Vacuum wiper ,fuel pump Questions

P

Patrick brophy

Senior Member
While doing the restoration on my 1957 Thunderbird I eliminated the vacuum wipers and went to the electric.

Now that I and getting ready for the final paint ,I am doing a few last minute tasks that I have been meaning to do but they have slipped thru the cracks.

I have two stainless tubes that were meant to go from the fuel pump to the wipers.
One is fitted into the brass block at the rear of the intake and goes across the top of the engine to the fuel pump. The second goes from the fuel pump up and across the top of the engine and ends at the rear of the intake. There is no fitting on that end as a hose is to be attached and go up under the dash for the wipers.

My questions is this. Since I am not using the vacuum line for the wipers, is there any need to even run the two lines. Can I just put two short pieces of hose on the two outlets on the fuel pump, and plug them?
Will doing so damage the fuel pump?
There is a plug in the brass block now where the one line is to go fuel pump.

Thanks ,Patrick
 
I converted to electric on my Skyliner too. At that time I was also putting on a new carb system, and wanted to start from new, so I changed my fuel pump just as a maintenance item. Both of my vacuum ports on the fuel pump are just open. If put rubber caps on them, eventually one will come shooting out tub and all. Just leave them open, and go one with life. It's been a couple of years, and my car runs just fine.

FYI; my electric wipers are the best insurance ever against getting caught in the rain. Funny how it always works out that way. LOL
 
What your have is duel action (fuel and vacuum) fuel pump. Look for the single action fuel pump, or just leave both ports open.
 
Finding a quality replacement fuel pump, whether mechanical or electric, could be a problem. I've read lots of complaints regarding Chinese-made fuel pumps. You might look for an American-made, single-action fuel pump that's a good candidate for rebuilding.

In addition to the wipers, the heater-control valve also works off vacuum. I replaced my vacuum wipers with Newport's electric kit and I have a manual heater-control valve that will be replacing the OEM vacuum unit.
 
If your car does have the vacuum controlled heater water valve, you need to run metal tubing directly from your intake manifold to the nylon "tee" under the dashboard feeding the water inlet valve. Yes, leave both fuel pump ports open.
BTW, you would get rid of that nylon "tee" and run a new longer rubber vacuum hose from the intake manifold metal tubing directly to the windshield washer pump.
If you have removed both the vacuum wiper motor and the vacuum operated windshiel washer and replaced those with electric, you don't need any vacuum under the dash at all. Then you would cap to intake manifold vacuum port.
 
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You can loop a hose from one port on the fuel pump to the other port. This will just keep all the crap that could be sucked into the pump out of it.
 
OK, great information.

I was concerned about damaging the fuel pump if I left the two ports open.

Since I went with the manual control heat valve I have no need to run any vacuum line up under the dash.

My car is not equipped for the windshield washer setup.

I do appreciate all of your input.

Patrick
 
It's a vacuum pump so in normal operation it wouldn't be moving air anyway. I'd cap the ports to keep debris out.
 
Probably the easiest thing to do that would protect the vacuum pump is to connect the two ports together with a hose.
 
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Not a dedicated restoration as the electric wiper motor is showing? If not, I would go with a quality single action pump. No need for a vacuum signal for the heater control is needed either?

What About Dual Stage Pumps?

Many cars used dual stage pumps to help operated vacuum-actuated windshield wipers. The chief disadvantage of vacuum wipers was, without the assistance of the pumps, that under engine loads the intake manifold's vacuum went to zero and the wipers stopped momentarily. This problem was "cured" with dual stage pumps.

The fuel section of a dual stage pump functions in the same way as ordinary fuel pumps. However, the rotation of the camshaft eccentric in the vacuum pump also operates the vacuum booster section by actuating the pump arm, which pushes a link and the bellows diaphragm assembly upward, expelling air in the upper chamber through its exhaust valve out into the intake manifold. On the return stroke of the pump arm, the diaphragm spring moves the bellows diaphragm down, producing a suction in the vacuum chamber.

This suction opens the intake valve of the vacuum section and draws air through the inlet pipe from the windshield wipers. When the wipers are not operating, the intake manifold suction (vacuum) holds the diaphragm up against the diaphragm spring pressure so that the diaphragm does not function with every stroke of the pump arm. When the vacuum is greater than the suction produced by the pump, the air flows from the windshield wiper through the inlet valve and vacuum chamber of the pump and out the exhaust valve outlet to the manifold, leaving the vacuum section inoperative.

With high suction in the intake manifold, the operation of the wiper will be the same as if the pump were not installed. When the suction is low, as when the engine is accelerated or operating at high speed, the suction of the pump is greater than that in the manifold and the vacuum section operates the wipers at a constant speed.
Click to expand...

SOURCE - https://secondchancegarage.com/public/535.cfm
 
Although my 55 Tbird has been in the family for 50 years, sometime during its life, someone removed all of the windshield washer components, except for the cowl nozzles. I intend to replace all of the missing components. However, windshield washers tend to make a mess, and there's always the possibility that the routing hoses to the nozzles could eventually leak. I saw several 55-57 Tbirds that were equipped with windshield washers at Extravaganza II, but the reservoirs were empty.

I would not have a daily driver that did not have a window washer, but it's highly doubtful that I will use it on my 55; a spray bottle, squeegy, and rags will do nicely.
 
I had a 1956 BelAir once that came from the factory very basic. 3-speed, no power brakes, no power steering, six cylinder, radio delete (which I had that block off plate in hand now $ LOL), no oil filter (option), and vac wipers with no washer canister or nozzles.

My 1957 Sklyiner has the bag, and nozzles, but it goes to a little handle under the dash, and my hand operates the pump. It is much like the pedal washer system in a first generation Mustang.
 
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When I got my 56 Bird, I was pretty much in the same position but did have some of the other parts. I fixed it all up so everything worked but then emptied the bag as I felt the same way as you. I put some rags in the bag to "fluff" it out a little so it looked like the bag held something.



55blacktie said:
Although my 55 Tbird has been in the family for 50 years, sometime during its life, someone removed all of the windshield washer components, except for the cowl nozzles. I intend to replace all of the missing components. However, windshield washers tend to make a mess, and there's always the possibility that the routing hoses to the nozzles could eventually leak. I saw several 55-57 Tbirds that were equipped with windshield washers at Extravaganza II, but the reservoirs were empty.

I would not have a daily driver that did not have a window washer, but it's highly doubtful that I will use it on my 55; a spray bottle, squeegy, and rags will do nicely.
Click to expand...
 
elmo771 said:
Does anyone have a drawing how the vacuum lines are routed on a 56 Customline
Click to expand...

The 55 and 56 used the same system. See if you can see the below ILL and if not post back and I will try something else -
 

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Thanks But I was wondering how the lines went from the fuel pump to the wipers. I have the fuel pump with the two tubes on top the vacuum line I have now runs right from the manifold to the wiper motor.
 
elmo771 said:
Thanks But I was wondering how the lines went from the fuel pump to the wipers. I have the fuel pump with the two tubes on top the vacuum line I have now runs right from the manifold to the wiper motor.
Click to expand...
This photo might help??? I've got more vacuum line routing photos but they're from a '55 Bird with '57 engine parts and may / may not be similar enough to your '56 Customline.
 

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