58 Chevy Windshield Washer Reservoir Moddel I Might Have Had

[1958imp348]

Vehicle: I have a 58 Chevy Impala with a 348 V8 engine, CIPG Transmission, Rochester 4 Barrel Carburetor and Moraine Power Brakes. Many years ago the windshield washer reservoir (and lid) was misplaced. I do not remember the model. The jar was cylindrical and had a lid with pump fittings or connections. I do not remember how many. According to the "1958 Passenger Car Shop Manual", Page 14-8, the windshield wiper motors in six cylinder models were equipped with vacuum operated wiper motors while eight cylinder models were equipped with electrical operated wiper motors. The wiper switch is this case is two speed electrical with a button in the center to activate a washer. I am trying to determine the particular windshield washer reservoir that I might have had originally. I thought it might have been a Trico Windshield Washer unit.

Research: With the above notion in mind, Internet research led to a document entitled "Trico Windshield Washer and Maintenance & Service" at the URL www.wiperman.com/washservpage.html. At that site, there are discussions and diagrams of four types of windshield washers:

a. Standard Model, Figure 1
b. Instant Action Model, Figure 2
c. Mag-Nu-Matic Hydrostatic, Figure 3
d. Nu-Matic Hydrostatic, Figure 4

Each diagram shows a connection for a vacuum hose. I thought my unit might be the one of those. Under my hood, I do see:

1. The long sprayer hose that goes to the driver's side windshield nozzle and to the passenger's side windshield nozzle respectively with a Tee fitting in the middle which would connect to a water line that would go to a washer reservoir lid and jar.

2. Two small hoses that come from the back of windshield wiper control knob and through the firewall that would got to a washer reservoir lid. The windshield wiper knob has a button in the center which would activate the windshield washer reservoir.

I see no evidence of a vacuum hose source under my hood.

Questions: Does anyone know the 58 Chevy windshield washer reservoir model I might have had? Is there an inherent vacuum port for my type of vehicle which is going unnoticed by me as I look under the hood? For those of you with a similar vehicle, please look under your hood and reply. Thanks in advance.

 

[Fiftiesman]

Windshield Washer Res

I have a stock unit that came in one of the boxes when I purchased my 58. I have some drawings of how it's suppose to be hooked up (where all the hoses go). I don't have it hooked up yet but can provide whatever info about it I can.

Are you looking for info on where the vacum source comes from and where on the unit it gets hooked up too? If so, it's through a check valve that gets threaded into the back of the base of the carburator. The hose from the check valve gets hooked up to one of the ports on the wiper switch. The other port on the switch goes to the "control" port on the washer unit. Hope this is what you were looking for.

 

[rocketmac]

Do you need one as I think I have one if you need one. I'll take a pic tomorrow and post.

Vehicle: I have a 58 Chevy Impala with a 348 V8 engine, CIPG Transmission, Rochester 4 Barrel Carburetor and Moraine Power Brakes. Many years ago the windshield washer reservoir (and lid) was misplaced. I do not remember the model. The jar was cylindrical and had a lid with pump fittings or connections. I do not remember how many. According to the "1958 Passenger Car Shop Manual", Page 14-8, the windshield wiper motors in six cylinder models were equipped with vacuum operated wiper motors while eight cylinder models were equipped with electrical operated wiper motors. The wiper switch is this case is two speed electrical with a button in the center to activate a washer. I am trying to determine the particular windshield washer reservoir that I might have had originally. I thought it might have been a Trico Windshield Washer unit.

Research: With the above notion in mind, Internet research led to a document entitled "Trico Windshield Washer and Maintenance & Service" at the URL www.wiperman.com/washservpage.html. At that site, there are discussions and diagrams of four types of windshield washers:

a. Standard Model, Figure 1
b. Instant Action Model, Figure 2
c. Mag-Nu-Matic Hydrostatic, Figure 3
d. Nu-Matic Hydrostatic, Figure 4

Each diagram shows a connection for a vacuum hose. I thought my unit might be the one of those. Under my hood, I do see:

1. The long sprayer hose that goes to the driver's side windshield nozzle and to the passenger's side windshield nozzle respectively with a Tee fitting in the middle which would connect to a water line that would go to a washer reservoir lid and jar.

