Prevent morning freeze on the windshield

Desertnate said:
They also tend to be the people who don't remove any snow from the roof or other panels and then drive down the road leaving a trail like Haley's Comet with all the snow and ice blowing off.
Click to expand...

Which is WAY more dangerous than an idling car. Lol

If only these "special" people could try a Sno Brum just once!
 
OP:
Maybe this’ll work at preventing that
morning freeze on the windshield in
your neck of the woods:

D95593A8-CB27-44D4-9A93-B7CB35FDC58A.jpeg



Bob
 
. The only way I believe is to park in the shade because the car with closed windows is always slightly warmer in the sun then when sun goes down it’s slightly warmer and then accepts condensation even below freezing it the difference in temperatures between the vehicle and the environment.
 
Desertnate said:
The idea of letting your car sit and idle has been shown to not be a great idea for a while now and over the last couple of years, there have been numerous articles from lots of sources. Regardless of the source, the major themes are the same in all of them

A few examples:Warming Up Car | Engine Damage Warming Up Car Before Driving

I might agree with not letting a vehicle sit ridiculously long when temps are fairly moderate, say 20-30F. But when temps plummet to zero and below, I myself believe that letting a vehicle sit and idle upon start up is surely not harmful, but actually beneficial. Especially when temps are wicked and dangerous cold, -10 and below.

Yes, a little bit extra fuel used, one could say adds up, but how much? Certainly not like one's doing it for weeks-months on end, unless you're living in International Falls, or such. I'd say the trade off is worth the expense.

That a lot less wear occurs to the engine and transmission that lubricating fluids are able to lubricate better before a load is placed on those components. Of course full synthetic lubes help in these instances of extreme weather conditions.

I've seen rubber hoses in -20F and below shatter like glass.

That's why one relatively inexpensive option could be a remote start. Many modern remote starts have quite a range today as well, up to and even exceeding a 1/4 mile in distance. The remote start combined with my Viper Alarm is said to have a range of up to 2200'.

The remote start can also serve a benefit in summer, in that by starting a vehicle with the AC set to cool, you're not stepping into an oven. Most remote starts will run the vehicle for about 12 minute's time, then automatically shut off, just in case you forget, or linger a bit too long.

Yes, I am aware about laws in many states outlawing this practice. To that, I blow one big raspberry. Pffffft.
Click to expand...
 
MarkD51 said:
Desertnate said:
The idea of letting your car sit and idle has been shown to not be a great idea for a while now and over the last couple of years, there have been numerous articles from lots of sources. Regardless of the source, the major themes are the same in all of them

A few examples:Warming Up Car | Engine Damage Warming Up Car Before Driving

I might agree with not letting a vehicle sit ridiculously long when temps are fairly moderate, say 20-30F. But when temps plummet to zero and below, I myself believe that letting a vehicle sit and idle upon start up is surely not harmful, but actually beneficial. Especially when temps are wicked and dangerous cold, -10 and below.

Yes, a little bit extra fuel used, one could say adds up, but how much? Certainly not like one's doing it for weeks-months on end, unless you're living in International Falls, or such. I'd say the trade off is worth the expense.

That a lot less wear occurs to the engine and transmission that lubricating fluids are able to lubricate better before a load is placed on those components. Of course full synthetic lubes help in these instances of extreme weather conditions.

I've seen rubber hoses in -20F and below shatter like glass.

That's why one relatively inexpensive option could be a remote start. Many modern remote starts have quite a range today as well, up to and even exceeding a 1/4 mile in distance. The remote start combined with my Viper Alarm is said to have a range of up to 2200'.

The remote start can also serve a benefit in summer, in that by starting a vehicle with the AC set to cool, you're not stepping into an oven. Most remote starts will run the vehicle for about 12 minute's time, then automatically shut off, just in case you forget, or linger a bit too long.

Yes, I am aware about laws in many states outlawing this practice. To that, I blow one big raspberry. Pffffft.
Click to expand...

I agree the oil needs time to warm up and circulate the engine and make its way up to top valve and cams if its variable timing. when oil is cold it is thick and harder to deliver to top of engine.
Click to expand...
 
[/QUOTE] Yes, I am aware about laws in many states outlawing this practice. To that, I blow one big raspberry. Pffffft.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, screw the "Idle Police". ;)
 
I’m calling BS on not at least letting your car warm up... and when I say that, I mean letting the RPMs drop to an idle.
I find when the car is sitting outside overnight, this can take several minutes.

So everyone have patience.
 
DetailKitty said:
I’m calling BS on not at least letting your car warm up... and when I say that, I mean letting the RPMs drop to an idle.
I find when the car is sitting outside overnight, this can take several minutes.

So everyone have patience.
Click to expand...

I agree, Monica.

And absolutely NO disrespect to Nate, but I completely disagree with the opinionated articles about cylinder wash/cold weather idling.

I've been a mechanic for over 30 years, and I can say those articles are filled with half-truths and spun facts to make a point.
 
SixZee said:
Now that the winter weather is upon many of us, I was wondering if anybody has a trick to prevent windshield from freezing in the mornings. Leaving the car idling to defrost is not an option. It takes a while for the car to warm up and start defrosting the windshield. Forester is particularly notorious for this and my wife's drive is a little over a mile. The car doesn't even reach to the operating temperature.

