Is it important to keep liquid in the windshield washer reservoir?
- Thread starter Saikou
- Start date
If reducing weight to gain fuel economy is your goal you could, not carry anything in the car. No owners manual, no napkins or anything in the glove box or trunk, no coffee or cup, no cell phone, nothing in the back seat, only fill the gas tank to 1/8 th, keep the engine oil 1 qt low, ditch the spare tire if you have one, fill your tires to 10 pounds over what it says on the tire, never accelerate past 1/4 throttle, coast most of the time and only brake when it's absolutely needed. It may seem like alot of work, but that 1/2 mile per gallon you gain, will be well worth it.,,,
^ -20F generic brand washer fluid is only $3.50 a gallon at walmart, etc.
I'd keep a little fluid in it and run the washer (and wiper) every now and then to keep the motors from seizing up and the lines from clogging. Moving parts need to move every now and then. Make it a mix with alcohol so it kills the fungus that results from sitting. If you've gone this long without using it, a mix that had alcohol might have had much of it evaporate away. You can just add a little rubbing alcohol every now and then.
5 kg worth of fluid? I could be wrong but that seems like a large capacity tank for a small vehicle suited for hypermiling. A gallon weighs a little under 4 kg.
If you decide to keep it empty, might as well take the whole tank out, put very low pressure compressed air through the washer hose to dry it out, then plug it. I'd still run the wipers a few times per year minimum.
I'd keep a little fluid in it and run the washer (and wiper) every now and then to keep the motors from seizing up and the lines from clogging. Moving parts need to move every now and then. Make it a mix with alcohol so it kills the fungus that results from sitting. If you've gone this long without using it, a mix that had alcohol might have had much of it evaporate away. You can just add a little rubbing alcohol every now and then.
5 kg worth of fluid? I could be wrong but that seems like a large capacity tank for a small vehicle suited for hypermiling. A gallon weighs a little under 4 kg.
If you decide to keep it empty, might as well take the whole tank out, put very low pressure compressed air through the washer hose to dry it out, then plug it. I'd still run the wipers a few times per year minimum.
Last edited:
No señor, neither is keeping the gas tank empty.
When I lived in Galicia gulls frequently pooped on my vehicle. The birds in Spain were very disresptful to Americanos.
Last edited:
It is often written here that there are no dumb questions.
However this one is borderline
However this one is borderline
So true. I’ve never thought about ..until now. BITOG.. the cure for a good nights sleep.
Shel_B
Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,167
^^^^ This
Dumb indeed
I would keep a little commercial washer fluid in there, say 500ml and exercise the pump once in a while to keep it from seizing, and just for rare time you might need it. Spray it all out every oil change atleast and put in another 500ml.
What car do you drive? I guess if its weight is down near 1000-1200kg shedding a few kg here and there becomes significant. I can certainly feel the difference from adding 40kg going from empty to a full tank of gas in the Focus and I never try to go to an autocross with more than a 1/4 tank. In F1 +-5kg would be +-2 tenths of a second of lap time or about 0.25%, and I'd guess about the same in fuel consumption.
So losing roughly 50kg gets to ~2.5% decrease in fuel consumption. For city driving I guess losing the spare tire and jack, rear floor mats, running half fuel maximum, and minimal washer fluid would get you ~50kg savings. If you don't have free roadside assistance, buying that to make up for no spare isn't cost effective though.
What car do you drive? I guess if its weight is down near 1000-1200kg shedding a few kg here and there becomes significant. I can certainly feel the difference from adding 40kg going from empty to a full tank of gas in the Focus and I never try to go to an autocross with more than a 1/4 tank. In F1 +-5kg would be +-2 tenths of a second of lap time or about 0.25%, and I'd guess about the same in fuel consumption.
So losing roughly 50kg gets to ~2.5% decrease in fuel consumption. For city driving I guess losing the spare tire and jack, rear floor mats, running half fuel maximum, and minimal washer fluid would get you ~50kg savings. If you don't have free roadside assistance, buying that to make up for no spare isn't cost effective though.
You never need it...until you need it.
I'll never forget Mom driving into Durango during a road trip decades ago. There had just been a very short rain shower and we went through a construction zone. All that dust hitting the wind shield with the spattering of rain created a muddy mess...and no washer fluid. The wipers cleared some and she must have had a better view than I did, but I was wondering how she was going with what I was seeing.
I'll never forget Mom driving into Durango during a road trip decades ago. There had just been a very short rain shower and we went through a construction zone. All that dust hitting the wind shield with the spattering of rain created a muddy mess...and no washer fluid. The wipers cleared some and she must have had a better view than I did, but I was wondering how she was going with what I was seeing.
Good lord. Where do you live? Do birds wear diapers? Birds in New Jerky all have IBS.
Similar threads