2. Two small hoses that come from the back of windshield wiper control knob and through the firewall that would got to a washer reservoir lid. The windshield wiper knob has a button in the center which would activate the windshield washer reservoir.

I see no evidence of a vacuum hose source under my hood.

Questions: Does anyone know the 58 Chevy windshield washer reservoir model I might have had? Is there an inherent vacuum port for my type of vehicle which is going unnoticed by me as I look under the hood? For those of you with a similar vehicle, please look under your hood and reply. Thanks in advance.

 

[rocketmac]

Here it is.... I think

Do you need one as I think I have one if you need one. I'll take a pic tomorrow and post.

 

[1958imp348]

To:Fiftiesman Does your stock unit have model number on it?


To Rocketman: I saw the pictures you presented. Your unit looks like the pictures I sas in a "56 57 58 Chevy Trico Windshield Washer 987808" Ebay listing.

Someone sent me Figure 1 entitled " Electric Push Button Windshield Washer Instructions, 987808" Page 202 from the Accessories Manual. I have since ordered the Accessories Manual which might arrive soon.

 

[1958imp348]

More Research: I bought the "1958 Passenger Car and Truck Accessories Installation Reference Manual" and reviewed Pages 202-204,"987808 Electric Push Button Windshield Washer Installation Instructions". I must remember that I have a 58 Chevy Impala Convertible with a 348 V8 engine, Cast Iron Power Glide (CIPG) Transmission, Rochester 4 Barrel Carburetor and Moraine Power Brakes, Two Speed Electrical Wipers. I saw no reference to the Power Glide. There was a reference to the Turboglide in Figure 8, page 203. Even though there was no references to a Powerglide, I looked at the drawings in those figures closely and noticed the following:

1. The jar bracket in Figure 1, View B, is installed with 4 screws where mine is installed with 3 screws: two at the top and one at the bottom center of the bracket.

2. Figure 6, page 203, refers to the V8 engine or W engine with power brakes. The power brake connector in that figure is not like my Moraine power brake connector at all. I have no "Y" connector coming off my power brake line connector with a tube for the jar and a tube with a rubber cap.

3. My Moraine Power Brake line does go to a connector in the carburetor called a "Check Valve, V8 and W". It has a tube with a rubber cap on it labeled a "Plug with V8 and W", according to R.P.O. 412, Sheet 5.00 in the "Assembly Manual 1958".

A reader might suggest why don't you: Remove the rubber cap; Connect a hose to it along with the other three hoses to a 987808 reservoir; and See what happens? My response is: I don't have a 987808 reservoir and my 348 engine is not running. Accoring to my memory, I don't believe my unit was ever connected there. As I continue to search the internet, I did see a picture of a 348 engine with an installed windshield reservoir at the URL http://www.hagerty.com/lifestyle/hobby_article.aspx?id=34714. However, I could not make out how the hoses were connected.

New Questions: I am still puzzled. Could there have been another publication on the installation of the electric windshield wipers and washer reservoir and connections for my vehicle, 58 Chevy 348 and Moraine Power Brakes. If so what might it be? What 58 Chevy windshield washer reservoir model might I have had at one time? Did it have one that did not need a vacuum line? Thanks in advance.

 

[Fiftiesman]

I've done some more research as well and found that what I put in my previous post to you was wrong. The vacum that comes from the base of the carburator check valve doesn't go to the wiper switch. If the check valve has two ports on it, one of the ports goes to the power brake unit and the other port is used for vacum wiper motors. If there is electric wiper motors installed with washer units then the capped off "Y" is used (which will have to be installed if it's not there) to provide a vacum supply to the washer jar "vacum" port. I agree with the person who suggested to remove the cap on the check valve set up you have and use that as the vacum supply to the jar. The "A" port on the wiper switch (the one in the center) is connected to the top front port on the washer jar. The "B" port on the wiper switch goes to the top rear port on top of the washer jar. One thing is for sure and that is the Windshield Washer Units do need vacume to operate for this year. Hope this helps.