In the past, I used 50% rubbing alcohol (IPA) and it works wonderfully but I noticed that the paint on the top of the windshield has started bubbling. Not too sure if its because of the IPA. I have used Prestone deicer as well, that also works well but it gets expensive over the period of time. I have -30F windshield washer fluid but it doesn't cut it. So thought if there is anything that I can layer windshield with to prevent morning freeze yet not affect the visibility.

I have tried using windshield cover unsuccessfully.

Thanks for any ideas.
Click to expand...

If its solid scrap it. If its liquid wipe it up with a microfiber towel. Pretty much the only 2 things you can do. You could try mckees 37 anti frost but I don't think that is something that would work for condensation.
 
FUNX650 said:
•Mike Phillips has this saying, (I’m hoping my
below rendition, is a faithful report thereof):
”Find something you like, and use it often”.
-that, IMO, is apropos to this situation.


•Accordingly:
-(Although you say: ‘it gets expensive over
the period of time’)...I’d keep on using the
Prestone De-icer.

•After all:
-A lot of things (some not so pleasant)
can happen during that mile drive. And:
-Can a price be put on, the providing for:
the utmost Safety ‘n’ Well-being of ones Wife?



Bob
Click to expand...

I've taken some dangerous rides in my time. I'm talking about only being able to see through a 6" square until the defrosters kick in. I'm not proud.
 
Desertnate said:
The idea of letting your car sit and idle has been shown to not be a great idea for a while now and over the last couple of years, there have been numerous articles from lots of sources. Regardless of the source, the major themes are the same in all of them

A few examples:Warming Up Car | Engine Damage Warming Up Car Before Driving

Why You Shouldn't Idle Your Car in the Cold | Completely Firestone

I found pages of articles with only a simple Google search. There is also the issue of letting your car sit and idle in cold weather is actually illegal in 30 states. Idling Your Car in These States Is Illegal - Car Pre-Start Laws

I think if you let the engine run while you scrape off the ice and then drive off it is plenty of time to get fluids safely flowing through the car. Overall I think the "defrost" term is a little outdated. Heating the glass has just as much to do with keeping ice from forming on the glass while driving as it does to soften things up a bit so you can scrape them off in the morning.
Click to expand...

What about me? I sit in my car with the engine running for a 1/2 an hour everyday before going in to work. Is that illegal now? I'm a menace. I'm getting sick of all these stupid little rules everybody is supposed to follow. So much for a free country huh?
 
PaulMys said:
I agree, Monica.

And absolutely NO disrespect to Nate, but I completely disagree with the opinionated articles about cylinder wash/cold weather idling.

I've been a mechanic for over 30 years, and I can say those articles are filled with half-truths and spun facts to make a point.
Click to expand...
Very common these days where anyone can publish whatever bull crap they want to try to prove their opinions. If its on the internet it must be true right? Even the best and brightest among us who have access to cutting edge research find out they are wrong about things after a long enough time. Half the things we think we know now will be proven wrong in 20 years.

I've already lived long enough to see it. There are things about some of my hobbies that everyone "knew" 20 years ago that turned out to be totally wrong. It happens in science, medicine, and every other field there is.
 
I will agree and say that running a vehicle inside a garage for any long length of time is not wise.
I have seen my own cousin do this in a garage, where he's sitting for 10-12 minutes with his truck running. Yeah, the door is open, but the vehicle is backed in.

If he had half a brain, he's at least pull the truck fully out first, then sit if he wishes. I know the problem with that though is a lot of traffic in and out of that alley, it's like Grand Central Station at times.

Another thought this morning had come to mind though. Isn't there a company who makes a windshield cover that somehow magnetically applies to the front windshield, and will generally remain in place until you remove it?

I forget the company's name, maybe somebody else here can suggest who?
 
Id LOVE to see the wording on these 30 states that you cant leave a car idling. And if its so bad for the car why does EVERY manufacture have factory remote starts in their cars?????

Id like to think the law is against people leaving their car idle WITH THE KEYS IN IT. Could there possibly be ONE law that made sense? lol Probably not.
 
I didn't realize that there are so many comments on the thread. Thanks for all the constructive comments.

Few points I should have mentioned,
- I have not mastered the art of storing vehicles in the garage, yet. I am in the process of mastering it (aka, saving enough dough to buy a house north of NYC, wish me luck).
(BIL from TX laughs at our struggles with snow and ice and shows off his house. Very annoyed, I was quite blunt to tell him that a chicken coop in my neck of the woods costs as much as his whole house.)

- I get Reynaud's like symptoms pretty quickly in winter so ice scraping is not my forte. I will have to choose between numbing my fingers and toes and scraping the ice.

- I have tried idling and for 5-10 minutes does absolutely nothing in Jan/Feb. Other times, yes that's enough to clean the ice without much pain. So at the moment, wife just remote starts the car 10 minutes before stepping outside and so far so good. If anyone idles car more than that the neighbors first in line with the parking lot complain of 'smell'. So we are not allowed to idle for more than 5-10 minutes anytime. In fact, the apt lease agreement says not to idle the car at all as it bothers the neighbors.
@Swetm, Its a standard problem with Subarus. Compared to that my older Sentra warms up so fast. It takes forever to warm up Forester.

I am going to try options suggested in this thread and see what works better than/similar to Prestone De-icer and is cheaper to use. Thanks for all the suggestions.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top