Wiper motor return line question

[Greg C.]

My windshield wiper return line is in very poor condition, most likely original.

Three questions please:

1. What kind of hose do I need to replace it with?

2. When I pull it off, is oil going everywhere?

3. Will I have to somehow bleed the wiper motor once the line is replaced? If so, how do I do that?

Thank you.
--
Greg Crawford
Knoxville, TN

1977 Royale
403
Rear Bath
American Eagle Wheels
Alex Sirum Quad bags

 

[Matt Colie]

> My windshield wiper return line is in very poor condition, most likely original.
> Three questions please:
> 1. What kind of hose do I need to replace it with?
> 2. When I pull it off, is oil going everywhere?
> 3. Will I have to somehow bleed the wiper motor once the line is replaced? If so, how do I do that?
> Thank you.

Greg,

I replaced mine years ago with a small piece of the barricade fuel line that I bought a lot of when I was hammering the fuel system.

The only pressure that should be in that line will be the static head from the reservoir at the pump.

In a word - NO You will have to replace the lost fluid, but that should be it.
If you cut length of hose before you take things apart, the swap should be pretty clean.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[Greg C.]

Thank you for the quick reply. I will purchase some fuel line and get it changed. I'm guessing it's 3/8" ID line.
--
Greg Crawford
Knoxville, TN

1977 Royale
403
Rear Bath
American Eagle Wheels
Alex Sirum Quad bags

 

[Ken B]

It is really a lower pressure return line. Anything that will not disintegrate over time with oil / PS fluid running through it will work.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

 

[Ken H.]

Greg,

Are you referring to the line between the power steering box and the wiper
motor, or to the line from the motor to the reservoir?

The first of those is under up to 1500 psi of hydraulic pressure so must be
made up of similarly rated hose with swaged on fittings. The second, the
true "return hose" should not see a lot of pressure, so "Power Steering
Return Hose" (generally rated at 200 psi), available at most auto
parts houses, with spring or aviation clamps at each end, will suffice.

Yes, you're going to have a mess of power steering fluid, no matter where
you disconnect it. Especially when you disconnect from the reservoir --
its contents WILL pour out -- hopefully in your provided catch basin.

By the way, most, if not all (I really don't remember if it varies by
year), GMC's have TWO return hoses -- one from the motor to a vertical
metal tube beside the radiator and another from the bottom of that tube to
the reservoir. So you want need as much of that $2+ per ft. hose.

While you've got the mess anyway, go ahead and clean the wiper filter
screen with solvent (that's in the brass tube connecting the motor and the
return hose).

HTH,

Ken H.

On Wed, Oct 7, 2020 at 6:00 PM Greg Crawford via Gmclist <

> My windshield wiper return line is in very poor condition, most likely
> original.
>
> Three questions please:
>
> 1. What kind of hose do I need to replace it with?
>
> 2. When I pull it off, is oil going everywhere?
>
> 3. Will I have to somehow bleed the wiper motor once the line is replaced?
> If so, how do I do that?
>
>
> Thank you.
> --
> Greg Crawford
> Knoxville, TN
>
> 1977 Royale
> 403
> Rear Bath
> American Eagle Wheels
> Alex Sirum Quad bags
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[Greg C.]

Thank you!

> Greg,
>
> Are you referring to the line between the power steering box and the wiper
> motor, or to the line from the motor to the reservoir?
>
> The first of those is under up to 1500 psi of hydraulic pressure so must
> be made up of similarly rated hose with swaged on fittings. The second,
> the true "return hose" should not see a lot of pressure, so "Power Steering
> Return Hose" (generally rated at 200 psi), available at most auto
> parts houses, with spring or aviation clamps at each end, will suffice.
>
> Yes, you're going to have a mess of power steering fluid, no matter where
> you disconnect it. Especially when you disconnect from the reservoir --
> its contents WILL pour out -- hopefully in your provided catch basin.
>
> By the way, most, if not all (I really don't remember if it varies by
> year), GMC's have TWO return hoses -- one from the motor to a vertical
> metal tube beside the radiator and another from the bottom of that tube to
> the reservoir. So you want need as much of that $2+ per ft. hose.
>
> While you've got the mess anyway, go ahead and clean the wiper filter
> screen with solvent (that's in the brass tube connecting the motor and the
> return hose).
>
> HTH,
>
> Ken H.
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 7, 2020 at 6:00 PM Greg Crawford via Gmclist <

>
>> My windshield wiper return line is in very poor condition, most likely
>> original.
>>
>> Three questions please:
>>
>> 1. What kind of hose do I need to replace it with?
>>
>> 2. When I pull it off, is oil going everywhere?
>>
>> 3. Will I have to somehow bleed the wiper motor once the line is
>> replaced? If so, how do I do that?
>>
>>
>> Thank you.
>> --
>> Greg Crawford
>> Knoxville, TN
>>
>> 1977 Royale
>> 403
>> Rear Bath
>> American Eagle Wheels
>> Alex Sirum Quad bags
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>