The various cleaning methods have been a response to the problem and haven't caused it. I intend to drain the washer bottle and run plain water for a while to see if that helps.
Phil
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10 years ago
Windscreen Woes - Ford Focus (Bit Long)
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10 years ago
Thanks Malcolm
If the other measures don't cut it I'll come back to you on that. Have you tried the Clearalex liquid to know how it compares? It looks like the liquid is more generally available.
Phil
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10 years ago
I had a similar problem after a garage lad, with the best intentions, waxed the windscreen. A couple of days later, it rained, and the windscreen was completely unusable (wiper blades can't work because glass is repelling water into very fine beads, which you can't see through), and cleaning it off seemingly impossible.
Eventually I had a good talk with Triplex. The silicone wax forms a weak chemical bond with the glass, which is hard work to break. You will need white spirit and a whole kitchen roll. Start by removing and discarding your wiper blades - the silicone soaks into them and will continue to recontaminate the windscreen otherwise, and they can't be cleaned.
Now you need to clean the windscreen with white spirit and kitchen roll. Wet it with plenty of hard wiping activity to try and break the bond between the silicone and glass. Then immediately use clean dry sheets to dry it off - don't let it evaporate as that will just deposit the silicone back on the glass, and keep grabbing a new sheet so you aren't just rubbing the white spirit film thin until it evaporates. (This is why you need to grab a whole roll.) If you have a rubber surround around the windscreen, avoid rubbing over that as it will simply release more silicone which you'll be spreading onto the windscreen. Finally, fit new wiper blades.
Sometimes, you will need to repeat this whole operation, because you weren't rigorous enough first time.
Maybe your contamination is not so bad, or is a different chemical which will wash off easier.
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10 years ago
Do you live by an airport? Just remember now that when I lived near Heathrow we'd occasionally get a film which everyone swore was jet fuel.
The story I heard was that planes were charged by weight so they used to dump excess fuel before landing.
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10 years ago
It depends where you are. Round my way, you can get traffic film in the car park, but I *do* live and work under the approach path for Heathrow airport.
Other airports are available...
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10 years ago
Which may well be the problem. White spirit (Or any oil based product)can attack the rubber. You need a strong magnifying glass to see the damage, but it's there. It only needs a tiny amount of wear or perishing on the edge of the rubber to give problems similar to yours.
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10 years ago
The explanation I heard was that jet engines at flight idle discharge unburnt and partially burnt fuel in the exhaust.
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10 years ago
Bought it after googling about 3 yrs ago. Had to buy a quantity because of postage.
Malcolm
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10 years ago
Didn't know about that. If it is the same composition then go with it. If you send me your address, I will scan a sachet and send you the resulta
Malcolm
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10 years ago
Diesel fumes. Impervious to ordinary detergent.
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10 years ago
Thanks Dave
It is a diesel, but I don't smell fumes around the engine bay. Are you talking about discharge from vehicles I am following?
Phil
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10 years ago
Yes.
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10 years ago
Auto matic car wash!! I'm fromYorkshire. Couldn't thoil t' brass.
It's inside anyway.
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10 years ago
SSSSNIPPPPPP>
did the jackanory discuss how the planes were weighed?
Jim K
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10 years ago
Don't be daft. Dump fuel?? It's just that on cold mornings with the choke pulled out a certain amount of unburnt fuel passes through the engines.
Tim
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10 years ago
What is polish:-)
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10 years ago
I have had this problem twice. Once in Prague about 10 years ago and last Friday on the M40 near Oxford.
New wipers worked for me.
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10 years ago
They're like apprentices but work properly....
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10 years ago
I wonder if it is the wipers after all; I think the OP said they cleaned the wipers with meths, -I used to use meths to 'restore' pinch rollers on tape decks and idlers on turntables. The meths softens the rubber so it's possible you are getting a microscopic layer of rubber building up on the screen.
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10 years ago
Thanks Chris
But I only started these more aggressive cleaning methods when the grease/film problem arose. I don't think I actually caused the problem in the first place. I've syphoned out the contents of the washer bottle as best as I can and replaced with clean water, just in case it's the mixture of screen wash additives that's caused this. I syphoned it into a clean white bucket but looking at the cleaner removed it seemed fine (no congealing or whatever).
Phil