I've looked on my unit and couldn't find a model number on it. But, it is exactly like the one in the pictures that rocketmac posted.

Mike

 

[oldskydog]

I'm on the road right now so I don't have access to all my manuals, but as I recall, there were at least 3 different washer systems with variations depending on which engine, fuel pump, etc. The 6 as you already noted used the vacuum wiper motor and also had vacuum boost from the combo fuel pump. The V8's had electric wipers and at least two different washer systems, one was foot operated and I don't think it requred vacuum. I have 2 of these NOS in the box at home, but don't have the numbers handy.
The early 3x2 cars also had a combo vacuum/fuel pump instead of the vacuum reservoir as the later versions and the power brake cars had.
If you have PB, then you should have the reservoir and the washer would T off the PB vacuum line, but I can't remember if it T-ed before or after the reservoir. Maybe the assembly manual shows it if the Accessories Installation Manual doesnt.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/1958chevyparts/58cmpc155.htm

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyowner/images/58om11.jpg

 

[Fiftiesman]

Thanks Cecil, That's one of the things I like about this site. There is always something new to learn about the cars and the systems they have (I didn't know the cars had the foot operated washer systems as well). The illustration in the assembly manual (RPO 412 sheet 4 for the 6 cyl) shows that one hose goes directly to the PB booster then splits off the booster to the vacum tank mounted on the inner fender well on the drivers side. There looks to be another port on the opposite side of the check valve that can be used to supply vacum to the vacum wiper motor. RPO 412 sheet 5 shows the setup for the V8's but doesn't give a good detail on where it gets Tee'd at. Before or after the PB but it does show another hose wrapping around the front of the carb from the check valve (possibly to the windshield washer unit?). The other sources of information you provided were helpful. Thanks again, this is going to help me get my setup properly connected.

Mike

 

[1958imp348]

To: Everyone

More and More Research. I am convinced now that my windshield washer unit was the Passenger 987808 model and that it never was connected to the vacuum source. I was looking at the "987828 Vacuum Power Brakes Installation Instructions" in the "1958 Passsenger Car and Truck Accessories Manual". I assume it referred to the Treadle-Vac Power Brake unit as opposed to the Moraine Power Brake Unit. Nevertheless, I saw an illustration for "Fittings W Engine and V8" in the top of Figure 4, Page 57. It showed a "Special Tee" which accepted the "Hose to Power Brake Cylinder" and a small tube which accepted the "Plug When Windshield Washer Is Not Used". Although my Tee is not exactly like that, my Tee did have the "Plug" on the small tube.

From 1958imp348

 

[3483x2]

Here's some GM instruction pics for 987808.
Based on your posted pics, it appears to be one.

 

[1958imp348]

OLDSKYDOG: I bought a pre-owned Windshield Washer Reservoir for my 1958 Impala 348 Convertible. The reservoir is like that in Figure 1, 987808 Electric Push button Windshield Washer Installation Instructions, on Page 202 of the 1958 Passenger Car and Truck Accessories Installation Reference Manual.

The jar is not completely cylindrical in shape. It is larger at the top with an outside diameter of about 4 5/8 inches. It is smaller at the bottom with an outside diameter of about 3 3/4 inches. My existing bracket is mounted with 3 screws on the inside of the driver's side front fender. It is not like that bracket in Figure 1, View B, which shows the mounting with 4 screws.

When I completely tighten the clamp on my bracket, I find that it would accommodate a jar with an outside diameter of about 4 3/4 inches at top and bottom. When I insert the jar in my bracket, the jar is about 2 1/4 inches above the clamping band with about 1/4 inch space around the outside of the jar. I suppose at one time I had a bigger jar.

Questions For OLDSKYDOG: This leads me to ask a question about your 2 original NOS units that you said that you had in boxes. Have you ever taken them out of the boxes? If so, are you in a position to measure the outside diameters of the jars like I did?. Also, do your units have brackets with them? If so are they mounted with 3 or 4 screws?

Question For Anyone Else: Finally, does anyone else on 348-409.com think there was a unit made that filled the diameter of my clamped bracket with no extra space that I described above?

