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MG MGF Technical - Has she done any damage?

So the wife, on her own bless her, tried to fill up the windscreen wash bottle reservoir. So she opened the boot and found the cap marked water and filled it up with about a litre of dilute screen wash. Now you're all probably way ahead by now, but that was the coolant reservoir! So has she done any lasting damage? and should I change the coolant bearing in mind that it is going to piss it down this weekend and I will be doing it outside?
Any advice would be great.
Cheers
James
james stibbards

Is it blowing bubbles?
Alan Dunlop

i would think not, but what concerns me is the amount, did it take a litre to reach level mark or did she fill to top of bottle, if it took 1 litre to level marque then why?if she filled to top of bottle syphon it out to level mark before driving it, if filled up to level mark when did you last check, have you a leak from hose,ect wont mention the other, keep us posted , Dave
DC Morris T6 DCM

Alan - There is no bubbling.
Dave - The reservoir was filled to the seam on the side of the reservoir as the handbook recommends and she just filled it to the brim - about a litre.
I think I will leave it for now - apart from take the level back down to the seam on the reservoir unless anyone thinks a bit of screen wash will do major damage.
Thanks guys
James
james stibbards

<<Any advice would be great>>

I recommend divorce. It worked for me. My first wife topped up the radiator in her car with engine oil? Stopped the water pump squeaking bit did nothing for the cooling system in general.

:¬)

Bruce
Bruce Caldwell


The question is : will the windscreen wash attack the rubber seal on the headgasket ?????????

Get it changed if i was you

Pete
pete

I'd leave well alone. If you suffer HGF later at least you have an excuse :-)
David S

Although I don't think that there should be anything in teh screenwash that damages the headgasket, or indeed the rest of the system, it might have bad consequences on the rust inhibitors in the coolant, I'd change it to be safe.
Will Munns

I agree with Will - err on the safe side. Assuming that the engine hasn't been started since topping up with screen cleaning detergents, then empty the resevoir and refill with water. Then arrange to get the coolant system bled, flushed and re-filled. Unlikely to have caused any lasting damage by doing this - even if the engine has been run - but long term, the consequences could be unpredictable if left unchecked.
Rob Bell

If you had OAT coolant (brown as opposed to blue/green) then the alcahol in the windscreen wash will destroy the organic elements in the coolant rendering it useless.

SF
Scarlet Fever

Reminds me of one of my dad's WWII stories:
First winter of the war and a lot of conscripts were turned into truck drivers with a few hours of basic tuition. Came winter they were issued with antifreeze and no instructions as to where it went.

And ........... You can guess the rest.
Brian

This thread was discussed between 12/12/2003 and 15/12/2003

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