Here's a stoopid question for ya...

RobTwin · Post by **RobTwin** » Mon Aug 20, 07 9:13 am

... found a bottle of something in the shed that the snails have eaten the label off of, and I'm now not sure whether it's anti-freeze or windscreen cleaner

Now dont laugh, it's a blue Halfords bottle containing a bright green liquid, like anti-freeze colour but smells kind of soapy. I dont recall having sniffed anti-freeze before so cant remember if it's meant to smell soapy. But it's not as strong as the smell you sometimes get when giving the windscreen a good squirt. And I havent bought winscreen cleaner for a while so cant remember if that ever comes in radioactive green

I mixed a small bit with some water but it didnt bubble-up like I'd expect windscreen cleaner to.

I'm leaning towards anti-freeze but would like to be sure.

I'd rather not put soap in the radiator, and I'm not that keen on putting anti-freeze on the windscreen

any ideas/stoopid comments?

Oh, and before you ask, no it's not moonshine. Unfortunately

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Mon Aug 20, 07 9:23 am

sounds like halfords screen wash to me , there antifreeze was blue a few years back . might of changed it now though , but sounds like their screen wash , needs to be diluted . also antifreeze will taste sweet

, no matter what make

latil · Post by **latil** » Mon Aug 20, 07 9:30 am

My Halfords screen wash is luminous green,in a pale blue can.,should smell sort of sweet/alcoholic.

Trigger_Andy · Post by **Trigger_Andy** » Mon Aug 20, 07 1:01 pm

Dab a wee bit on the tip of your finger and shake off the exesss. It should taste sweet if its Anti-Freeze. If not then it may be screen wash.

Althouth to be honest for the sake of a quid I would not put it in either my screenwash bottle or radiator!

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 20, 07 1:11 pm

Ask the snails what was on the label

RobTwin · Post by **RobTwin** » Mon Aug 20, 07 1:20 pm

Thanks for the (predominantly) useful answers

Think you're right tho Trig, prob safest to ditch it. Tho I mite take a trip to Halfords and see what the new stuff looks/smells like.

Begs the question tho, how do you know what anti-freeze tastes like?

Trigger_Andy · Post by **Trigger_Andy** » Mon Aug 20, 07 1:26 pm

I served three years as an Apprentice Mechanic in a Nissan Garage. The sweeter the Anti-freeze was the stronger the consentration. It was used as a general rule of thumb if someone else was using the tester.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 20, 07 3:21 pm

My Halfords screen wash is pink.

Go for the pepsi challenge.

drink some. If your body temperature begins to become slightly cooler when you go for a jog, its anti freeze, if you start gyurgling and then blowing bubbles when you breathe out, its screen wash (doesnt ring true for West Ham supporters.

Seriously though, screen wash is a lot more watery than antifreeze, which flows like a very light oil.

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Mon Aug 20, 07 3:54 pm

Clivey wrote:My Halfords screen wash is pink.

Ditto. And it breeds, apparently. It must do, because having drained the system on Friday it still leaked about 300 gallons all over the workshop floor at regular intervals on Saturday and Sunday.

Actually, I don't think there's anything we didn't tip all over the floor this weekend.

I think the mop's quit. Something about over worked and underpaid...

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 20, 07 4:03 pm

[quote="Stu"][quote="Clivey"] about 300 gallons quote]

Are you Suuuuuure?

Oh, and 'Language Timotheeeeey'

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Mon Aug 20, 07 4:47 pm

Stu wrote:
Clivey wrote:it still leaked about 300 gallons all over the workshop floor ...
What's wrong with "leaked" ?

Sorry, but if you'd had the weekend of old car hell we've had you be "leaked" off enough to forget where you were for a minute!

There was definitely at least 300 gallons...... give or take a few....

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Mon Aug 20, 07 5:00 pm

That's sneaky Stu, I saw that mysteriously change..there's no escaping the all seeing eye!

Anyway, half way to work this morning the clutch went in the Sunbeam Rapier...right at the only busy cross roads I have to cross with five cars waiting behind me, brilliant. Anyway, it was novel having to drive the car back home with no clutch, haven't done that for a while...luckily I have a number of spare cars!

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Mon Aug 20, 07 7:15 pm

Rob, try it on a convenient pet. If it keels over and dies a horrible death, it's probably anti-freeze

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Aug 20, 07 7:49 pm

Oh Adam, you are a one

Will tipping a slug into the old fishtank prove conclusive

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Mon Aug 20, 07 9:02 pm

Stu wrote:
Clivey wrote:My Halfords screen wash is pink.
Ditto. And it breeds, apparently. It must do, because having drained the system on Friday it still leaked about 300 gallons all over the workshop floor at regular intervals on Saturday and Sunday.

Actually, I don't think there's anything we didn't tip all over the floor this weekend.

I think the mop's quit. Something about over worked and underpaid...

Since when did we start keeping our screen wash in the radiator Bro

Now for the last time, the blue liquid in the bottle on the inner wing is our screen wash, and the pink liquid that we poured all over the floor, our shoes and everything else in a hundred yard radius, is (or was

) our antifreeze, hokay