Vacuum Reserve Tank

[johnsor]

Has anyone added a small vacuum reserve tank on their A for smoother and steady windshield wiper motion? Years ago I recall that I mounted about a one quart vacuum tank on a LaSalle and it really made the wipers work well. It could be mounted high on the inside firewall just above the steering columme.

[MrTube]

I have not but I have a lot of experience with them on cars from the 80s. They work great just make sure you install an inline check valve between the tank and the manifold. Any parts store will have the valve.

[johnsor]

Yea, now I remember a check valve is needed. Thanks

[Ned]

Modern cars used to have a vacuum tanks for the cruise control. GM ones were a sphere about 6' in diameter. You can probably find one at a junk yard. I don't know if they have a built in check valve or it that was inline.

[John S]

It seems like I remember Ford cars from the 70's and 80's having a vac tank made of metal and about the size of a large tomato can. I don't remember if the check valve was in the can or in the line. A metal tank like this would be easy to mount on the frame under the car and out of sight. I guess one could be made from a soup can or some such.

[JBR]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

My son works for NAPA. I discussed this with him awhile back. He said NAPA has vacuum tanks in different sizes and that they aren't very expensive. They would probably have a check valve too. I haven't followed up on it so I don't have part numbers. Might be worth checking out.
Jon

[Mike V. Florida]

Dennis L Oberer Put one in his A click on his name to contact him.

[Tom Wesenberg]

The large tin cans and round spheres of the 70's and 80's cars were reserve vaccum tanks to operate the vaccum servo motors for the heat, defrost, A/C systems in cars. They should help a little, but I can't imagine they will hold enough volumn to make more than a few swipes on a vaccum wiper for the Model A.

[LukeDahlinger]

Next time you're in a junkyard- look for a 70s or early 80s Mopar they have a bigger vacuum can.

I did this on a '54 Ford I had that was equipped with vacuum wipers and only a single action fuel pump. The canister worked very well! The wiper motors on those cars are twice the size of a Model A wiper so you should have no problem with it not working.

With all this said, a PROPERLY restored vacuum wiper should work easily and not need a vacuum canister. Even more so on a wet windshield when you need it most!