Not really a Renault (Dacia Duster) but you might be able to help: washer bottle gunk

[jjad]

Our second car is a Dacia Duster (sold as Renault Duster in some territories). We have a persistent problem with the fluid in the washer bottle getting gunged up with a black slimy substance. The washer bottle is a really awkward shape (it goes in where the outlet and pump is: see my photo below, but ignore the 'R') so is impossible to wash with a brush, and I've taken it out of the car every year to clean it out. There's a very fine rubber filter on the pump intake, which gets fully blocked by the gunge so no water can be pumped out.

Over the years, I've tried jet washing it out, sterilising it, used stones to shake the slime out, different cleaning products, but not matter how clean it is when it's replaced, the slime always comes back.

One suggestion is to cut out the rubber filter on the pump inlet, but I think that would just cause the slime to travel up the hoses and block the jets (and the one-way valve I installed to stop water draining back to the tank).

So, before I take out the tank again (for the second time this year), I'm wondering if anyone has any better ways of cleaning out washer fluid tanks, and any tips for keeping them slime-free. (I've always used concentrated screenwash, and have tried diluting it either with tap water, or filtered tap water, either boiled or not.)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Crelesy]

Strange that it is building up some oily debris. As a plastic tank with some cleaning stuff in it should not grow something on his own.
Maybe it's a fungus?
I think you should clean it again, then put some really nasty stuff in it to degrease like paint thinner if the plastic and pump can take it ofcourse. Shake it and make it really clean. Then don't refill with your usual stuff but use something different.
I have seen some fungus growing in water infested new diesel systems, but never in a window cleaner tank.
I honestly think the problem lies at what you fill it with.

 

[jjad]

Thanks. It's not oily, but some kind of bacterial growth or algae I think.

 

[JdeW]

It is true that bacteria or algae can grow in coolant and even fuels such as diesel, etc. I have experienced this myself on a large (industrial) scale in tanks and even where filters and osmose filters got fully blocked.
Simply cleaning the expansion tank does not work because there is a possible contamination throughout the cooling system.
There are plenty of solutions, drain old coolant, replace any filter, fill the system with an organic acid such as 10% citric acid solution pH should be around 3.5. Let the engine run until it is hot, the fan turns on and let it sit for a few days.
Then flush the system and refill it with coolant.

 

[jjad]

Thanks. Fortunately isn't not in the coolant, just the windscreen washer bottle.

 

[JdeW]

Thanks. Fortunately isn't not in the coolant, just the windscreen washer bottle.

I now see I read over it and I was busy with an expansion tank for a colleague so that kept in my mind.
But you would be surprised in what kinds of invironments bacteria or algae can grow.

 

[JdeW]

Other ways to clean the windsreen washer bottle the way beer fermenting tanks are cleaned;
A firm rins with 2% sodium hydroxide at 60 degrees Celsius, rinse with water, rins with 1% nitric acid at 60 degrees Celsius, rinse with water, rins with 1% peracetic acid or 5 % citric acid, rins with water and done

 

[Crelesy]

But still I think it's also about what you fill it with afterwards. I still think you should change to another brand screenwasch.

 

[malcolm]

I use a Tesco pre-mix screen wash. Seems fine with nothing growing in the washer bottle. In the past I have had stuff growing in the washer bottle so another vote for trying a different washer fluid (and never topping it up with plain water in the summer).

 

[JdeW]

But still I think it's also about what you fill it with afterwards. I still think you should change to another brand screenwasch.

Just basic 25% methylated spirits solution, it mustn´t smell nice, it has to do a job.

 

[jjad]

Thanks everyone. I've disinfected it and filled with ready-to-use. I've always bought concentrate previously and topped with water, so I'll stop doing that.

Fingers crossed