Vacuum Wiper not Working

Canton_Model_A's

Canton_Model_A's

Senior Member
Guys/Gals:
I have my 1929 Tudor, and for the life of me I have not been able to get my Vacuum wiper to function. When it does, it is hit-or-miss. How difficult is it to repair, and better still replace. I don't have the tools to disassemble my existing wiper.

Thanks!

Dave
 
The first thing to try is to squirt some light penetrating oil around the motor where it will be sucked in with the air. Do this while operating the motor. I have used a vacuum pump instead of running the engine. Use a lot of the light oil. 3 in 1 oil is good too. Do not use WD 40 as it will evaporate and you will be back to square 1.

If that does not work after multiple tries you will have to take the motor apart or send it to someone who can repair it. There are special nuts that are oval shaped. I have used a pair of pliers on them but I have also made a special tool by flattening the end of a piece of brass tubing. You can buy gasket kits and some parts depending on the make. Use a search engine like Google to find the gaskets and parts. Normally the motors are just gunked up but it could be worn out.
 
The quick fixes were only temporary for me, so I finally sent the wiper motor off to Ficken Wiper Service in NY. Rob provides quick service and it now works perfectly.
 
Since my truck doesn’t see rain most of the time, I made a small stainless steel plug for the vacuum line and tucked it above the wiper so it can’t be seen. No vacuum leaks. Then I coated the windshield with Adam’s Graphene coating so if I would get caught in the rain I can see. This stuff sheds water way better than Rainx
 
When I got the Avatar, along with the car came a box of parts, apparently "left over" from the previous owner's "experiments" or non-successes. Among these was a vacuum wiper.
It didn't take much to rig up some copper tube and put the vac wiper in the hole which I later learned was for a "hand-wiper."

State Inspection and while the car "idled" the wiper worked fine. Sticker on the windshield and off I go.

First rainy day on goes the wiper - 1/2 wipe and then stop. Babying the car home in the rain I discovered that ANY acceleration opened air to the inlet manifold and seemingly "ruined" the vacuum - and stopped the wiper.

Dad: "I had a 46 Ford that was like that. I never fixed it and was glad to see it go when I bought my first new car in 1948."

I kind of assumed it was endemic to the breed. BUT - it may have had more to do with "wear" of the parts.

With no options for vac wiper rebuild, I gave up and bought an electric motor wiper from J.C. Whitney and used that one.

Now with the Avatar incrementally restored to "period" - I'm back to the hand wiper.

A rebuilder may be your best option - or perhaps like a 46 Ford its endemic? Push on the accelerator and the wiper stops?

Joe K
 
Has anybody here REALLY successfully repaired the clamshell paddle with the parts that come in the rebuild kit? I have tried to do so a couple of different times over the years, but putting the paddle together with the membrane used to seal it was always my Waterloo. Quite frankly, I have never read any success stories on Model A discussion forums concerning restoring this paddle to operational status. Maybe Mr. Ficken knows the secret, but I sure as heck don't!
Marshall
 
If you are looking for a professional to rebuild your wiper motor, call John Holland at 303-483-3896. John lives in Valley City, OH.

John has rebuilt 2 wiper motors for me at a reasonable cost and they both worked like new!!

John also rebuilds Model A shocks...
 
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