Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Hey everyone,
I recently got my '51 back from my mechanic where I dropped off "Sleeping Beauty" for brake work. I've found that the 51's windshield wipers work at hi-way speed but just don't have the muscle at idle and around town. In the box of parts in the trunk I found what appears to be a vacuum canister. One of the guys in the shop took it off to re-mount the Marvel Mystery Oil system. Unfortunately, he couldn't remember how it was hooked up.
Could this be the cause of my lazy wipers? Does anyone know where this cannister was mounted and what the hose set-up was?
The fuel pump was rebuilt and the vacuum gauge reads between 17-18 inches of mercury when hooked up to the hose at the wiper motor when the engine is at idle.
With Portland's perpetual March weather this year, I really need the wipers.
Thanks in advance

The only vacuum canister on postwar was if the car had power brakes and that was mounted on L fender well inner wheel splasher. About 14-16" high and 4-5" diameter with a 3/8 hose connection on the top. Anything else would have been aftermarket. Wipers only had the one connection which went from wiper to fuel pump vacuum port, out pump and on to intake manifold or base of carb vacuum port. If there was a factory washer, I believe there was another hose connection at opposite end of motor (drivers side) to supply the bottle mechanism.

Would be interesting to know how much vacuum you have at wiper after disconnecting line from manifold to pump (plug manifold line if testing) and just using the vacuum pump section as a source. If that is very low or non existent, then a source of problem. Otherwise, could be the wiper motor itself needs lubing or rebuilding.

Agree with above. I've found it very helpful to treat the windshield with Rainex, makes it real "slick" and the wipers fly. Sometimes the sluggishness is due in whole or in part to blades that have gotten soft or gummy nad do not glide over the glass. Also help vision as the water beads and the wind pushes it off the screen

Thanks Howard for the prompt reply. I wonder what that thing was for? However, since it wasn't put on at the factory, I'll relegate to my "Well Known Parts for Little Known Purposes" cupboard.
You raise an interesting point about the Vacuum Pump only pressure test. I'll check that out this afternoon and let you know what I found. However, since I think I read in the FSM that the W/W Motor is supposed to work at 14 inches, I think a call to Fricken is in order.
Thanks again, Howard - you are always there with the benefit of your experience!

RainX is a good product. I also learned a trick about using a clay bar on the windshield (windscreen for those in Queensland). It cleans the windshield as effectively as it does the paint. I'd have never thunk it on my own.
Ficken also advises to input some vacuum oil into the wiper motor to lube the paddle.

Thanks, Fred,
I did try Rain-X which no doubt helped the wipers work when they did.
Good suggestion on the wiper blades. I didn't pay too much attention to them but thanks to you I definitely will check them out.

Quote:

Hi Randy,
What is the approximate viscosity of vacuum oil? I've got some sewing machine oil that is quite thin (and old) and some approx 20wt. machine oil. I saw in the Service Advisor about how to suck oil into the wiper motor.

Howard, the Vacuum part of the pump puts out an average of 10.5 inches. When combined with the intake manifold vacuum, the gauge reads a steady 18 inches at normal idle.

Once again I want to thank Howard, Fred and Randy for the great advice.

I'd recommend quite strongly to NOT use mineral or petroleum-based oil for the vacuum motor as it will degrade the leather paddle seal. Use vacuum oil (like Mobil Vacuum oil), Neatsfoot oil, or a similar material. Even a silicone oil would be a better choice than petroleum-based oils.

Your reading of 18 inches of vacuum at idle from the manifold is a reasonable reading, within the range one would expect for an engine in reasonably good condition (17 to 21 inches). The 10.5" from the vacuum pump along seems a bit lower than typically encountered but I wouldn't be overly concerned about it. You have more than sufficient vacuum for your wipers to perform quite satisfactorily, given a wiper motor in good condition.

Quote:

Hey Owen,
Can you or anyone tell me where I can get "Vacuum Oil"? I would like to get them going myself before I send it off to be rebuilt. I want to keep the vacuum wipers on the '51 - I'm leaning towards converting to electric (Newport) with the intermittent feature on the '55. Mainly because the vacuum pump is easy to get to on the '51 - definitely NOT the case with the '55.
Also thanks for your "reading" of my vacuum tests. It's about what I thought but I'm approaching the point where "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" - though I've got a little more to learn to get to that point. It's great to have a group like this to keep me from doing as much damage as I could.

Might try Napa or one of the other parts stores. If not local, any number of places online sell it. Different brands, sizes, and prices. A general purpose vacuum pump oil will suffice. This one just happened to be a convenient picture. No need for anything exotic.

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