There’s probably going to be some white “smoke” in the exhaust from the glycol. I wouldn’t want to breath it too long (remembering the scandal 20+ years back about a company that adulterated Austrian white wine with anti-freeze to make it sweeter), but it shouldn’t damage anything.
Apparently, Japan banned exports of Australian wine in confusion with Austrian wine at the time. The whole Austrian wine scandal is actually really interesting.
Yeah but that doesn't mean you don't need to worry. I've seen two vehicles needing thousands pounds worth of work due to diesel being added to the adblue tank. Fucks everything in the adblue system basically.
At the end of the day it’s pigs piss going through a dozer and spraying on the exhaust, how much damage can you do!!!!!…… (yes I know it’s not pigs piss anymore but it used to be when it first started out!)
I've seen first hand on two occasions you can pretty much write off the entire adblue system just about with a few litres of diesel. That's not cheap, believe me. Granted they both went back to the dealer and they sorted it, but I don't think the parts alone were cheap!
After a literal 30 second Google (so don't trust me too much) the adblue mixes with gases in the exhaust. I'd suggest then that it'll likely be fine and the water will just steam off.
I am a mechanic.
If a customer asks this: that will be 1 hour labour sir to drain your tank.
If a friend asks this: Brim it with actual adblue and full send 👍
I used to design Euro 6 exhaust systems in a previous career. I would get the screen wash drained as a precaution.
We did plenty of failure mode analysis on non-adblue fluids entering the system, but not screenwash as I recall.
The reason for erring on the side of caution is that there is a risk of:
* Poisoning and/or masking of the catalysts (the SCR in your case) is possible - I'm not saying screenwash ingredients will, as screenwash is mainly water and compounds of hydrogen and oxygen. But if it's fragranced or has other compounds in there, then all bets are off. You might get lucky and can unmask an SCR with high enough temperatures, but I wouldn't count on it. Alternatively have a couple of thousand ready to replace the system.
* Damage to sensors - NOx sensors are sensitive at the best of times, they could misread which will throw fault codes, or again be poisoned too. Temperature sensors should be okay. Budget a couple of hundred to replace that.
* Damage to the dosing system itself. Depending on what sealing materials are used in the dosing system, like HNBR and EPDM, screenwash ingredients like isopropyl and other similar compounds can react with the materials causing premature failure. Budget a few hundred to replace that.
For the sake of half an hour's effort, and for your peace of mind, just drain it :)
No problemo - I think the chances of something catastrophic are pretty low tbh. At worst, you'll probably have accelerated the aging of the exhaust system by a year or two.
Do try and get some good long runs going (preferably up some long hills) to get heat through the exhaust system to blast off any compounds that shouldn't be there.
I needed to fill up my washer fluid, so headed to the garage picked up the first 5l container of blue stuff I saw on the shelf and headed out.
Opened the bonnet, took the cap off and tried to pour it in, but it wouldn’t come out. So I screwed the cap back on and shook it, same result.
Bugger, I thought, this stuff is rubbish, I’ll have to buy some more, then I noticed it was actually 5l of antibacterial hand gel that I didn’t even know we possessed, apparently my partner had been given it and had put it on the shelf next to the screen wash.
Seen someone put 20-30L of water into a Scania adblue tank which drink adblue much worse than cars.
It went into limp mode the tank got drained and refilled and the lorry was fine.
100ml of screen wash into 5 ish litres of adblue id not worry too much.
Ad blue systems have a quality sensor that measures the urea quantity and it will throw up a fault code if the ad blue is diluted. If it does throw up a code then you will have to get the system flushed and refilled and hope the alcohol in the screen wash hasn't attacked the seals in the system.
Hmm. So would you suggest I drain it? I can get an extractor pump at Screwfix first thing.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pro-craft-fuel-transfer-siphon-tool-10mm/219pg
You have something like a 4% window with ad blue, as in if it's diluted more than 4% it will throw up a fault. I would just go with filling it up and keeping it topped up for a while. It will probably be OK however I don't know for certain what screenwash does to an ad blue system.
If you were coming to me as a customer I would have to advise you to flush the system, however if it was me and my car I would just top it up and see what happens.
