HELP!! I put washer fluid in my collant resevior by mistake.

It's a good idea to flush the cooling system & that way you'll be good for the bext 24 months.

I would flush it immediately. Flush it at least 3 times.

Is it a pressurized or non pressurized reservoir? Was the engine warm or cold?

If it is a non-pressurized reservoir and the engine was cold (ie not driven at all the same day and not started after you did it), you can _probably_ disconnect the reservoir from the system and flush only the reservoir and the hose that leads from the reservoir to the radiator.

If the engine had been driven the same day (ie warm engine), if it is a pressurized reservoir or if you have started the engine after you added washer fluid, then you better flush the whole system.

Thanks for all the responses.

It happened at a store about 1 kilo from my house. I had my 3 yr old daughter with me. I went in the store and let the car cool for about 20 minutes. I started the car and when home. the temp gage was in the normal range.

I was thinking the same thing, just to drain the reservior(system is not pressurized) at least that should get most of it out, then i can flush the cooling system as soon as i get the chance.

Gears

Since the engine was warm and you drove it afterwards, it is probably a good idea to flush the whole system... When the engine later cooled down it most likely sucked some of the contaminated fluid into the system. Who knows what that stuff will do to seals and gaskets that it will come in contact with... (and how it will behave when heated up)

I have 2 dif brands of washer fluids handy, seems the main ingredient is methanol or methyl alcohol.

Washer fluid is 85% water, not to worry. The alcohol in it will boil off at 260 degrees, well below the temperature at which you vehicle operates.

mike hunt

Gears wrote:

Won't that result in bubbles in the system when operating at normal temperature?

Not likely

mike hunt

Kristofer Anderss>

Ok, so how will the evaporated ethanol/methanol/isopropanol leave the system?

I don't intend to teach a physics class just to say it will be vented to atmosphere in the same manner all other gases in the system are vented, through the expansion tank overflow.

mike hunt

Kristofer Anderss>

Does it matter? The amount in question is so small it most likely will not alter a thing! We are talkin a liter of fluid that is 90% water and 10% other into a system that hold several gallons. The "other" is insignificant!

It will have a lot of crud in it, though - like very hard water, so it will likely help clog your radiator faster. I'd flush the thing when you can get to it. It shouldn't hurt the engine, though it will lower the boiling temperature for a while/effectiveness of the antifreeze. My guess is it would be like using slightly muddy water - say - if you were stranded in the desert and had no other choice. Engines are tougher than you think they are - though I'd not press it to high revs or let it run hot until I got the flush done.