Vacuum line to washer fluid reservoir?

[blemke]

To start, wow.. what a great site.. Found it a while back when I was looking up some information on my older 91 Grand Prix SE. Due to horrible up keep (before I got it) and some major problems I gave up on it, but was lucky enough to find a 1997 Grand Prix GTP via private sale with a little over 60,000 miles on it in great shape and was treated very well (soon to be treated better though )

 

Anyway, not much of a automotive person and having a odd problem. Started with what I thought might be a leak in the washer fluid reservoir. Couldnt track it down, no cracks and no leaks in hoses. Asked a great friend (much more automotive knowledged) to take a look at it since I only got it a few weeks ago.

 

Strange thing is, pump pushes fluid when reservoir is refilled to max and stops when it reaches emptyer state (about 50% full). While trying to track it down we both noticed the vacuum line going to the resorvoir and were curious what it was for. Anyway, filled resorvoir and started car and watched vacuum actually pull some washer fluid in :shock: . My friend has never seen the vacuum line going to a reservoir in other Grand Prix's.

 

A family member has a 1997 Grand Prix GT and I dont remember seeing this in her vehicle but will check tommorow if I can see her vehicle in the day.

 

Does anyone know what this vacuum line is for? And possibly why I am seeing tis strange problem?

[GutlessSupreme]

Sounds like some idiot hooked up a vacuum line to the fluid nozzle hose port on the fluid pump :?

[sl3196]

Wonder if someone had alcohol injection hooked up??????????????? :shock:

[Jcrow]

We did that on a friends 4cyl mustang that we turbo'ed. It stopped the knock. Very unrefiend but it worked

[digitaloutsider]

It is NOT a vacuum line. Every '97 I've seen has this same overflow tube. I'm not sure why it's there. It doesn't really do much of anything.

[blemke]

Overfill line? I assume it shouldnt be running to the vacuum by the intake then.. Idiots that had the thing before me or something.

 

 

For now we just disconnected it from the reservoir and put a stoper in the hose. Going to stop by my sister today who also has a 1997 GP GT (not GTP though) and quick take a look under the hood.

[digitaloutsider]

No, it shouldn't.

 

[blemke]

Yup.. thats it in the picture.. Not present on the GT but there on my GTP. Checkeed my sisters GT out this morning.

 

For some reason there is a line going from it to the vacuum on the far side of the super charger. I take it this is not supposed to be there? Or is it that it should be there, but not sucking up my washer fluid?

 

 

There are three vacuum lines coming off by the intake/supercharger. I have not followed the other 2, but are there supposed to be 3 like in my car or only the 2 if it has not been modified or altered?

[5speedz34]

That's stock, my friend's 97 has that on it.

 

 

It does nothing I know of never worried about it either.

 

I bet it's a pump problem or a sensor level problem.

 

FWIW: The '97's are wierder than all the other years.

[blemke]

Yeah.. I see there are alot of differences in it compared to the 98-2003's... Everything works fine with the hose (vauum hose) disconnected from reservoir and corked/stopped. With it on, we have literaly watched it suck up some of the washer fluid and then after it gets about 1/2 empty the pump will not be able to pump until I take the vauum line off.

 

Oh yeah: Havent said this yet.. Thanks for all the input/help from all of you.

[blemke]

@5speedz34

 

 

Hey, could you do me a favor (if you or him can check) and follow that line from your friends reservoir back to its next connection and see if it goes to the vauum by the intake?

[5speedz34]

Sure, I wish I would've read this today then I would've known.

 

I looked at the line though, citing your post and I think it is a vacuum line.

[gp90se]

Sounds like some idiot hooked up a vacuum line to the fluid nozzle hose port on the fluid pump :?

 

Look at your vacuum/washer fluid lines........

[digitaloutsider]

It's some sort of overflow tube. Don't ask me why it's there, but all it is (from the factory) is a 6 or so inch hose that sits along the hood tray on the side of the engine bay.

[5speedz34]

It's some sort of overflow tube. Don't ask me why it's there, but all it is (from the factory) is a 6 or so inch hose that sits along the hood tray on the side of the engine bay.

See that's what I would've figured too.

[blemke]

Hmm.. so shouldnt be attached to vacuum on the intake then.. Picked up service manual for 88-99 Grand Prix's today and will see if there is any further mention of it in there.. As mentioned earlier.. For now I have disconnected it from the reservoir and corked/stopped it.. I could see it being a overflow.. But why the vacuum line. It is either supposed to just be open to drain out under the car or it is supposed to be attached.. Either way, I hae a problem since when it is attached ti is sucking up almost a half of the reservoir when I fill it and then I cant get fluid out the pump (I think because of the vacuum).. Or, the extra vacuum line is supposed to be hooked up to something else... Wonder what that is "something else" is in this case? :shock:

 

BTW

Sister's GT has some issue with fuel pumps dieing very quickly.. We were going to test her 3rd (most likely failed) pump today and noticed there is no bypass/test wire for it in her car. Then checked mine for where it should be.. Not there either.. Anyone know if the 97's are supposed to be this different from the other years?