Thanks in advance.

 

[oldskydog]

OLDSKYDOG: I bought a pre-owned Windshield Washer Reservoir for my 1958 Impala 348 Convertible. The reservoir is like that in Figure 1, 987808 Electric Push button Windshield Washer Installation Instructions, on Page 202 of the 1958 Passenger Car and Truck Accessories Installation Reference Manual.

The jar is not completely cylindrical in shape. It is larger at the top with an outside diameter of about 4 5/8 inches. It is smaller at the bottom with an outside diameter of about 3 3/4 inches. My existing bracket is mounted with 3 screws on the inside of the driver's side front fender. It is not like that bracket in Figure 1, View B, which shows the mounting with 4 screws.

When I completely tighten the clamp on my bracket, I find that it would accommodate a jar with an outside diameter of about 4 3/4 inches at top and bottom. When I insert the jar in my bracket, the jar is about 2 1/4 inches above the clamping band with about 1/4 inch space around the outside of the jar. I suppose at one time I had a bigger jar.

Questions For OLDSKYDOG: This leads me to ask a question about your 2 original NOS units that you said that you had in boxes. Have you ever taken them out of the boxes? If so, are you in a position to measure the outside diameters of the jars like I did?. Also, do your units have brackets with them? If so are they mounted with 3 or 4 screws?

Question For Anyone Else: Finally, does anyone else on 348-409.com think there was a unit made that filled the diameter of my clamped bracket with no extra space that I described above?

Thanks in advance.

Is the jar you bought glass or plastic?
I think you have the wrong jar. All the jars I've seen for 55-58 chev are glass and are cylindrical and not tapered. I believe the jars are interchageable, but the lid and pump vary by year and whether vacuum, electric, or foot operated.
The jars on bigger trucks may be different as well as jars for other GM vehicles, although they were supplied by Trico and have some common parts.
The two that I have have no chevy part numbers but are Trico accessory foot pump type to be used with vinyl reservoir bags, as was used on 56/57 Corvette and some A/C cars. In fact even FoMoCo used a similar bag. The kits I have have the foot pump, rubber tubing, bag bracket and wiper nozzles, but no bags.
I have another NOS glass jar in an unmarked box and it also is a Trico accessory add on for 55-57 Chevy and has a lid with a single nipple for vacuum and the bracket has 3 mounting holes vs 4. I'm pretty sure that if you get the proper glass jar, it will fit your bracket.


http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/1958chevyparts/images/58cmpc155.jpg

 

[1958imp348]

OLDSKYDOG: Thanks for the information. The reservoir jar that I have is a tapered or conical glass jar and not cylindrical. The bracket that I have is indeed for a cylindrical glass jar. I was glad to hear that someone else has actually seen a three screw mounted glass jar bracket as opposed to the four screw mounted glass jar bracket that is shown in the accessory manual mentioned in my previous post.

One day I might find a cylindrical glass jar (about 4 3/4 inches outside diameter) that would fit the opening in the bracket.

Thanks again.

 

[oldskydog]

OLDSKYDOG: Thanks for the information. The reservoir jar that I have is a tapered or conical glass jar and not cylindrical. The bracket that I have is indeed for a cylindrical glass jar. I was glad to hear that someone else has actually seen a three screw mounted glass jar bracket as opposed to the four screw mounted glass jar bracket that is shown in the accessory manual mentioned in my previous post.

One day I might find a cylindrical glass jar (about 4 3/4 inches outside diameter) that would fit the opening in the bracket.

Thanks again.

I have one, but I think it's 55-57. According to this guy, the 58 jar was shorter.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140440682896&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[1958imp348]

OLDSKYDOG: I looked at the Ebay Windshield Washer Item link that you mentioned. When I look at the picture of the Ebay jar, it looks to me like it is tapered also like the one I have.

 

[oldskydog]

OLDSKYDOG: I looked at the Ebay Windshield Washer Item link that you mentioned. When I look at the picture of the Ebay jar, it looks to me like it is tapered also like the one I have.

I think it just looks that way in the pic.

Here's one for a 56.
http://tucson.craigslist.org/pts/1892063086.html