Greasy windows

[Guest TommyH]

I have to clean my windows almost daily. They get a greasy kind of residue on them, and it can be difficult to see through them if the sun is in the right spot.

Have you guys come across anything like this?

[89REATTAJIM]

If the greasy stuff is on the inside, I would guess that it comes from your vinyl/upholstery protectant. Maybe you are overdosing?

[Guest Mike_s]

Sounds like a leaky heater core to me. I don't know if a leaky AC evaporator would have a similar affect.

Jim brings up a good point , is the problem inside the car or outside?

[Richard S]

I have replaced heater cores on 3 different cars, none Reattas, and all were lengthy unpleasant tasks. If the anti-freeze turns out to be the origin of the film, I would recommend a radiator sealer additive before jumping into that job. My experience is that the vinyl in the interior will, after a few weeks, leave a film on the window that is tought to clean. I prefer dish detergent to windex. Anyone have a better idea?

[Guest Mike_s]

I've used 3m glass cleaner with resonable success, but I've heard that Sprayway is pretty good. Sprayway has 3 types of glass cleaners,the one I'm going to try is alcohol based and supposedly will not harm plastics and vinyl as much as ammonia cleaners like windex.

I think there's a link over on Ronnie's site for R&R of heater cores, It took me over 3hrs if I recall correctly. It can be done from under the dash on the passengers side.

[KDirk]

Here's my "secret" window cleaning method [told to me buy a guy who detailed a fleet of limo's]:

Powdered dish detergent (Cascade brand in particular) dissolved in warm water. Don't need too much soap, probably about 1 part soap to 5 or 6 parts water. Cover your dash pad with towels to catch any drips, and use a cloth or microfiber towel to apply the detergent solution to the window. Scrub well, and then use a squeegee to get heavy residue off. Use another clean microfiber towel to dry, and another to polish if needed.

I have used this technique on both my cars for the last 4+ years, and have to say it is almost magic how clean the windows look when done. With a good (not sandblasted) windshield, it's almost like the glass isn't there, especially when driving at night.

Incidentally, the limo guy also told me that the secret to a really good looking car was the glass. He said that he would sometimes do "quick" detailing of nothing but the windows, and the car would look like it just came out of the wash provided there were no bird droppings or other noticeable blemishes on the body. Kind of a "fake-out" method to make people think the car was cleaner than it really was.

KDirk

[Guest TommyH]

The film is on the inside, and it happens daily. I made a big mark, and a progressively smaller one inside of each for a few days. This car does have a very bad replacement headliner, it doesn't fit well, and it already falling down/liner detatchment. I will try those things tomarrow when I have some time.

I don't use the heater in the summer, the car is black with grey. Its hot enough even in the mornings. Could it really be a coolant leak? Is there any other way to check for that?

[Vincent Vega]

Coolant smells sweet. Parking in the sun is the worst thing for a car's interior. The film inside is from "outgassing" I remember reading about it on NPD's Click and Clack. It's from all the various materials inside your car. Your problem may be from the adhesive used for the headliner or the headliner itself.

[Guest Mike_s]

Thanks for the tip Kevin, I'll give it a try. Just to clarify though, is that Cascade you referr to for dish washing machines?

[Guest Mike_s]

I replaced my heater core for a problem similar to your's, the windsheild in particular was greasy and a pain to clean, more so than normal.

I don't recall any coolant control valve to the heater core so I think it's under pressure with hot antifreeze at almost all times, which means it can leak even when the "heater" is not being used.

To see if it is the heater core leaking you can bypass/disconnect it in the engine compartment by the removing heater core hoses at the engine block, then use another piece of hose to connect the ports on the engine block together. (One of heater hoses might work). Flush the antifreeze from the core with some water, clean the windows very well and see if the problem returns. If the problem does not go away and therefore not the heater core be sure to reconnect the core before freezing weather arrives so that the plain water in the core does not freeze and your heater/defroster works.

[KDirk]

Mike S-

Yes, Cascade for dish washers. Just the plain powder (not lemon) and not the tablet type. I use this in my dishwasher so I always have it around the house anyway. A box is only a few bucks, and will last forever if you are using it to do windows only.

Also, I agree this filming problem sounds like a bad heater core. My condolences, it is not the worst possible repair, but it is unpleasant due to the accessibility - or lack thereof. Synthetic material outgassing is a possibility, but if it gets that bad that quickly I would suspect the heater core.

KDirk

[Guest simplyconnected]

I'm with Mike and Kev. Antifreeze leaves a very nasty film that's very hard to remove. Sometimes the first pinhole will barely show a eerie mist, and it always gets worse.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike_s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">...it can leak even when the "heater" is not being used.

To see if it is the heater core leaking you can bypass/disconnect it in the engine compartment by the removing heater core hoses at the engine block, then use another piece of hose to connect the ports on the engine block together.</div></div> Yep! I'd do the same. He can keep running his car until the core gets fixed. Good suggestions, Mike.

[Guest TommyH]

Well........ I will have the autotech guys do that soon. Maybe I will just take out the headliner for a few days.

Does anybody have a convertable with a grey interior for sale?