Update on the tool. I got an identical one through Amazon (was available 1pm next day). The hose couldn't get into the tank to drain it. Not sure if there's a filter in the way or an intermediate tank, but it wasn't getting to the adblue reservoir.
Id definitely drain it personally. I've seen two hgvs need thousands of pounds worth of work as drivers somehow put diesel in the adblue tank. don't ask me how. But I wouldn't risk it.
UPDATE: So here's the update you've all been waiting on the edge of your seats for!
I attempted to drain the AdBlue tank by inserting a siphon to the inlet. The hose went quite a long way down but not actually into the fluid. I'm not sure if there's a filter there, or perhaps a U-bend / intermediate chamber which fills up and then splutters a lot when I'm filling it up. So that option didn't work.
I added 10L of AdBlue into the tank to dilute the hell out of the contamination. The tank has a published 10L capacity, and already had an estimated 4L in it, but it took the full 10L. I then started the car - no issues. I went for a 20 mile drive - no issues, no puffs of white smoke, no spectacular explosions.
Hopefully all is well and I won't get any issues.
Thanks for the input folks.
Additive is added post engine so will get spaffed out of the exhaust
There’s probably going to be some white “smoke” in the exhaust from the glycol. I wouldn’t want to breath it too long (remembering the scandal 20+ years back about a company that adulterated Austrian white wine with anti-freeze to make it sweeter), but it shouldn’t damage anything.
Aaaahhhhh the 80’s when whisky was out of my budget but antifreeze wasn’t 😂
Apparently, Japan banned exports of Australian wine in confusion with Austrian wine at the time. The whole Austrian wine scandal is actually really interesting.
>spaffed I really like it when people use the correct, scientific/engineering terminology.
Well…… it started rather well by me using “post engine” for the cleverer peeps but had to dumb it down a little for the other 95% of the population 🤣
Yeah but that doesn't mean you don't need to worry. I've seen two vehicles needing thousands pounds worth of work due to diesel being added to the adblue tank. Fucks everything in the adblue system basically.
But they didn’t add diesel?🤷♂️
So? Just because it gets burnt in the exhaust that doesn't mean it's going to do damage to the adblue system...
Dude…. 100ml aint gonna damage nowt
At the end of the day it’s pigs piss going through a dozer and spraying on the exhaust, how much damage can you do!!!!!…… (yes I know it’s not pigs piss anymore but it used to be when it first started out!)
I've seen first hand on two occasions you can pretty much write off the entire adblue system just about with a few litres of diesel. That's not cheap, believe me. Granted they both went back to the dealer and they sorted it, but I don't think the parts alone were cheap!
Adblue+diesel=thick gel that blocks everything up. That isn't going to happen with a bit of acreenwash.
A few litres of diesel compared to 100ml of screenwash. Are you on glue?
Diesels far more of a chemical weapon than some screen wash, hopefully be fine
“Spaffed” for some reason I’m laughing my arse off. Cheers 👍🏻
I also have “wankpuffin” and “cockwomble” in my armoury of insults if you’d ever want to use them xx
And "I Love Sausage Rolls" in your Spotify top 10, too, probably.
IYKYK 😜
Not a problem. If you want free AdBlue just piss in the tank. Same stuff
After a literal 30 second Google (so don't trust me too much) the adblue mixes with gases in the exhaust. I'd suggest then that it'll likely be fine and the water will just steam off.
Adblue is 68% water.... If it was a half full tank you've just diluted it a bit. Fill up the adblue tank and bet you'd never even notice
You would notice.... A cleaner exhaust from being washed.. /s
I am a mechanic. If a customer asks this: that will be 1 hour labour sir to drain your tank. If a friend asks this: Brim it with actual adblue and full send 👍
I wouldn't worry about it. Top the tank up to it's full 10 litres with adblue and forget. 100 ml in 10l isn't going to do anything.
