Heated Windscreen Washers - How to fit (free).

While I had the washer bottle moved during my recent radiator change, I noticed how long the washer feed pipe is and it gave me an idea.🤔
If I lengthened the pipe sufficiently to be able to coil it around the radiator inlet hose, I would have a heat exchanger. In theory, when the inlet coolant heated up, it would pass heat to the washer fluid as it passed through my makeshift heat exchanger.
So, I spliced in about two feet extra and formed about ten coils around the coolant hose. I had some pipe insulation the right bore to enclose the washer pipe from the exchanger to the jets, and I covered the 'exchanger' in insulating tape, and here it is.


Removing the non-return valve from the piping helps as well.

I know, Heath Robinson lives!
Thing is, it works!

You will need to check which of the two radiator hoses is the 'hot one'. The flow through the radiator is reversed if you have a PRT remote thermostat fitted!

Thanks for that David, Heath Robinson maybe, but any DIY FOC upgrade/mod gets the thumbs up from me. Just one question, does this help in winter when the problem I found was water frozen in the ends of the washer jets, even with antifreeze windscreen washer being used, since there will be no flow when the jets are blocked with ice?

PQD44 wrote: Thanks for that David, Heath Robinson maybe, but any DIY FOC upgrade/mod gets the thumbs up from me. Just one question, does this help in winter when the problem I found was water frozen in the ends of the washer jets, even with antifreeze windscreen washer being used, since there will be no flow when the jets are blocked with ice?

If you remove the non return valve( a round black plastic component in the pipework) And use a 50% mix antifreeze, I've found that once the thermostat opens allowing warm water to the heat exchanger, the washers worked, even through last winter. :thumbsup:

I've been meaning to install heated washers for 10 years and never got round to it, swearing lots in the winter (which is most of the year up here :lol:)

Might try the above method and see how it goes. give it a REAL test :lol:

David Aiketgate wrote: If you remove the non return valve( a round black plastic component in the pipework) And use a 50% mix antifreeze, I've found that once the thermostat opens allowing warm water to the heat exchanger, the washers worked, even through last winter. :thumbsup:

That's good enough for me :yesnod: , ...........now where did I put that to do list ?