[5speedz34]

I would recommend going to ClubGP.com. They know the Second Gen's like the back of their hands.

[digitaloutsider]

Hmm.. so shouldnt be attached to vacuum on the intake then.. Picked up service manual for 88-99 Grand Prix's today and will see if there is any further mention of it in there.. As mentioned earlier.. For now I have disconnected it from the reservoir and corked/stopped it.. I could see it being a overflow.. But why the vacuum line. It is either supposed to just be open to drain out under the car or it is supposed to be attached.. Either way, I hae a problem since when it is attached ti is sucking up almost a half of the reservoir when I fill it and then I cant get fluid out the pump (I think because of the vacuum).. Or, the extra vacuum line is supposed to be hooked up to something else... Wonder what that is "something else" is in this case? :shock:

 

BTW

Sister's GT has some issue with fuel pumps dieing very quickly.. We were going to test her 3rd (most likely failed) pump today and noticed there is no bypass/test wire for it in her car. Then checked mine for where it should be.. Not there either.. Anyone know if the 97's are supposed to be this different from the other years?

 

It's just an overflow. Every '97 GTP I've ever seen has it. ClubGP.. [shudders]. Anyway, are you replacing the fuel pump with actual GM AC Delco units or the cheapass things from AutoZone?

[blemke]

I could see it beeing a over flow line.. Just worried if it is supposed to go to the vacuum line, then why is it pulling so much fluid in.. Or, if it is not supposed to go to the vacuum line, what is that vacuum line supposed to be attached to instead?

 

 

Also, sister has been having work doen at a local service garage with good history.. Another family member suggested the servce man may have missed the cause of the early death like a bad pressure releif or something. Anyway, not sure if the prior ones were AC Delco GM pumps but I know the one on order now is as I asked my sister to ask.

 

She has had 3 put in, all 3 died very quickly.. Good thing, service garage/center has only charged her for parts and labor on the first time... Nothing after that.

[mfewtrail]

That line should not be hooked to a vacuum source, especially if the line gets submerged in water. If it enters the bottle enough to take on water and is hooked to a vacuum line, your engine will be ingesting washer fluid/water through the vacuum line which isn't supposed to happen. I have a 2001 GTP w/ a different style washer fluid reservoir and it does not have the line like that, only one leading from the solenoid to the washer nozzles. Can you get a picture of where the line leads to? Also, have you confirmed that it leads to a vacuum source by pulling the end of the line while the engine is idling and seeing if it's pulling a vacuum?

[blemke]

Yeah.. it is pulling alright.. Definately a vacuum.. It is not sumerged but so much vacuum is present it pulls the liquid up anyway. I will see if I can find my seldom used diital camera and take a picture or two today.

[blemke]

Will host this on my own site when I get the time.. For now, free site, but cant hotlink so I will just make urls to images for now.

 

Over flow line that vacuum was hooked up to

 

Intake area

 

Noticed under the hood a simple diagram of two vacuum lines today, but not showing this third one or where it is supposed to go.

 

Close look at mysterious 3rd vacuum line.

 

Followed the line from both ends to be sure back to one another. For now, as I stated earlier, it is stopped and my washer fluid pump works fine all the way till empty if I use it that much.

 

Overall shot from reservoir to vacuum line area on intake.

 

All images are 1024x768 and at largest 142k.

 

And, some freebee space.. It needs to be given a good wash and it was a little cloudy outside but here is my new babie.

 

My Car

[5speedz34]

How big is the line that runs off the washer fluid bottle, on my friends it is a rather thick line, not small and skinny like the one you showed.

 

Well, tommorow we are doing his brakes so I will see.

[blemke]

No very large at all.. That is what I noticed in the pics of others 97 GTP's..

 

Easy way to solve this (or part of the myster).. If you can.. check how many vacuum lines come of the intake area on top.. Looks like there should only be 2 where there are 3 on mine...

[GutlessSupreme]

I'm not sure why people are even discussing this. There's no way in hell a line from the washer fluid bottle should be hooked to any part of the engine.

 

That said, I don't know why there's a port on the top of the bottle.. but we all know GM..

 

Where's the pump? I would ASSUME that that line would come out the bottom (not the top) and then go to the sprayer nozzles... but.. humm.