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Chequered Flag Racing
06-01-2010, 04:45 PM
that doesn't freeze.

What do you use & recommend?

MALLET
06-01-2010, 04:49 PM
Halfords Pink. empty your screen wash tank and put it in neat. It will never freeze unless its below -6

If you check your wiper blades are not stuck to the screen first thing in the morning then you can demist your screen just with the screen wash :thumbsup:

Bungleaio
06-01-2010, 04:50 PM
I got some cheap stuff from the local motor factors yesterday and diluted it 1:1 and it didn't freeze this morning.

Big G
06-01-2010, 04:52 PM
I have Apple stuff from Range lol. Works ok down to 0 generally

phil c
06-01-2010, 10:46 PM
euro car parts sell a screenwash made by normfest called screen x , its covered down to -30 and it only £1.25 per 500 ml tub , we use it in customers cars at work (and my own ) never froze yet :thumbsup:

chris68nufc
06-01-2010, 10:49 PM
Its the jets that freeze. Its a nightmare when you know you have a full tank of screenwash and you cant use it. Why do car companies not put the screen wash tank near to the warm bits of an engine? Might be an obvious reason why not but it would be very helpful in colder weather??:confused:

Big G
06-01-2010, 10:52 PM
or just a element in there that 'warms' the screen wash. it's annoying the mk2 golf had heated washer jets, yet the mk4 doesn't. suppose the theory was the plastic wouldn't freeze like the older metal ones :S

traffman
06-01-2010, 11:59 PM
I use the Halfords apple one its a lovely smell , however its struggling with the temps up in central scotland at the moment .....its currently fluctuating between minus 4 to minus 14.

steelie600
07-01-2010, 08:35 AM
Get to a volvo truck dealer, and get some volvo screen wash. Designed for arctic conditions, mix it 50-50 and its good to minus 45 celcius, part no 3099244 and £3.79 retail or if yer near manchester Ive got it on special offer, £2.50 a bottle or £2 if you buy a box of 12

Chequered Flag Racing
07-01-2010, 11:14 AM
a short video

you should be to tell which is which

Testing to see if Comma Screenwash freezes. Also test vinegar & water. Temp overnight were I live was -3.5c at it's lowest. CSW was tested neat. Will have to test 50/50 mix. Some "ice" crystals could just be seen on top. Temp when video was made was -0.7c outside.

uuXg1Vg5vs8

bigred5765
07-01-2010, 11:32 AM
just add some methylated spirits to your regular screen wash,it stops it freezing and mixes fine with water,

Chequered Flag Racing
07-01-2010, 11:41 AM
just add some methylated spirits to your regular screen wash,it stops it freezing and mixes fine with water,

that's if I don't drink it first :woot::D

Colinevan
08-01-2010, 12:18 AM
Just be careful what you add to the contents guys, nicely polished cars im sure wont like highly concentrated screenwash or meths coming into contact.

Col. :thumbsup:

bigred5765
08-01-2010, 08:30 AM
meths is water soluble, no worries

cmgreen
08-01-2010, 08:30 AM
Genuine VW stuff is the dogs, is got antifreeze in it and specs say it can with stand upto -70.

Neil Skull
08-01-2010, 01:02 PM
I always used meths but didnt want to be the first to admit it.:blush:
all the branded screen wash is ok for short periods but it goes off after while and can block up the tubes and smell real bad.

and if you get stuck in the snow you can drink your car wash or sell it to a tramp.

DaSloth
08-01-2010, 01:54 PM
I always used meths but didnt want to be the first to admit it.:blush:
all the branded screen wash is ok for short periods but it goes off after while and can block up the tubes and smell real bad.

and if you get stuck in the snow you can drink your car wash or sell it to a tramp.

