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VACUUM WIPERS SUCK or don't suck very well

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by grazy, Jan 14, 2012.

  1. Walts50
    Joined: Oct 16, 2013
    Posts: 13

    Walts50
    Member
    from croton ny

    I just used the brake fluid trick on my 50 ford flathead and it worked great. The hose to the carb was in two peices with a connector. I just disconnected from the carb filled one 6"peice with brake fluid and taped it to the hood so it would drain into the wiper motor.work the wipers for a while by hand and viola. Sure easier than taking half the dash a part to get the wiper motor out.
     
  2. sdluck
    Joined: Sep 19, 2006
    Posts: 3,185

    sdluck
    Member

    Some where on the Hamb someone posted about some resistors,that are supposed to be in the lines,they may have been cork,but they fall apart and disappear .
     
  3. It is very ease to take the vacuum wiper apart and clean it,they are usually dried out and the paddle inside is generally stuck due to the grease that has gotten hard.

    Very little to go wrong,you need good vacuum,a good gasket and a thin coat of grease,,I use wheel bearing grease.

    Rain-X can be your friend also. HRP
     
  4. joel
    Joined: Oct 10, 2009
    Posts: 2,467

    joel
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  5. Olderchild
    Joined: Nov 21, 2012
    Posts: 476

    Olderchild
    Member
    from Ohio

    vacuum wipers can be exiting at times like when a semi truck passes you in a heavy rain you learn real fast to lift off the gas peddle to get them moving faster
     
  6. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    You just have to remember that little tricks like running some brake fluid into the body and even taking the motor apart and cleaning/relubing are TEMPORARY "fixes". Those things will rejuvenate the wiper motor for a while, anywhere from two weeks to two years, depending on how far gone/old it is. The only way to make them powerful and reliable again is to get a new or rebuilt motor and make sure you have a good vacuum supply (healthy motor) with either a booster pump on the fuel pump or some other auxiliary vacuum supply (1/2 gallon or larger storage container or some other vacuum pump -- electric or belt driven, such as from a small diesel car. I had an 84 Chevette diesel that had a vac pump on the back of the alternator for the power brakes and such. Most modern diesel cars and trucks (at least full size) use Hydroboost brakes but still have a small pump to power the enviromental controls.
     
  7. Roadagent2
    Joined: Apr 15, 2010
    Posts: 243

    Roadagent2
    Member

    I installed a vacuum gauge and it reads the correct value but the wipers work poorly, I think I will try oiling the gasket. Thanks everybody!
     
  8. woodiewagon46
    Joined: Mar 14, 2013
    Posts: 2,269

    woodiewagon46
    Member
    from New York

    Use a 12 volt vacuum pump used on cars with radical cams. Tie it into a catch can and only pipe it into the wiper circuit. Keep all the other vacuum lines intact, distributor advance, heater controls, etc. Rebuild your vacuum wiper motor and you should be good to go.
     
  9. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    If you get a new/rebuilt wiper motor they will work nearly as good as an electric wiper motor. They will slow a little when you accelerate or pull a big hill, but should never stop or slow to a dangerous speed (unless you're in a literal downpour!).

    Cars originally equipped with vac wipers have a vacuum booster pump built on top of the fuel pump. The engine isn't turning enough it idle and low speeds (say under 1500 rpm) for that pump to pull enough vacuum to work the wipers alone, but at those speeds there should be good engine vacuum. At higher speeds (over 1000 rpm) it should work the wipers by itself, though they will be a bit on the slow side. Test it by disconnecting and plugging the line from the manifold to the booster pump. Leave the manifold side open. Rev the engine up to 1000 rpm. With a gauge connected the pump alone should pull 14-19" of vacuum. If it doesn't you might try reving to 1500 rpm (I got specs from a Rambler factory manual, others may be calibrated for higher rpm). If you're not getting at least 14" of vacuum at this point the booster is bad and the wipers will probably stall (stop) when accelerating or pulling a big hill. That is dangerous in anything but a light drizzle, but I shouldn’t have to say that. A large vacuum reservoir will help for about 30 seconds, but that's all. That is usually adequate for a car that's not normally driven in all weather conditions. It will work fine for a light to medium rain when you get caught out going to/from a show. If the car is regularly driven in all kinds of weather do yourself a favor and replace the fuel/vac pump or get an electric vac pump, and replace the wiper motor. A new one will last another 40+ years! The 40-50 year old one you're trying to save has just done it's job already -- and then some! Or bite the bullet and get a new electric kit. Replacing the vac motor and fuel/booster pump (or a junkyard electric pump from a diesel car/truck) is about the same cost as an electric setup. It's usually a lot easier to replace the existing stuff rather than convert, but there are easy bolt-in kits for the popular cars like 55-57 Chevys. They aren't much more trouble than restoring the originals, and just costs a little more. For a real daily driver it's worth it though. Protect yourself and others sharing the road with you!!
     
  10. mammyjammer
    Joined: May 23, 2009
    Posts: 512

    mammyjammer
    Member
    from Area 51

    I discovered the vacum pump/ fuel pump is an expensive alternative to a regular fuel pump and I'm not sure you can even get one for SBF.
    Using a 454 to run your wipers is an intersting idea,but it would be hard to hide one under the dash.
    I'm going with an electric conversion. Good to hear all the comments about Newport.
     
  11. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    Fuel/booster pumps are still available for SBFs and SBCs. Your local parts store may not be able to get them, but antique parts dealers can. Then and Now (http://www.maritimedragracing.com/then_and_now_automotive.htm) can rebuild any, and have rebuild kits. Kits are $60-80, they will rebuild your core for $135 (includes kit and labor). Early Mustangs and all other Fords up to about 1965 used vacuum wipers standard. Any Ford speciality dealer should be able to get one. They are $150-200 new, much higher than the more common fuel pump ($35-40 for stock), but they bolt on and the original wipers work. You will spend about $400 on a new wiper motor and booster fuel pump -- about the same as a quality electric conversion kit. For a driver get the electric kit (espeically if a bolt-in kit is made for your car). Restorations or if you just want the old-school tech to work... well, you have to get the old-school parts. Vac wipers aren't intermittent, but you can very the speed of good working ones with the control knob.
     

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