Accidently Poured 3/4 Gallone of Wiper Fluid Into Radiator Reserviorv

malatu · Feb 7, 2017

Jeez... Was in a rush and stupidly poured 3/4 of a gallon of rain x wiper fluid into the radiator reserve/expansion tank. I'm out of town and getting ready to make a 350 mile trip home. How concerned should I be.

I am going to try to remove as much as i can but not sure the best way to do that. Any suggestions?

Sandbox · Feb 7, 2017

I'd drain it before I started on my trip. I wouldn't want to find during the 350 mile trip that I should have. As long as it's just in the reservoir, it should be pretty easy to do.

SilverStreak88 · Feb 7, 2017

Have you run the truck at all? Drain the reservoir and put coolant back, if you did run it and the truck got up to temp then "I" would recommend flushing the cooling system.

malatu · Feb 7, 2017

SilverStreak88 said:
Have you run the truck at all? Drain the reservoir and put coolant back, if you did run it and the truck got up to temp then "I" would recommend flushing the cooling system.

No, haven't started trip yet. On way to store to get some tubing to siphon out.

SilverStreak88 · Feb 7, 2017

malatu said:
No, haven't started trip yet. On way to store to get some tubing to siphon out.

Should be a couple 10mm bolts holding it down, if you pull those you'll be able to pull it out and dump everything out and give it a good rinse. If you had run it and got it to temp it quite possibly would have siphoned some from the reservoir into the cooling system. You should be good as long as you get it out.

ExpressRules · Feb 7, 2017

SilverStreak88 said:
Should be a couple 10mm bolts holding it down, if you pull those you'll be able to pull it out and dump everything out and give it a good rinse. If you had run it and got it to temp it quite possibly would have siphoned some from the reservoir into the cooling system. You should be good as long as you get it out.

Since you haven't run the truck ^^^^^^ this.

m00nraker · Feb 7, 2017

I did the same thing before. Drove it for awhile before I realized what I had done when I went to use the washer fluid and nothing came out! Hey I just filled that! Yeah, oops.

I didnt do anything. Drove it and never had a problem.

SilverStreak88 · Feb 7, 2017

Don't worry, we all get in a hurry and we all make mistakes. They put those tanks right next to each other so it's bound to happen to someone, makes wonder if they purposely designed it that way knowing it would happen and cause damage and make them money on repairs.

SHOOT2KILL · Feb 7, 2017

I wonder how many times this has happened to people at oil change places, that have never been told by the tech that it happened...

Broyd · Feb 7, 2017

IF you haven't run the truck since you dumped RainX into your overflow tank, then you can remove the tank and thoroughly flush it out. (Are you using a different vehicle to go to the store for tubing?)

Be aware that the coolant used in your 2016 is MOPAR OAT. It is PURPLE in a clear container. It is not your everyday off the shelf coolant. It is expensive. If you mix anything else with what is already in your truck, you could be setting yourself up for some very expensive repairs. There are a lot of threads about this. Here is one of them!

ATTENTION: Know Your Jeep JK Wrangler Coolants and Save Your Engine!

Bee1971 · Feb 7, 2017

It's an expansion tank , reservoir , hence zero pressure , plastic cap

You could drive the truck home the whole 350 miles and the reservoir probably wouldn't lose or a gain a drop , and clean it out at home

Unless you have a coolant leak or major issue with your coolant system

Now if you removed the pressure system side metal radiator cap and poured it in there , I would be concerned

Bee1971 · Feb 7, 2017

And the reason it took 3/4 gallon , its designed for expansion and contraction

You probably topped it off then realized what you did

You and 10 million other people at those 10 minute lube jobs

The full line for that reservoir is probably only at about 50% or less

avantiguy · Feb 7, 2017

Window antifreeze is essentially water with alcohol added, your coolant is water with antifreeze added. If you dumped the coolant tank before you started the engine then there would be little if any window antifreeze in it.

The problem with mixing various engine antifreeze's is the changing formulations which shouldn't be an issue if you refill the empty tank with the recommended stuff.

Any small amount of window stuff would be the same as adding a few drops to an ounce of alcohol to your antifreeze which I would think would have no effect.

Everything is soluble in everything and the change in any property in the coolant system with such little amounts is hard to imagine.

IIWM and I had emptied the tank prior to driving the truck, I wouldn't be concerned.

JMHO

Burla · Feb 7, 2017

Nobody siphons anymore, easy peasy done in 5.

chopperman1 · Feb 7, 2017

Turkey Baster, suck it all out, rinse with some water, suck that out, fill it to the correct level with fresh 50/50 (use the right stuff), call it a day....

malatu · Feb 7, 2017

Burla said:
Nobody siphons anymore, easy peasy done in 5.

Back home safe and sound! Used different vehicle and picked up a siphon at the auto part store. Siphoned out the rain x, added a gallon of water to the coolant reservoir and siphoned it out. On the way out of town I stopped at the local ram dealer and purchased the correct coolant and refilled the coolant reservoir.

Yes, "Easy Peasy!"

Thanks for all all the comments and suggestions!

Cheers!

malatu

07MegaCabRam · Feb 7, 2017

At least you went and got the right coolant.

shibby927 · Feb 8, 2017

Did this in my truck a month ago, in a hurry to leave for Christmas, threw in a jug of fluid and realized my stupidity immediately thereafter. I siphoned mine with a chunk of heater hose because I didn't have the time to be taking things apart. I managed to get most of, if not all of it out that way. Been running perfectly fine since though I'll probably get it flushed sooner rather than later just to be careful.

Everyone makes mistakes. Ours wasn't paying enough attention, lol.

xrsman · Feb 8, 2017

Glad you got it fixed up. In high-school my buddy accidently put washer fluid into his brake fluid reservoir. Had I not said anything he wouldn't have known what he did. He had to get that all pumped out, I remember his dad not being too happy, as it was his truck! Haha

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Accidently Poured 3/4 Gallone of Wiper Fluid Into Radiator Reserviorv

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