Is that why all the paint fell off your car neil? :woot:

Neil Skull
08-01-2010, 04:24 PM
Ha Ha,

That was the boot nothing to do with screen wash , Just masonry paint.
Tip for you never volunteer to paint the outside of you wifes nans house in gail force winds. Or if you do park up wind.:D

budfish
08-01-2010, 06:00 PM
I work for a company called tetrosyl we make aftermarket products for the automotive industry oils, polish, thinners everything we have a product called sub zero which is a pink screenwash it freezes at - 38 it's a bit dearer but better. The companys own brand products trade under " car plan" we supply all the supermarkets and halfords own brand products t- cut is just one of these.
All petrol staitions and motor services stock our products

Or you could use accetone!!!

Buds

Chequered Flag Racing
19-01-2012, 03:34 PM
wow, 1 year on

she's been winging about frozen windscreens so thought I'd revisit to see what we said last year :thumbsup:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/240898/screenwash_solutions_we_test_twelve.html

SlowOne
19-01-2012, 09:24 PM
I use Sonax, absolutely superb. In the winter I use Halfords stuff. Can't remember the name but it's bright green. Mix 1/3 green stuff to 2/3 water with two shots of the Sonax in a five litre plastic container, and it clears everything. No smears, no traffic film, no nothing. It doesn't freeze up in the bottle, but below -5 it freezes in the jets because the water is just so thin there nothing seems to stop it. Once the bonnet warms up all is well.

In the summer I use Sonax on its own - two shots to five litres of water. HTH :)

cmgreen
19-01-2012, 09:40 PM
Genuine VW stuff is the dogs, is got antifreeze in it and specs say it can with stand upto -70.

Dogs

bodgit
19-01-2012, 09:54 PM
Its does'nt freeze in the bottle its the pipes to the washer jets that freeze up. If they could be insulated or heated then no problems.

mark christopher
19-01-2012, 10:57 PM
Its does'nt freeze in the bottle its the pipes to the washer jets that freeze up. If they could be insulated or heated then no problems.
that does not explain why we get customers who shear pump impellers with frozen bottles, and alot have heated jets!

you used to be ably to but a bit you fitted into your top hose to heat the water up, before it goes to the jets, i once made a loop with a spereate pump so it circultaed the water bottle and it got warm, used to come out the jets steaming lol

Chrislong
20-01-2012, 10:22 AM
you used to be ably to but a bit you fitted into your top hose to heat the water up, before it goes to the jets, i once made a loop with a spereate pump so it circultaed the water bottle and it got warm, used to come out the jets steaming lol

Could warm water crack a frozen windscreen?

mark christopher
20-01-2012, 10:42 AM
Could warm water crack a frozen windscreen?

Technically yes, but its unlikley unless you have weak screen via a chip, never use kettle boiling water tho

Chequered Flag Racing
20-01-2012, 12:36 PM
I use Sonax,

which one :confused:

http://www.sonax.com/Workshop-Industry/Products/Windscreen-Washer-System

jasonnjane
20-01-2012, 04:19 PM
the stuff we use is good for temps down to -45 but when its that cold you don't need to use the washers as everything is frozen anyway....but thats the joys of living in canada!

adon30
21-01-2012, 09:24 AM
I used that halfords one that came 2nd in the test. No problems with it last year and I bought it on offer so was much cheaper. Haven't had any need to use it this year as it's not cold enough (yet!) but just use the tesco pink stuff at the moment.

Get some heated washers, that'll solve the problem ;)

mattr
21-01-2012, 09:54 AM
the stuff we use is good for temps down to -45 but when its that cold you don't need to use the washers as everything is frozen anyway....but thats the joys of living in canada!Same here (sweden), i just buy the bog standard stuff from the supermarket. I think that's rated down to -35 at a 1:1 mix, but much below -15, its not an issue. As road spray is non existent and anything falling out of the sky is basically dry powder.

Tho in the spring and autumn, we get thro shed loads. Studded tyres and the amount of standing water means we usually have to top up twice a week. (6 litres at a time).

jasonnjane
21-01-2012, 05:36 PM
yeah the thing over here we have more problems with are the rocks that hit the windscreens...my car windshield has two wicked cracks in it but no way am i going to replace it! no point really.