I'm a clumsy oaf....

[Mikw]

Well, i managed to spill washer fluid in parts of the engine bay i can't get to.  I tried to mop it up with kitchen roll, but dropped the kitchen roll onto the floor of the engine bay.

Couldn't get my arm in to fish it out.

I got my much more practical father to have a look. He used a meter stick with a sellotape sticky pad on it to get it out.

Neither of us could reach to mop up the washer fluid though - there's no room in the engine bay to your arms in,.

[Bernard Foy]

4 minutes ago, Mikw said:

Well, i managed to spill washer fluid in parts of the engine bay i can't get to.  I tried to mop it up with kitchen roll, but dropped the kitchen roll onto the floor of the engine bay.

Couldn't get my arm in to fish it out.

I got my much more practical father to have a look. He used a meter stick with a sellotape sticky pad on it to get it out.

Neither of us could reach to mop up the washer fluid though - there's no room in the engine bay to your arms in,.

Shouldn’t do any harm Michael, don’t think that stuff is acidic. If it sets your mind at ease throw a jug of water in where it spilled and that will dilute it.

[MikeSh]

Just hose it out if you're worried.

If that causes a problem be thankful it was on the drive and not pounding along the motorway in pouring rain.

(I have been known to occasionally spray the engine bay while washing the car for this reason.}

[Hybrid21]

6 hours ago, Mikw said:

Well, i managed to spill washer fluid in parts of the engine bay i can't get to.  I tried to mop it up with kitchen roll, but dropped the kitchen roll onto the floor of the engine bay.

Couldn't get my arm in to fish it out.

I got my much more practical father to have a look. He used a meter stick with a sellotape sticky pad on it to get it out.

Neither of us could reach to mop up the washer fluid though - there's no room in the engine bay to your arms in,.

I think most of us have done something similar Michael, probably even your father 😃

Don't worry about it, the fluid will dry up with engine heat, etc and won't do any damage. 

Also the bonus is that you'll never do it again 👍 

Iain

 

[alan333]

This reminds me of changing spark plugs on a V6 Peugeot 505 Gti years ago.  They were awkward and I used a 6inch bar type spanner, which I dropped into the abyss of the engine.  I eventually fished it out using various methods, only to find that although similar, it wasn't my one - the last guy must have lost his one too.  I never did find mine, maybe the next guy would 🤷‍♂️
 

[TonyHSD]

59 minutes ago, alan333 said:

This reminds me of changing spark plugs on a V6 Peugeot 505 Gti years ago.  They were awkward and I used a 6inch bar type spanner, which I dropped into the abyss of the engine.  I eventually fished it out using various methods, only to find that although similar, it wasn't my one - the last guy must have lost his one too.  I never did find mine, maybe the next guy would 🤷‍♂️
 

Once on inspection of a used car prior to purchase I found a piston ring installation tool., 😂👌, the car was complete trash anyway. ⛔️🚗⚠️

[Hornet3D]

There are worse stories like me going off to find why my younger brother was taking so long to get the car out of the garage and hearing a load of swearing as I approached.  Full marks for him deciding to check the oil before starting the car but deduct a few marks for trying to top the oil up by pouting it down the dip stick tube.

 

 

[Guest]

Shouldn't cause any damage Michael. After all, it sprays out of the washer nozzles onto the paint and plastic trim anyway.

As already advised, chuck a jug of tapwater over the affected area(s). If concerned about water ingress, wrap any electrical connectors/alternator temporarily in clingfilm or similar.

The only fluid to be really concerned about is spilled brake fluid. It's excellent paint stripper!

[davidif]

If it it highly concentrated I might want to dilute it with a low pressure hose or a bucket of water.

 

[Madasafish]

I have two tools for such clumsiness:

a magnet on the end of an extending telescopic tube.

and a flexible pick up head with a flexible steel tube for grabbing items in tight spaces.

 

Used at least once a year.

You are not alone 🤑

[AlJ]

If you consider all the salt, oil, diesel, petrol and other gunk on the roads, ready to jump onto your car when it rains, a bit of screenwash isn't anything to worry about. It'll be fine. 
Might want to consider acquiring a small plastic funnel to prevent future spills, though. 

[Bernard Foy]

2 hours ago, mrpj1 said:

Shouldn't cause any damage Michael. After all, it sprays out of the washer nozzles onto the paint and plastic trim anyway.

As already advised, chuck a jug of tapwater over the affected area(s). If concerned about water ingress, wrap any electrical connectors/alternator temporarily in clingfilm or similar.

The only fluid to be really concerned about is spilled brake fluid. It's excellent paint stripper!

Yep brake fluid needs to be carefully handled, which is why I used to always tie a cloth around the brake fluid reservoir before I took off the cap, or bleeding the brakes. If contamination or a spill is suspected then the water hose must be liberally used.

[Roy124]

My first SAAB 99 had a huge waterbottle in the right wheel bay.  The headlights had large 2 inch spacer washers.  I dropped on by the bottle. 

I finally fished it and 4 others out.  I concluded that as it was being assembled the fitter had dropped three spacers before getting on installed. 

[Starensis]

At least your engine under tray will be clean! 😬

[Rhymes with Paris]

4 hours ago, Bernard Foy said:

Yep brake fluid needs to be carefully handled, which is why I used to always tie a cloth around the brake fluid reservoir before I took off the cap, or bleeding the brakes. If contamination or a spill is suspected then the water hose must be liberally used.

It sure does, when a absolute 🤬 reversed into the only new car I have ever owned,my next door neighbor had locked herself out of her house and saw who it was and reg number.

I knew who's car it was from the description and went round to ask about insurance etc.

The first words out of the 🤬mouth   were "it can't have been me, there was no damage to mine"and refused to give me insurance details.

Unbelievable I know, but such people unfortunately do exist.

What has all this got to do with the corrosive qualities of brake fluid ?

The white Renault that belonged to my lady neighbor 3 days later was covered in blistered paint closely followed by large rust patches all over the bodywork.

Brake fluid yes ,in those days hardly any home CCTV about, certainly not on terraced streets like that anyway.

So the 🤬 got away with it.

And two people were left with large bills to pay, I hope karma exists in this case.

[Big_D]

Reminds me of my Uncle. Years ago, he used to ride a Honda motorbike. He carried a water pistol in a shoulder holster, which was filled with brake fluid. He had been cut off one time too many by car drives and used to spray them with his water pistol.

 

Apparently the car owners used to laugh at him as he rode off with his water pistol, but I'm sure they weren't laughing later

[Bernard Foy]

1 hour ago, Big_D said:

Reminds me of my Uncle. Years ago, he used to ride a Honda motorbike. He carried a water pistol in a shoulder holster, which was filled with brake fluid. He had been cut off one time too many by car drives and used to spray them with his water pistol.

 

Apparently the car owners used to laugh at him as he rode off with his water pistol, but I'm sure they weren't laughing later

Wow Bob, that’s a bit drastic!!

[Big_D]

This was way back in the '70s .I'm sure it made him feel better though