The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk vacuum wipers

1958 chevy Apachie 3200 - 235 3 on the tree.

Vacuum wipers - When I got the truck in March of this year it didn't run. I put on a new fuel pump with the vacuum pump included.

Once the truck was running I heard a nasty vacuum leak under the dash & the wipers didn't work. I ended up pulling out all of the vacuum lines.

Now many months later - I'm trying to decide if I should replace the wiper motor, & I dont know what lines to hook back up.

Does anyone have a picture of or a diagram that explains the lines. I expected 2 - one from the manifold & one from the fuel pump - there seems to be like 5 or 6 places to plug in lines.

Any help?

I don't have a picture, but my vacuum line comes from the fuel pump to the carb and then a single rubber line from the manifold to the wiper motor.

Hmm - when I got my truck there were two vacuum lines going into the cab -

When you did the conversion did you change the vaccum tubing? Did you use the proper vaccum tubing? If you used something thin like windshield washer tubing it will collapse.

Unless you are trying to keep your truck all original, I would definitely make the change to electric wipers. Usually the vacuum wipers even at their best, are not the greatest.

The vacuum booster pump has one line to the intake manifold and the other to the wiper motor. Just make sure you put the lines on the right way or you will have no vacuum to the wiper motor. That works pretty good so you will not lose vacuum when the throttle is wide open. I have driven many miles with the booster setup and it works fine, no need to go to the expense of an electric wiper motor.

Chevman32 - can you give me a picture of your set up?

I didn't do a conversion - I just pulled out all the old rotten lines & now I don't know what to hook where.

Oh - the vacuum pump has 2 lines - 1 goes to a port on the block right next to the pump - not the manifold.

The second goes into the cab - I then have a third that goes from the manifold to the cab.

I have not purchased any lines yet - because I wasn't sure if I should replace or not.

I guess I can buy 10 ft of line & start trying things out.

My fear is that the vacuum wiper motor could be frozen after so long w/o being used. Is there a way to oil it?

Find where the air intake is and oil it there. Have fun getting to it. You might as well take it out and disassemble it. Do a search. There are several posts about it and differing opinions on what is the best lube.

My truck is set up exactly as Chevman32 described. I still do not fully understand what is happening inside the fuel pump. One line runs from the main intake manifold port down to the fuel pump and the second fuel pump port line follows along back past the carb and disappears in to the yet unexplored recesses of the cab.
Chuck

How about a picture?

Can someone take a picture of the lines going into & out of their wiper motor?

That is really what I need. I know I have 2 lines to hook up - but my motor has more than 2 ports. I assume I need to run jumpers from one to another or something -

The fuel pump vacuum portion provides added vacuum for the wipers. As a vacuum pump, it pulls air from the wiper motor amd releases it out the outlet side. That side is connected to the manifold vacuum. As lomg as the motor is running, you get a good vacuum at ther wipers regardless of the throttle position of the carburetor.

Midget Farmer-
I have pictures of hoses to the vacuum motor on my '58 but they are on my home computer. I'll send them to you via PM (assuming I can do that.) If not, we'll work out alternate plans. Either way, check later this evening. I'll see what I can do for you.

(Been there, done that.)

Bill

Midget Farmer, From your description it seems like someone has bypassed the double fuel pump. The line that goes to the block does nothing, the line from the intake manifold going into the cab is the bypass of the double pump. The routing of the lines is easy, disconnect them both from the pump, start the engine and put your finger on the openings. The one that sucks your finger in is the one to connect to the manifold, the other one goes to the wiper motor. I would guess the pump was bypassed because it isn't working, if so you will need to replace the diaphragm on the upper part of the pump to achieve the vacuum boost desired.

Check your email box. I sent a photo to you.

Bill

Boy Bill, if ya could find a way of posting that/those pictures I'm sure there are a few others that would like to see how ya got her plumbed in. I mean there are several illustrations out there for public access but pictures are always welcome.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I have to disagree with the routing described by chevman32. The port that sucks on the pump must go to the wiper, not the manifold. The other port expells air and that port is to be connected to the manifold.

Heck, Denny, I didn't think I had much to offer! I'll work on it. In the meantime, it is pretty simple.

Looking under the dash at the motor, I have three ports on the side and one that is approximately at the paddle swing axis of rotation. Starting at the most outboard port and working toward the paddle:

1 - Has a red cap on it, plugging it off right at the motor.
2 - Has a vacuum line connected, coming from under the carburetor as the vacuum supply side.
3 - Mine has a short stump of hose connected to it, with a plug in the end. I believe this ordinarily connects to a vacuum booster, which I do not have.
4 - The port by the paddle swing is connected to nothing. I thought this was the discharge side of the vacuum motor.

My vacuum wipers work just fine with this arrangement...to the extent that a 51+ year old vacuum wiper design and components work!

I hope this helps those in need.

Bill

I am adding a dual action fuel pump and need to figure out which lines go where. I currently have a single rubber line from manifold to wiper. I am thinking I need to bring a line from the bottom of the fuel pump to ??

Here are some excellent dual-action fuel-pump photos from Denny Graham.

