Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Great! Will do tomorrow. Thanks.

I oiled the wiper mechanism per instructions in service bulletin. They work much better.

However, I filled the washer jar with water to go ahead and begin using it, which I've never done before. The thing works, except water was pushed through the line adjacent to the vacuum line that goes into the manifold. So, I obviously flushed my manifold with a good dose of water. It will be fine.

I am thinking that there must be some blockage in the line that allows the water to escape to the windshield, so the pressure forced the water through the wrong line. But I don't know this to be the case. Has anyone had this problem before?

It sounds like your hoses are not connected as per the diagram. If they are, then the only way I can see any other connection between vacuum and water to manifold is if there is some kind of leak inside the water jar and water is able to get into the vacuum side of the power piston. The only normally vacuum hose that could possibly get water aside from that would be the one from valve to the co-ordinator cylinder on wiper motor and then ONLY if there was a blown diaphragm or hole in the co-ordinator valve, otherwise the vacuum and water are totally separate.

If there were a blockage, the water could not escape and the co-ordinator (assuming it is functional) would keep the wipers moving until the pressure finally bled off and the co-ordinator valve released vacuum to cylinder and allowed things to stop.

They are connected correctly, I think. I'll explain by reference to the disgram posted above.

Water is sucked or pumped from the jar to the balancing valve. The hose from the jar is connected to the proper nipple on the balancing valve.

Instead of going through the balancing valve and on up to the wiper mechanism, it goes down and exits the hose that goes to the maifold. That hose is marked on the diagram above. It does not exit the vacuum hose. It exits the hose to the manifold.

The wipes do work, so I know there must not be an obstruction in the hose that exits the balancing valve and goes to the wiper mechanism. But maybe there is obstruction after that - like where the water is supposed to exit the wipe blade and spray onto the windshield.

I don't know.....

If water is getting into the main vacuum line, I think I would check very carefully for cracks, missing seals or anything like that inside the jar around the pump part.

The pump consists of two chambers and essentially two pistons molded in one piece. The top vacuum half chamber is riveted to lid and small water part is held on by a spring wire clip with the piston operating in both. The vacuum enters the solenoid valve where it is blocked. When you push the button the valve opens and allows vacuum to the large top piston portion of the pump. That sucks the piston up and because the small end goes along for the ride, it sucks up water. There are seals on each piston but especially the one on the large which is supposed to prevent any mixing. When you release the knob, vacuum to the large piston stops and a large spring pushes it back down and also pushes the water to the co-ord valve. That causes a diaphragm in the valve to move, uncover a port and allows vacuum to cock the cylinder and start the wiper. When the water pressure bleeds off, diaphragm returns to normal, vacuum ceases to co-ord cylinder and a spring returns that piston slowly through an air bleed which keeps the wipers going for a few seconds after the water ends.

Thanks, HH. I can tell you know your stuff. I hope you can bear with me 'til this is figured out.

What I am thinking I see is this...

Looking at the diagram above, you will see two hoses that attach to the bottom of the balancing valve. One is labeled "vacuum," and the other ia labeled "manifold."

If I detach the one labeled "manifold" and push the water button at the dash, water is pumped from the jar and out of the hose labeled "manifold." There is none getting in the vacuum line.

Am I explaining properly?

There are supposed to be 2 vacuum sources to that balance valve. One from the manifold, and another from a fitting on passenger side of block just above the oil pan from the vacuum pump part of oil pump - (if you have a PI type modified oil pump, that source is no longer there and will hopefully be blocked off). The valve is supposed to balance or shut off whichever is the weaker source and connects the vacuum out the fat end to wiper and the narrow end to the solenoid valve on jar lid.

The water hose from pump (large fitting on co-ord valve) is supposed to go through the rubber grommet on the far L of dash where several individual wires also enter into passenger compartment. Once inside, it splits to nozzles. It sounds like that water hose is not going to the proper place. I think you are going to have to trace out each hose and verify that someone has not re-plumbed. If the water hose is connecting to balance valve spitting water, where is pump getting it's vacuum from? The vacuum and water hose are very close if not the same size and can be easily confused.

HH, believe it or not, you are educating me as to the way the windshield process works. This is good. I'm not totally there yet, but understanding more and more.

If you look at Pic3.jpg you posted above, you will see that it shows an outlet at the balancing valve that says "to water jar." Besides this single hose, the only other stuff at the jar is electrical.

Water is pulled from the jar, to the balancing valve, and instead of exiting the top of the balancing valve, it is exiting the bottom through the hose that goes to the manifold.

Aha! I see where we are talking past each other. The photo you posted is different than what I have. I do not have a co-valve on top of my jar. The hose goes right into the jar and is submersed. There is only 1 hose.

I have been referring to pic 3 you posted. That was the drawing diagram where it shows the balancing valve. That is totally different than the co-valve you show in your photo. Please refer to the drawing, pic3.jpg. This is Post #4 in this thread.

By the way, where did you get these diagrams? I have been through some of the SB's on this site, but I did not see anything like that. Some others seem to have referenced materials from SB's and such that seem not to be on here, either.