it paffed out about half hour from leaving.

It was ok though as combination of bottled water, fruit shoot bottle and other half getting a cold arm every so often seemed to work a treat !!!

Years ago i was using Sis's Mini and had the same problem so i wound extended washer pipe around top hose and never had problem of frozen jets or water again and i'm def gonna have a look at doing this on the Disco and the 90.

[Underdog]

Surely these would be more compatible than any Ford parts: Check these bad boys out:http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rover-75-MG-ZT-Heated-Washer-Jet-Kit-Genuine-NEW-R9-/200433680214?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2eaac73f56

[q-rover]

Never had this problem in Norway, with any of my LR´s. Even the 110 ex mil.

Use correctly rated washerfluid. Standard premixed stuff here is rated at -15/ 18.

Neat stuff is usually good for -30.

[LandyManLuke]

I too believe it is the jet that freezes first. A bit of warm water poured straight on to the jet restores operation, I don't have to touch the pipes or tank.

[teabag]

Strange but I didn't need then over the last two weeks or so, mind you I wasn't around at four in the morning when everything was covered in overnight frost or snow but later in the morning when I came used them they worked. Why, perhaps the washer fluid is at the correct winter strength, after all that's the stuff that freezes.

[DEANO3528]

I've just converted to hot wash.

Remember reading it in an old 'Hot Car' magazine from about 40 years ago!

Extended the piping across the top of the endine and wrapped 3 turns around the top heater hose. Bit of foil wrap tape around it and jobs a good'un. Hot water also seems to wash the screen better, but the screenwash seems to pong somewhat as a result.

[Ianp45]

I have a 2014 defender and even although I have a strong antifreeze solution in the washer bottle  it still freezes, even after pouring hot water over the jet doesn’t cure it. I am guessing there must be somewhere along the pipe that is open to the elements more than the rest.Even after a two hour journey it didn’t defrost.

[SPendrey]

Just a note... the term "antifreeze" is used a lot in this thread, but antifreeze is not good for squirting over your car/paintwork!  I guess most people mean they're using a suitable winter screenwash?

[Pawl12]

They're obviously not using a suitable screenwash if its still freezing in the UK.

I think what I found from our local motor factors is called Decosol Excel Screenclean. Its stated to be OK down to -24C when used neat.
I've never had it freeze at all yet in UK winters.

You can buy it in 5 litre containers.

[Ianp45]

On 12/2/2019 at 10:15 AM, SPendrey said:

Just a note... the term "antifreeze" is used a lot in this thread, but antifreeze is not good for squirting over your car/paintwork!  I guess most people mean they're using a suitable winter screenwash?

Yes I do mean winter screen wash, it’s still liquid in the washer bottle. I even left the mixture in the container outside during the cold snap and it was still liquid.Maybe I should just us it undiluted in the winter from now on.

[Nonimouse]

Interesting thread

I'm working on replacing my D1 jest with headlight washers - for a bigger volume of liquid and a bigger bore (because I think the jest freeze up first), added to which I have a couple of pairs spare in the workshop...

However I have noticed on my daily commute, in the Mighty Modus, that the fine spray washer jest don't seem to freeze up - they produce a much finer spray pattern than a 'normal' washer. I use the vastly overpriced and less than efficient pre-mix fluid. Mainly because it's supplied for free at work

I tried all sorts of the heating type experiments on my 100"  - nothing worked