Vacuum wipers won't go down

Automotive Stud

Automotive Stud

Well-known member
I got caught in a little shower today in my '47. The vacuum wipers have always worked fine. They were working good until all of the sudden they stopped all the way up. If I turned them off they would go down and park properly, when I turn them back on the same thing happened, they go up all the way no problem but they wouldn't change direction and go down on their own, only when I turned them off they still park. I assume this is a simple problem, what do I need to do to fix it?
 
The felt pad in the wiper motor has likely dried out and will not hold vacuum. Pull the vacuum supply line loose, squirt some oil in it, and work the wipers back and forth by hand a few times. This will suck the oil up into the wiper motor and lubricate the pad.
 
Reminds me of that commercial where the old boy drops his pill out the window and it falls into the open gas tank of the Fiat below......
 
If they stay up over 4hrs. You should call your Doctor. The oil trick should fix it as stated above.
 
No need to remove the motor from the car. Disconnect the vacuum line from the engine manifold and inject a small amount of auto trans fluid or WD40 or a very light oil into the tube. Ford used to suggest brake fluid (dot 3) but that can be hard on paint if you mess up a bit. Operate the motor crank by hand to draw the lube into the motor. There is a possibility that the reversing valve on the vacuum motor is gummed up or something broken inside it, in which case the motor would have to be removed and dismantled and be inspected. Repair kits were once available to rebuild these motors and can still be found. Otherwise clean the motor out with a solvent and relube the paddle and reversing valve parts and reassemble and test on the vacuum line on the car before refitting. Gumming up or the lube drying out is usually the main problem. Regards, Kevin.
 
Joe Immler said:
What is preventive maintenance for the motor? Should it be lubed annually etc?
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It's been nearly 13 years since mine was last oiled, and it's still going strong. [Now, of course, the next time I'm caught out in the rain the wipers won't work.]
 
4d It has been 16 years for mine. I always get caught in the rain at least once a year. So, they get operated annually.
 
I just used melamine sponges (aka, magic erasers) to remove the yellow crap that forms from sitting in this fine Los Angeles air, and they did a pretty good job.
 
GM taught me how to correct the wipers so they work proper as they should. Squirt MMO in the hose and use no more then 5 pounds of air to the hose then work the wipers back and forth several times. Then hook back up then start the engine and turn the wipers on . Work great for me. :p
 
Bob-93021 said:
Probably best to keep your piss yellow car in the garage when it rains - :p
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What is this "rain" you speak of? :D

Now how my reply meant for the whitewall cleaning discussion made it in here is something that I can only attribute to gremlins, and not me being a terrible multi-tasker.
 
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