The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Windshield washer pump for 55.2?

What type of window washer pump was used on a Chevy 55.2 3100? What does the reservoir look like? I have seen bottles and plastic bags. And what does the switch to operate it look like?

I was looking at a universal washer pump from Classic Parts. Has anyone used a similar one?

original truck setup was a glass bottle with either button [vacuum] or foot [electric] activation [bottom of list here]

I've used units from older imports, many have a smallish plastic bottle with a built in electric pump that works well

Bill

Bill,

Does either of the truck pumps at that link (1957 truck) use electricity (my old eyes cannot read the fine print)?

The 1955.1 truck washer set-up would have been, foot-levered-action vacuum-"powered" (I think).

The mechanism might well have changed for 55.2 trucks.

Tim

yes, the foot operated is electric [used with the electric wiper motor], with the pump mounted on the firewall having a foot lever thru the dash mat

the button activated setup was used with the vacuum wipers, the button being added to the wiper control

both were controlled to activate the wipers at the same time as the washer spray

Bill

Do you know of a vender that makes reproductions of the foot operated electric one?

Incorrect Bill.
There is a non electric mechanical Bowden cable that connects the washer button to the electric wiper motor but, all it does is control the mechanical on/off switch.
The pump itself is vacuum operated... there is nothing "electric" on the stock GM windshield washers for the 55-59 trucks.

1960 was the first year that electric pumps were used by GM on the trucks.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1960...torsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Thanks, 3M. That is what I thought. Especially after looking at the MPB at the link above, and after looking at the 1958 Parts & Accessory Catalog.

the washer pump for the electric wipers is a foot operated pumping mechanism, NOT vacuum - see the hose connection list "step 5" ... the vacuum wiper version uses vacuum, see step 4 list .... sorry my response sounded that the pump was electric rather for the electric wipers

Bill

The electric wipers in 54/55 are foot operated AND the the pump was not electric.

All wipers in 1958 (vacuum & electric) used a vacuum tank as a vacuum reserve. What would that vacuum reserve be used for (with an electric wiper)?

Wrong again Bill.
http://members.cox.net/images4755/windshield%20washer%20vacuum.jpg

and that pump [bottle top] is from ???

funny that the "RPO987549 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS CO-ORDINATED FOOT PUMP WINDSHIELD WASHER (ELECTRIC)" shows no vacuum hookup or 'reserve tank' involved in the washer for the electric wipers I give, obviously mothertrucker is the eggspert here since he moved to California

Bill

Bill,

I might have misstated the use of vacuum with the earlier (54/55-1st truck) foot-lever operated windshield washers with electric wipers. There was no vacuum and no electric pump on the 54/55 Commercial vehicle (truck) washer unit.

My comments/questions are directed to the use of an electric pump in the 57 truck - it looks like your photo shows a non-electric foot pump (as used in 54/55).

You are correct that a vacuum hook-up is not apparent in most of the diagrams in the instructions you linked-to; however, electrical connections also do not seem to be apparent in those diagrams.

1954/55 truck (and car) cable-coordinated foot-pump operated windshield washer

Note the similarieties between the 1957 unit and the 1954/55 unit (at the link above)

The cable connection (the foot-pump co-ordinator) to the 1954/55 electric wiper motor is just like the set-up shown in the 1957 truck diagram.

All 1954 automobile washer units used vacuum to the water reservoir and sometimes to a vacuum cylinder as a co-ordinator (when equipped with a push-button control as apposed to a turn-knob control).

I agree Tim, the misunderstanding was linguistic ... the difference between operated and activated - and the fact that the foot operated pump for electric wipers, also activates the wipers when used .... I should have been more careful, knowing some here have a tendency to misinterpret my posts where possible

yes, the 57 setup appears to be the same as the earlier .... likely the reservoir was used with the vacuum wipers so both wipers and washer pump would have enough vacuum to function, don't see there'd be a need for it with electric wipers

Bill

The 57 kit looks for the most part like the 54 kit Tim posted instructions for. I had an NOS 57 kit and just sent the instructions to Tim if he wants to post them. The bottle holder is different than 54, The jar lid is the same as 54 with exception of the two connections pointing the same direction vs. opposite directions, and the foot pump has a rubber foot pedal pad that the 54 does not have. The cable that goes from foot pump to wiper motor also has a different end. Straight across vs. the angled up on the 54. The lid in the link shown looks very little like the lid in the 57 NOS kit that I had.

From Greg Hill:

1957 Chevrolet Truck Windshield Washer, for use with electric wiper