Wiper Motor,

Hello HAMBERS!
The Wiper Motor is losing vacum on my 56 Cadillac. I keep getting suggestions to send it out and have it rebuilt. Has anyone rebuilt one? I was looking at the tutorial that there is online. I have parts cleaner that I could dunk it in and maybe I could fab up some new gaskets and such out of raw materials from NAPA. I was told that after 1949 there were no rebuild kits made for these wiper motors. They were made to be thrown away. Does anyone have any knowledge on this subject that can help me out. If not I have to send the motor to New York and wait three weeks to get rebuilt. I would rather do it myself.

 

Have you looked in Hemmings Motor News at suppliers/vendors for alternative parts or shops? Might be worthwhile to check there first. Also, since you ae apparently a 'hands on' guy, have you considered replacing the vac motor with an electric unti?

Ray

 

give it a shot of mystry oil in the vac hole and work it back and forth, that should loosen up the grease in it, might help

 

I have never had much luck rehabbing them. Go electric.

 

I replaced the vacuum wiper motor on my "57 Cad with an electric unit from Newport Engineering, about $200. It works great, doesn't have quite as many degrees of travel, doesn't make the blades try to go around the corner of the windshield. Bob

 

took a 55 T-bird motor apart, cleaned it up and put vasoline on the paddle and it worked great...couldn't stop the blades with your hands when running....same on 34 Ford pickup....worked OK but not real strong....Tried the same on my 52 Chev vac motor and it was usless....motor was too worn out I guess,replaced it with a Newport Eng. electric kit ...good luck

 

I've heard good things about cycling transmission fluid through them.

 

I've been told to use Mystery oil to get them to work. I'm going to dabble with it tonight and see what I come up with. Electric? hmmmm. That's an expensive alternative but I'll look into it. Thanks for the suggestions. I've been aimed toward electric at the same time because of reliabilty factors.

 

It may have the same bolt pattern and drive hookup as an electric motor from a '55-'57 Chevy. Check it out.

 

New Port makes the best if you go with electric. If you need to get by for a while try some trans fluid in the port....

 

Absolutely. Newport Engineering, Bob is the best and will do anything to help you.

 

Used to do the same thing with my '51 Ford and '60 T-Bird. It works for a while. I would swap in electric.

BTW, I always wondered why the Fords had electric wipers in the late '50s, but the T-Birds, the top of the line, still had vacuum wipers.

 

Company in Hemmings advertises. I used them and had great luck. Wish I could remember the name. They have all the Trico parts. They are in New York.

 

Yeah......worked great in my 56 Pontiac! They can be pricey but cheaper than Newport and probably will bolt right in!

 

have you tries napa they might be able to get you arebuilt unit tom

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I appreciate it.

 

Newport Engineering is good. I put one in my 51' Merc. Has a beefy motor and heavy bracketry. It bolts up exactly to the stock brackets. It also has nylon bushings to replace the rubber ones. Mine was easy to install. My dash was out though. My only complaint is the dash nob is cheap plastic. I modified my Merc. one to fit so it looks more stock. The kit also has a support bracket to keep the assembly from bouncing around. Mine did not fit/align at all. I called them up and emailed a pic of the bracket I had. They said it was the right one. I talked to a guy named Gavin on the phone. He was pretty decent and said he would make a new bracket and ship it out. I ended up just bending the one with the kit in 2 spots to make it work. Overall, I would recomend them. I got mine form Patricks for $200 shipped.

 

Don't waste your time with a vacuum wiper, you might as well hire a monkey to wipe the rain away. Go with electric, you will be much happier.

 

Best tip!! Normally its the paddle "gasket" who gets dried out or cracked. Its made of some skin,not rubber. Use vasoline or some skin oil (leather oil is great!) to get it back into normal. Oil just help a little.... and CRC or similar could ruin it! As long the housing arn´t too bad worn, this tip will give you many miles more of the vacum wiper!!

 

Just put a Newport into my bro's '54 Caddy...works wonderfully...EZ install but changing out the switch was a PITA...and it'll work at low engine speed in drizzle...
Best $200 ever spent...you won't regret going electric.

R-