Changing screenwash

[yan]

Is there an accessible drain plug to empty the contents of the screen wash container as my OPC will no doubt have filled it with the non-antifreeze variety at service?


I read that mixing anti-freeze wash with the Porsche product is a recipe for problems with congealing liquid. Then again the OPC never ask whether the bottle has anti-freeze in it when I have been for a service and I have not experienced problems before"¦ Maybe I am being over-cautious?

 

[garyw]

Mine has only ever had Porsche own liquid in it- which I assumed could be added in concentration to be an antifreeze.
I've never really had the jets freeze in the past few years [&:]

garyw

 

[jdpef356]

No you are not being over catious - for many years without knowing I was making "shandy" screenwash by adding non Porsceh products to
the Porsche product that was added at service. End result the pump became blocked and ceased. On inspection the tank had a thick emulsion in the the bottom that had to be cleaned out along with the pipes. We also had to buy a new motor.

 

[Alex L]

I have two bottles of Porsche screen wash in my garage now. I never use them as I spent over 10 minutes once trying to figure out how to get the liquid out of them! I followed the instructions but try as I might nothing would come out, so I just gave up and used regular wash. Anyone got any tips?

 

[garyw]

Alex, are you about the bottles that measure the amount by squeezing the bottle and the fluid goes into the second section??

Garyw

 

[unclewinks]

Alex, you undo the lid slightly then squeeze the bottle until the top section is full []

 

[Buddy]

I've used nothing else in both the Boxster S & Cayman S, in the latter it did freeze up last year when the temp dropped early and it blew the fuse to the pump but the temp was about -10C . The only problem otherwise has been when the weather has warmed and I've had an excessively soapy solution all over the front wing and roof!

Without looking I think triple strength for heavy freezing winter conditions, normal strength is fine for summer although to reduce the soap staining I usually then go for half strength. I also flushed mine through with water last spring to remove the highly concentrated winter wash.

Alex, as it says on the bottle loosen the cap and squeeze to fill the top chamber then remove the cap and pour.[]

Think I'll go and add a couple of measures to mine.

 

[Bumble SV]

OPC Reading have advised me that I should use Genuine VW screenwash over the winter months after the tank is emptied and then running through plain water first. Undiluted, this is rated to -70oC and specifically for fan type washer jets. £3 per litre of concentrate from my VW dealer parts department (Heron in Newark), which isn't too bad as it can be diluted 3:1 and still be OK to -15oC.

Be careful, some VW garages I spoke to didn't actually sell the genuine VW screenwash in the grey bottle (just a VAG approved equivalent).

 

[BrianJ]

Porsche's own screenwash sold in the UK has no anti-freeze. Mine froze up regularly last winter, fortunately not damaging any of the pump/washer/headlight washer equipment, just making it very difficult to see where I was going. We had to resort to throwing warm water at the screen from a plastic bottle out of the passenger window. Not the technology you expect from Porsche. Frustratingly, and in spite of the information in the car handbook, my OPC expressed a complete lack of any useful guidance as to what Porsche recommend will mix with their own screenwash to stop it freezing. BMW appear to offer two versions of their screenwash, one for summer use and one (with antifreeze) for winter. Other people I know who use Porsche screenwash have for many years added methylated spirits to the standard Porsche mix in winter, without any ill effects to themselves or the car. And as the anti-freeze windscreen fluid I have used for years (before my Porsche) says "Contains ethanol" on the label, and methylated spirits is primarily ethanol, I have gone that route this winter, so far without problems.

 

[yan]

Thanks for the responses. Mixing with alternative products sounds like a lottery as to whether the product turns in to a glup.

Propanol is used in windscreen de-icers and several internet searches later suggests that adding iso-propyl alcohol (IPA) might be an alternative to changing brands, inc. flushing through. 10% concentration provides protection down to ~ -5C - time for an experiment"¦

 

[RJKflyer]

I wouldn't add meths - the colorant (methyl violet) is liable to stain some forms of paintwork and plastics as the water evaporates, whereas the pure alcohol (ethanol/methanol/propanol) is pretty benign when diluted.

Needless to say, meths is very toxic as it has been 'denatured' (to render it unfit for consumption and therefore not liable to duty) by addition of methanol to the ethanol, plus a small amount of pyridine to render it very unpalatable (albeit that pyridine is extremely toxic in small doses).

Am very curious as to what's in Porsche windscreen wash to cause it to 'curdle' with other products - sounds like Citroen brake fluid!!!!

 

[RJKflyer]

So, the Porsche screen wash additive contains 3-butoxypropan-2-ol (according to the MSDS which my OPC helpfully sent me) at a very low concentrate (1-5%) which is a surfactant/cleaner, but provides no freeze protection.

Options are:

1. Add methanol (not meths), 20% protects down to -18 deg C, and flashpoint is high at 43 deg C (temp at which vapour formed which can ignite, so little flammability risk). Downside is toxicity, but so long as we keep away from pets/people etc. is fine. Slightly more aggressive than propanol if neat and gets onto skin.
2. Add propanol, but you need 30% to get to -15 deg C protection, and flashpoint much lower at 24 deg C (much more risk of flammable vapour forming at ambient temps, so igniting if it meets ignition source).

Anyone using methanol? Probably safest way is to make up a batch of 20% diluted and use that to top up.

I am surprised that the Porsche screen wash 'reacts' with anything to cause any sort of gel compounds - do folks really have experience of this? It should be completely 'safe' to mix with normal alcohol-containing screenwashes.