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Today I've notices that the windshield washer fluid reservoir in my son's CLK350 had blue water in it. I checked the coolant expansion tank and it was low. Drained the blue-ish water-coolant mix. Removed the reservoir. Pulled out the heating element. No signs of any damage to it, though I've recently epoxied the crack at the bottom of the reservoir. Decided to check it with pressure, submerged in water. No bubbles. At this point I'm very puzzled as it was obvious that the coolant got into the reservoir through that spiral element. But it doesn't leak any air under pressure: I went as high as 50-60 psi.
In San Diego I don't really care about heating this reservoir. And I plan to bypass the spiral. Here are the two questions:
1. Is it safe to bypass? Does the valve in the heating element play any role in the engine cooling system?
Today I've notices that the windshield washer fluid reservoir in my son's CLK350 had blue water in it. I checked the coolant expansion tank and it was low. Drained the blue-ish water-coolant mix. Removed the reservoir. Pulled out the heating element. No signs of any damage to it, though I've recently epoxied the crack at the bottom of the reservoir. Decided to check it with pressure, submerged in water. No bubbles. At this point I'm very puzzled as it was obvious that the coolant got into the reservoir through that spiral element. But it doesn't leak any air under pressure: I went as high as 50-60 psi.
In San Diego I don't really care about heating this reservoir. And I plan to bypass the spiral. Here are the two questions:
1. Is it safe to bypass? Does the valve in the heating element play any role in the engine cooling system?
2. Why there was no bubbles? :-)
I think you have the right bypass idea for San Diego weather
FYI: I have blue washer and blue coolant but no leak.
Perhaps your coolant leak is somewhere else... radiator itself or relief cap off gasing after engine stop.
Today I've notices that the windshield washer fluid reservoir in my son's CLK350 had blue water in it.
Don’t they all? I would say 95% of all washer fluid is blue. You may get some pink or orange (RainX) occasionally. Why do you think the coolant got mixed into it? They are not even close.
EDIT: My bad. I now see what you are referring to. Unless your son had different color washer fluid, I would not assume the blue color is due to a leak into the washer tank.
Currently I drive: 2007 S550, 2009 ML350 and 2004 CLK320.
Originally Posted by CaliBenzDriver
I think you have the right bypass idea for San Diego weather
FYI: I have blue washer and blue coolant but no leak.
Perhaps your coolant leak is somewhere else... radiator itself or relief cap off gasing after engine stop.
There was just water in the reservoir. Radiator was just replaced. The car is parked in the garage - nothing dripped on the floor. And it was driven for a day after getting the new radiator and fixing the reservoir crack.
I guess the main question still remains - how could the coolant escape, but pressurized air can't?..
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Windshield washer fluid heater - water/coolant mix
