Those junky Vacuum Wipers on my T Bird

[Old Redneck]

The first thing I will do is squirt some MMO in the wiper motor and use 5 pounds of air pressure then work the wipers by hand several times then hook back up the hose, start the engine and turn on the wipers to see if any improvement on the way they work. I also have a extra Vacuum canister that they use on big trucks makes wipers work on a hill going up. What do you fellows do for this problem?

[JimNNN]

Never been pleased with the wipers on my '54 in terms of function. Keeping the wiper blades new and/or conditioned is the only thing I can think of beyond what you've mentioned. Most of us with old cars don't drive them in the rain much, so sometimes blades can go for years without being replaced. Replace the lines, too, of course.


I lubed the mechanism when I was under my dash a lot last year, and I thought that would resolve at least some of my issue, and it may have, but there are still times at max vacuum when my wipers are sluggish. A new motor in order maybe? Anyone out there rebuild them?

[dmsfrr]

Soaking the inner seals with brake fluid or similar is the usual advice.
https://www.ctci.org/improving-winds...iper-function/

There are rebuilt wiper motors available and an electric motor conversion kit too. (example listings)
https://www.classictbird.com/Wipers-...s/products/98/

I live in the desert SW, it seldom rains here for long enough to worry about.
Took the seemingly dead wiper motor out of my '55 seven years ago to look at it, still in a box on the shelf.
.

[51504bat]

Newport Engineering but only for 12 volt. I installed one in my '54 Ranch Wagon that was converted to 12 volts. High quality product and relatively easy installation but I had the radio, speaker, and grill out. 2 speeds and works with the original knob.
https://newportwipers.com/

[paul2748]

I've used a similar procedure as the one above which has seemed to work if the wiper motor does not need repair


First, fill a small (preferably plastic) jar with Dot 3 or 4 brake fluid. In the engine compartment, find the hose that goes to the wiper motor. Insert the hose into the jar and manually work the wipers back and forth about ten times. This should pull the fluid into the wiper motor. Best to do this part with two people, one working each blade. Let sit overnight. Then try the wipers. If they work better but not the best, repeat. If it does not help the wipers at all, the motor may need repair. Put some towels on the floor underneath the wiper motor before doing this. Again, you may get some smoke out the exhaust for a short while after this procedure

[Daves55Sedan]

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Both my '55 Fords have the vacuum wiper motor; one in a 272 V8 and the other in a 223 I-6. Both fuel pumps are dual action with vacuum booster for wiper motor. The dual action fuel pump is a must for the vacuum wiper system if you have any hills to climb in your area. Also you don't have to worry about wipers stopping when you start out from a dead stop.
I haven't touched either of my vacuum motors in well over 20 years and they get a lot of use, both still working like new.
Few decades ago, I was brave enough to pull one apart to see why it was so sluggish, and noticed that the bronze bushing for the flapper shaft was bone dry. I greased the shaft real good and slid the bushing back in. Didn't need new gasket or anything. Its a good idea to inspect the layer of bearing grease down inside the vacuum chamber while you got the lid off. If there is a void in the grease, it is likely that some of the material on the flapper has come loose and dug that trail causing vacuum loss. Huge problem. If the flapper fuzzy material is salvageable, just make a little trowel out of cardboard (like from a cracker box) and use it to spread some new bearing grease inside that vacuum chamber. Work the excess grease out by working the flapper back and forth inside the chamber and scrape off the excess grease at the top. Now, put it all back together and she should be good as new.
If the flapper fuzzy material is compromised, there are places that do rebuild/exchange. Some of the repro parts suppliers offer that service as well, but they are just a middleman. You may be able to find the outfits that rebuild them on your internet web browser so you can deal with them directly.

[miker98038]

I live just outside Seattle. Hills and rain. I just bought the electric set up. I drove enough vacuum wipers in the old days to know they aren't for Seattle.

[paul2748]

Electric setup the best, I have these. Get a young guy to put them in if the dash is installed.

[Aarongriffey]

I have vacuum wipers on three cars.
The F1 has all original stuff, except the blades, according to the original owner.
They work great! I like the way I can run them real slow when it’s misting.

One night I took the family to a model T Club dinner in Sa Jose, about 30 miles each. Way.
We took the ‘29 Nash.
Just as we left home it started to rain. The single wiper refused to move. I had to run it by hand. It rained all the time, both ways. I sure got tired reaching up there turning the hand lever back and forth.
When we got home it was still raining so I left the car outside.
When I got up the next morning the car was fairly dry so I put it in the shed.
As soon as I started the motor that stupid wiper went back and forth so fast I thought it would surely throw the blade off.

[Aarongriffey]

The next time somebody complains about a car they once had and got rid of because it had those stupid vacuum wipers ask him if they ever thought of fixing them like they did when a tire blew or the fuel pump crappedout?
I like vacuum wipers, especially on a car with a low output generator. And driving in the rain at night.

[Daddio]

You could use RainX or similar product ... if it's still available. I believe it even made the blades slide easier. I used to use it, but now that I'm retired, I can choose clear days to drive.

[Old Redneck]

That a very pretty White T-Bird. On my 39 the wipers were so bad I tried squirting Marvel Mystery Oil in the Vacuum line then I use just 5 pounds of air pressure then work the wipers by hand to get the oil in the motor to Lub. it. Doing that the wipers work just like when they were new. I plan on doing that to the T-Bird. This is worth a trial. BUT NO MORE THEN 5 POUNDS OF AIR PRESSURE>

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

Soaking the inner seals with brake fluid or similar is the usual advice.

https://www.ctci.org/improving-winds...iper-function/

Recommended method-

The seal(s) are leather and shrink. The brake fluid will get them to swell.