Washer fluid in radiator!!

[Alanapone]

Yep, you read it right... My mate just rang me and said SHE had put washer fluid in with her coolant!! In her plethora of excuses as to why and how this happened she did say she wasn't paying attention and just poured it in. Filled it to the top and put the cap on before realising.

She has to go from Warrington to Manchester airport and back tonight to pick up her fella. I said she can come over tomorrow and i'll drain it all down and replace the coolant etc. It's a fiesta so don't worry, no French tin will be hurt in the process of this comedy event!

What I want to know is will it do any damage?

[christoph]

Not 100% percent sure but i remember some telling me that anitfreeze has a lower boiling point than water. . If that is right, might be an issue after a while it will just evaporate obviously causing it to over heat.

[Alanapone]

Yeah, I thought that the ethanol in the washer fluid would evaporate leaving just the detergent... I'm guessing that it will just give the internals a good clean up ;)

To clarify, all she did was top up the coolant with washer fluid so the expansion tank is full. I told her to run the car up to temp with the cap off so that any expanding water will over flow out of the header then let it cool and replace the cap, that should do her tonight then I can sort it properly tomorrow.

[christoph]

Yeah, I thought that the ethanol in the washer fluid would evaporate leaving just the detergent... I'm guessing that it will just give the internals a good clean up ;)

To clarify, all she did was top up the coolant with washer fluid so the expansion tank is full. I told her to run the car up to temp with the cap off so that any expanding water will over flow out of the header then let it cool and replace the cap, that should do her tonight then I can sort it properly tomorrow.

thats the first thing i thought, atleast it might clean things up haha. Yeah tell her to run it up to temp and she if things are okay. Can't imagine it will do the pipes any good either though. But if its all going to be sorted tomorrow can't see it doing any long term damage :y:

[blackie_2k5]

itll be fine

just drain it and refill it

tell her she's silly and all will be good in the world :y:

[wadoryu]

Shouldn't be a problem.

[Gandi699]

A mate did this in his 1.1 saxo, didnt cause a problem and he would rag that car down the motorway every day at 90+. I personally dont know how it lasted as long as it did

[m4tt274]

that radiator tank shouldnt have taken that much extra anyway. just see what happens.

[Alanapone]

Well, I didn't get a phone call saying it had blown up last night so I guess its been fine so far.

Yeah, she won't have got much in I don't think. Just wanted to know if anyone else had any ideas.

[chris_ph2]

Be right

Should've just siphoned it down to the max line or maybe used a bike pump