Ok I'm an idiot....

[Bumper]

...last night I went into the garage to add more washer fluid to my 98 XLT 4.0 SOHC and all the while my wife was nagging me to do something else. In my haste to add the washer fluid i put it in the coolant overflow . Ok what do i do now? I have not driven the truck so can I just empty the overflow and add more coolant or do I need to flush the system??

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Chew_12]

Was your radiator full? If it was then you probably will just have to empty the resivor. But if any soap gets into the radiator it will clog it up because the soap will just keep making bubbles.

 

[DeRocha]

You haven't started the truck so you can just drain off the fluid.

 

[X~FACTOR]

A little flush wouldn't hurt if the reservoir was empty and some have spilled over the radiator. Otherwise just empty the reservior and you should be fine.

Tell your wife to stop nagging. It does not work. It just pisses the hell out of you.

 

[Positive Vibes]

If you haven't flushed the system lately I would do that to be safe. Other wise I would just use my wet vac to vacuum it out.

 

[Carl D.]

I would just drain the over flow tank and fill it with water draining it several more times, to make sure you had all the wiper fluid out. Shouldn't take more than 15 minutes.

 

[Bumper]

How do I take off the coolant overflow tank? I'm not a very experienced wrench so a detailed explaination would be very helpful. Thanks!

 

[Alec]

Do like I did with my VW's washer tank. Look around for some bolts and screws, undo whatever electrical harnesses are there, but try to keep the hoses intact. Took me 15 minutes to figure it out, take it out, do what I needed to do, and replace it.

 

[Positive Vibes]

Ummm, why not just use a wet vacuum and vacuum it out??? Rinse and repeat???????

 

[Bumper]

If the vacuum idea will work then that seems like the easiest way to go!

 

[GaSouthern1]

Siphon that crap out...or you could just shop vac it out.

 

[X~FACTOR]

Couldn't you just unplug the little hose connected to the reservoir? That would be the easiest thing to do.

I know my Shop Vac hose would not fit inside that reservoir opening.

 

[Boondoggie]

Originally posted by Chew_12
Was your radiator full? If it was then you probably will just have to empty the resivor. But if any soap gets into the radiator it will clog it up because the soap will just keep making bubbles.

Uh, there's soap in windshield washer stuff?

Besides, "Water Wetter" is basically dishsoap, isn't it?

 

[Positive Vibes]

The wet vac will work. Why wouldn't it? Also if the hose it to big for the opening just duct tape a smaller hose to it! I would rinse the container and do it again.

 

[X~FACTOR]

That's too much work. Just unplug that little sucker hose and be done with it.

 

[SteveVB]

X-factor has it....

The easiest thing to do would be to disconnect the hose from the radiator filler neck and drain the overflow.

It will drain quickly - I found out the hard way- working on something else I knocked the hose off and ended up with a qt of rad fluid pouring onto my head. The overflow was empty by the time I got myself up and to the tank

good luck.

 

[IAmTodd]

Wasn't this discussed before that the other stuff will just evaporate out and leave the water in it? I'm 75% sure that this has been discussed before.

 

[frickea86]

yea todd that sounds right....and tell the wife to stop nagging while ur working on x...lol...peace

 

[DeRocha]

Originally posted by IAmTodd
Wasn't this discussed before that the other stuff will just evaporate out and leave the water in it? I'm 75% sure that this has been discussed before.

Yes, but IMO if he caught the mistake before starting the engine it would be best for him to drain out the washer fluid...

 

[IAmTodd]

Originally posted by DEROCHA
Yes, but IMO if he caught the mistake before starting the engine it would be best for him to drain out the washer fluid...

I agree with that, I was just saying incase it did get into the radiator that it would be no harm. But by all means, get it out if you can.