Gladiator and Defrost

[Gvsukids]

I knew this thread was going to get cleaned sooner or later.

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[ACAD_Cowboy]

@ShadowsPapa

So... what's your feelings on heater washer fluid then? Since obviously those of us on the coasts can drive

I'm a fan of heated nozzles at the least and have even go so far as to modify washer tanks with a heater line going through it and once even ran the washer pump outlet through a copper section around a header tube.

Keeping the glass clean is a team effort and washer fluid plays a huge role in keeping the ice scum from accumulating in the first place.

Side note here I've seen a month of below freezing with a week below zero for the daily high out in MN, I've seen a foot of wet snow fall in about 10 minutes in western NY and Ive had 2 feet of snow followed by a foot of ice slush followed by another foot of snow with a hard ice glaze in eastern NY. I've never has a horrible safety issue with iced glass for a few reasons: start with clean glass and wax it up with good carnuba, fresh wipers before a big storm and quality conditions specific washer fluid ie high alcohol content and a small amount of dish soap to boost crud cutting, rainx with the emulsified wax is good too but the banned in cali high alcohol content with a soap boost is better.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

@ShadowsPapa

So... what's your feelings on heater washer fluid then? Since obviously those of us on the coasts can drive

I'm a fan of heated nozzles at the least and have even go so far as to modify washer tanks with a heater line going through it and once even ran the washer pump outlet through a copper section around a header tube.

Keeping the glass clean is a team effort and washer fluid plays a huge role in keeping the ice scum from accumulating in the first place.

Side note here I've seen a month of below freezing with a week below zero for the daily high out in MN, I've seen a foot of wet snow fall in about 10 minutes in western NY and Ive had 2 feet of snow followed by a foot of ice slush followed by another foot of snow with a hard ice glaze in eastern NY. I've never has a horrible safety issue with iced glass for a few reasons: start with clean glass and wax it up with good carnuba, fresh wipers before a big storm and quality conditions specific washer fluid ie high alcohol content and a small amount of dish soap to boost crud cutting, rainx with the emulsified wax is good too but the banned in cali high alcohol content with a soap boost is better.

RainX and rainx wiper blades and washer fluid good to at least 30 below (or better when I find it)

But last year it had new enough blades - I tend to use my own washer fluid assuming the dealerships put in cheap stuff.

I've had to keep an ice scraper with a brass blade in past trucks as the ice got so bad on their windshields. Pretty bad when an ordinary scraper doesn't help.

Interesting - have never thought about running heat by the washer system.

 

[jebiruph]

When the JL first came out and had this defroster problem, the JK guys pointed out that the JK was even worse and the JL system was an improvement. The best fix so far is the square plugs.

 

[Gatorized]

@ShadowsPapa

So... what's your feelings on heater washer fluid then?

I'm a fan of heated nozzles at the least and have even go so far as to modify washer tanks with a heater line going through it and once even ran the washer pump outlet through a copper section around a header tube.

Keeping the glass clean is a team effort and washer fluid plays a huge role in keeping the ice scum from accumulating in the first place.

I would think a header pipe would get too hot and might result in an air pocket in the line... but around a heater or radiator hose might be sufficient. Now- how do we get nozzles for the headlights so we can clear those iced up LEDs?

 

[WK2JT]

You know... as we bitch back and forth about does it/doesn’t it and whether Jeep should absolutely fix this, they will probably fix this in a TSB with little square plugs too. If it works and is the cheapest option, that’s what it will be. Food for though before we get uncivil... I mean after all, Thanksgiving is upon us, there is a pandemic, and the political system is in the A KISS solution is perfectly fine if it works and we can get back to enjoying our Jeep and spending way too much of our retirement funds on it.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

I would think a header pipe would get too hot and might result in an air pocket in the line... but around a heater or radiator hose might be sufficient. Now- how do we get nozzles for the headlights so we can clear those iced up LEDs?

Around, not on. We tried on and it gave some wicked hot fluid until it started burping steam. Last time I did it I used some aluminum foil around the copper to give a little air gap. A bubble in the line, a steam void, shouldn't make too much of a difference; once the pump starts pulling "ambient" fluid from the reservoir it'll clear the line right out.

The other way to do this is to build your own hydronic loop at the reservoir, "cold" fluid leaves the bottom, wraps the exhaust or other suitable hot spot and becomes "hot" which then self pumps back into the reservoir.

 

[MrZappo]

Around, not on. We tried on and it gave some wicked hot fluid until it started burping steam. Last time I did it I used some aluminum foil around the copper to give a little air gap. A bubble in the line, a steam void, shouldn't make too much of a difference; once the pump starts pulling "ambient" fluid from the reservoir it'll clear the line right out.

The other way to do this is to build your own hydronic loop at the reservoir, "cold" fluid leaves the bottom, wraps the exhaust or other suitable hot spot and becomes "hot" which then self pumps back into the reservoir.

There "USED TO BE" a legitimate MOPAR part number for a windshield washer fluid heater that was specifically for Jeeps ...

It was a metal device that was installed in line in the coolant line running to the heater core. It allowed the washer fluid to warm in a space around the coolant line.

It looked to be a nice well engineered solution whose only drawback was that you would need to wait for the engine wo warm up and the coolant to warm up before it became useful ...

No longer available per my searching. People who did have one said that it was very effective ... I wonder why they got rid of it ?

 

[AKDrifter]

Or I mean you could just buy one of the many cheap, and easy electric inline washer fluid heater kits and be done with it in 7 minutes. Electric is the way to go for heated washer fluid, it's ridiculously easy.

 

[Delhux]

As for the 5/8” end cap/plug workaround—what’s the deal if a cap falls or gets pushed through the defrost vent? Is there a simple way to get it out?

I think that concern is about the only thing holding me back from popping a few plugs in.

 

[MrZappo]

As for the 5/8” end cap/plug workaround—what’s the deal if a cap falls or gets pushed through the defrost vent? Is there a simple way to get it out?

I think that concern is about the only thing holding me back from popping a few plugs in.

EIther

1) Hold the truck upside down and shake

or

2) Put the windshield down and fish down the hole with a stick and some double sided tape ...

 

[Delhux]

EIther

1) Hold the truck upside down and shake

or

2) Put the windshield down and fish down the hole with a stick and some double sided tape ...

3) Drive to Australia

 

[Willys2Gladiator]

As for the 5/8” end cap/plug workaround—what’s the deal if a cap falls or gets pushed through the defrost vent? Is there a simple way to get it out?

I think that concern is about the only thing holding me back from popping a few plugs in.

I have seen them. They have a lip around the top making them too big to fall in.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Around, not on. We tried on and it gave some wicked hot fluid until it started burping steam. Last time I did it I used some aluminum foil around the copper to give a little air gap. A bubble in the line, a steam void, shouldn't make too much of a difference; once the pump starts pulling "ambient" fluid from the reservoir it'll clear the line right out.

The other way to do this is to build your own hydronic loop at the reservoir, "cold" fluid leaves the bottom, wraps the exhaust or other suitable hot spot and becomes "hot" which then self pumps back into the reservoir.

Oh, thermosiphon, like early cooling systems used with no water pump, or passive heat exchangers use for solar energy, etc. or - the supports of the Alaskan pipeline to keep the permafrost from heating.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I seem them. They have a lip around the top making them too big to fall in.

Right - they can't fall in.
I put a couple in simply because I thought it looked like a good idea and like almost everything else I've ever owned, a little help can't hurt.

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