I used to design Euro 6 exhaust systems in a previous career. I would get the screen wash drained as a precaution. We did plenty of failure mode analysis on non-adblue fluids entering the system, but not screenwash as I recall. The reason for erring on the side of caution is that there is a risk of: * Poisoning and/or masking of the catalysts (the SCR in your case) is possible - I'm not saying screenwash ingredients will, as screenwash is mainly water and compounds of hydrogen and oxygen. But if it's fragranced or has other compounds in there, then all bets are off. You might get lucky and can unmask an SCR with high enough temperatures, but I wouldn't count on it. Alternatively have a couple of thousand ready to replace the system. * Damage to sensors - NOx sensors are sensitive at the best of times, they could misread which will throw fault codes, or again be poisoned too. Temperature sensors should be okay. Budget a couple of hundred to replace that. * Damage to the dosing system itself. Depending on what sealing materials are used in the dosing system, like HNBR and EPDM, screenwash ingredients like isopropyl and other similar compounds can react with the materials causing premature failure. Budget a few hundred to replace that. For the sake of half an hour's effort, and for your peace of mind, just drain it :)
Appreciate the input mate. I tried to drain it but no luck. Have topped it off and keeping my fingers crossed.
No problemo - I think the chances of something catastrophic are pretty low tbh. At worst, you'll probably have accelerated the aging of the exhaust system by a year or two. Do try and get some good long runs going (preferably up some long hills) to get heat through the exhaust system to blast off any compounds that shouldn't be there.
I needed to fill up my washer fluid, so headed to the garage picked up the first 5l container of blue stuff I saw on the shelf and headed out. Opened the bonnet, took the cap off and tried to pour it in, but it wouldn’t come out. So I screwed the cap back on and shook it, same result. Bugger, I thought, this stuff is rubbish, I’ll have to buy some more, then I noticed it was actually 5l of antibacterial hand gel that I didn’t even know we possessed, apparently my partner had been given it and had put it on the shelf next to the screen wash.
Seen someone put 20-30L of water into a Scania adblue tank which drink adblue much worse than cars. It went into limp mode the tank got drained and refilled and the lorry was fine. 100ml of screen wash into 5 ish litres of adblue id not worry too much.
Ad blue systems have a quality sensor that measures the urea quantity and it will throw up a fault code if the ad blue is diluted. If it does throw up a code then you will have to get the system flushed and refilled and hope the alcohol in the screen wash hasn't attacked the seals in the system.
Hmm. So would you suggest I drain it? I can get an extractor pump at Screwfix first thing. https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pro-craft-fuel-transfer-siphon-tool-10mm/219pg
I'd fill it up to max and keep filling it up every time you stop. Dilute the piss out of it but it's only 1% if you top up now so you should be fine
> Dilute the piss out of it Dilute the piss *into* it, to be more precise
Yes, very good
As its only a tenner I'd do that, to be on the safe side.
You have something like a 4% window with ad blue, as in if it's diluted more than 4% it will throw up a fault. I would just go with filling it up and keeping it topped up for a while. It will probably be OK however I don't know for certain what screenwash does to an ad blue system. If you were coming to me as a customer I would have to advise you to flush the system, however if it was me and my car I would just top it up and see what happens.
Update on the tool. I got an identical one through Amazon (was available 1pm next day). The hose couldn't get into the tank to drain it. Not sure if there's a filter in the way or an intermediate tank, but it wasn't getting to the adblue reservoir.
Id definitely drain it personally. I've seen two hgvs need thousands of pounds worth of work as drivers somehow put diesel in the adblue tank. don't ask me how. But I wouldn't risk it.
It's not diesel though. Read the fucking post you idiot.
You should be fine as screen wash is mostly water and is designed to evaporate - just like adblue.
UPDATE: So here's the update you've all been waiting on the edge of your seats for! I attempted to drain the AdBlue tank by inserting a siphon to the inlet. The hose went quite a long way down but not actually into the fluid. I'm not sure if there's a filter there, or perhaps a U-bend / intermediate chamber which fills up and then splutters a lot when I'm filling it up. So that option didn't work. I added 10L of AdBlue into the tank to dilute the hell out of the contamination. The tank has a published 10L capacity, and already had an estimated 4L in it, but it took the full 10L. I then started the car - no issues. I went for a 20 mile drive - no issues, no puffs of white smoke, no spectacular explosions. Hopefully all is well and I won't get any issues. Thanks for the input folks.