Here is one of-many old threads discussing this plumblin.

Just finished searching for this information but I have a few questions

1 I assume that the line going from the manifold to the vacuum pump goes to the side that expels the air (opposite of the vacuum side that sucks in the air)
then a line goes from the vacuum side of the pump to the wiper motor

If that is the case there must be a check valve of some sort to prevent the vacuum pump from just being a vacuum leak for the engine since it would be pumping air into the vacuum port right?

2. My wipers barely work at idle. I have rebuilt the wiper motor and no improvement. They work when they want. Will the vacuum fuel pump help me or do I need a system that works better first.

The wipers work better when wetter...heavy rain not to bad, light rain or mist forget it they barely move and get stuck often. I put some rain x on the windshield which helps with visibility.

3. I get about 19 inches of vacuum from the engine manifold port is that enough?

Rich

I never run electric wipers if the truck has been switched to 12v neg ground which many have. Instead I get an electric vacuum pump from a Mercedes diesel for around ten bucks from a pick-a-part yard. The pump is small, only requires one hose, and can be mounted anywhere. Electric wipers have 1,2, or possibly 3 speeds but the vacuum pump can have 3 or 10 or 30 or any number you choose. I send the wiper motor to Ficken and along with the pump it will run any speed and not change at all whether going downhill with a tailwind or pulling a loaded trailer uphill. I even made a foot valve that gives me the "wiper delay" option.

Yes Rich that is enough vacuum 'if the system is tight'. A vacuum system must be absolutely tight with no leakage what so ever.
When you say you "rebuilt" your wiper motor do you mean that you cleaned it up and reassembled it? Because as far as I know there are no new parts for them and there hasn't been for a decade or more. Simply cleaning up the motor is no guarantee that it's going to work. The weak link in the motor is the paddle/piston or what ever you choose to call it. It must be "VACUUM TIGHT" for it to have the power that it needs to pull the wipers.
The only way I know to get a good rebuild on a vacuum motor is to send it off to The Wiperman who has a monopoly on new parts and can give it a real rebuild not just a cleaning.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny
When turn the wipers on I do hear a sucking sound. Sonic I have no experience with these have no idea if that is normal

I did just clean and re grease and reseal the case. It works great when tested out of the truck but can't move the blade unless the windshield has water running over it .... Is this normal?

Evan
The truck is still original 6v negative ground
If ever I convert ot12 i will look into one of those electric pumps ... I also have a hydrovac tha I never installed because my brakes are pretty good

Thanks guys
Rich

My truck still has the original vacuum wipers, untouched to my knowledge, and when I turn them on with dry windows, I get the squeak across the glass like you would in a modern car. Oh I still run 6V +ground.

You shouldn't hear a sucking sound. Your seal probably isn't tight.

Nice looking truck Rich, I'm real partial to the 3604's and I hope mine turns out as well as yours when I finally get to the body work.
At full vacuum the pump should be quite strong and you shouldn‘t have to wet down the window to get them going. I agree with Dave, you shouldn’t here a sucking sound when it's running. You may hear it when you turn it on or off though.
As I said earlier, just cleaning and greasing up the paddle does not mean that it will seal in the bore. In fact a lot of people make the mistake of washing the paddle with solvent which actually does more harm than just greasing it, because it washes away what ever the stuff is the treat it with. Unless you had new gaskets the old ones were probably quite dried out and even if you were very careful you may be getting a small leak at one of them.
I've tried for years with no success, to find out just what that paddle is made of. They were some sort of woven fabric that was impregnated with something that looks like a graphite but that's about all I know.
Even when they were new, the vacuum wipers were marginal at high throttle settings. That's exactly why GM offered the dual action fuel/vacuum pumps as an option. And again, Ficken Wiper Service, http://www.wiperman.com/ will properly rebuild your motor for about a hundred bucks with new parts. I’ve never heard any complaints from anyone that had theirs rebuilt by them. In fact the only reports that I have heard, is that they worked great after getting them back.

DG

Thanks for the advice as always and for the kind compliment

Need some help with the vacuum wipers on my 54 3100. The pins that hold the wipers move when the wipers are not in place, very little movement when attached. Looked under the dash and the vacuum line is attached but there is a second hose connection pointing down from the pump. When I cover the hole I feel vacuum and when I release the hole the pump will move but then stops until I cover and uncover the nipple hole. Is there supposed to be something attached to this hole?

Hey

I sent my trico wiper motor to the wiper man. It arrived via usps on Oct 19. I have not heard anything from the, despite a few emails to check the status.

I realize they ship back via ups but I have had several problems with UPS.

Anyone have any issue reaching these guys in the past. I would think it would be on its way back by now.

Rich

Have you tried calling them?

They say 1-2 week turn-around.
They are in NY, so UPS should not be too much of a delay.
They returned mine in about two weeks but that was a few years ago.

Got my wiper motor back. I called and talk to Bob and he was backed up. It took about 4+ weeks but was well worth it. The motor works like a charm now!

I also have a dual action fuel pump to install for those long hills in Maine. No excuse not to drive the truck in the rain now.

Thanks for the tips guys
Rich