vacuum wiper help

raidmagic

Hey guys, 1949 Hudson. The wipers only go 1/2 way up the windshield. I thought it was a vacuum issue so I reran the line and it is the same. Two questions here,
1) Where are you pulling vacuum for the wipers, mine is coming off the top of the fuel pump, is this normal?
2) How can I test the motor to know it has full range of motion?

[Deleted User]

Pull your wiper arms off and operate wipers .Turn off and they should return to the rest position. Reinstall arms and see if it works right now.

RonS

Do like Roger says. If you have a dual diaphragm pump the wipers draw off the top of the fuel pump ( probably the rear nipple), which draws from the intake manifold fitting.

[Deleted User]

Put a vacuum gun right on the wiper motor where the vacuum line hooks up to see if it will hold vacuum. Should hold 15 inches for about 15 seconds, if not it needs to be rebuilt. Also hook a vacuum gauge to the line to the wiper motor and it should read 14 to 20 inches, if not, the fuel pump is no good. Walt.

PAULARGETYPE

I'VE FOUND THAT PUTTING A WD40 TYPE OIL IN THE INLIT THEN TURNING ON THE WIPERS WITH A HELPING HAND TO GET AND KEEP THEM WORKING GETTING THE JUICE IN THERE HELPS SOFFEN THE LEATHER IN SIDE THE WIPER MOTOR CAN GET IT WORKING ALOT BETTER THEY SEAM TO HAVE DRYED OUT OVER THE PAST 50 OR 60 YEARS A LITTLE BIT OF SPRAY GOES A LONG WAY I'VE DONE THIS ON FEW CARS AND IT HAS WORKED WELL FOR ME

Jon B

If you have the motor off the car, you can use a number of liquids to make the leather seal more supple (as Paul suggests). I've heard of brake fluid and neats foot oil (used to treat leather shoes) as appropriate liquids. You can fit a short hose to the inlet on the motor, then stick the other end into the container of liquid, then buy rotating the linkage arm back and forth on the motor, actually pull the liquid into the motor. After a few back-and-forths the liquid starts to come out the vent hole and you know it's full of liquid. Then let it set for a day or so. You might then move the arm again, pulling more liquid into the motor (and sending more used liquid out the vent). And moving the arm helps get the leather seal inside, fully coated with the liquid. After a couple days of doing this, the leather should be supple and you could try it on your car (don't bother to bolt it in, just run a hose to your connection on the fuel pump and hold the motor in your hand, to see if it goes like gangbusters again).

If this does not help, then you might want to send it out for rebuilding which may cost around $100 OR check with Ebay to see if perchance there is a NOS one for sale cheaper.

Be aware that, sometimes, these motors warp internally and can no long maintain a good seal, so no amount of rebuilding will help. At that point you will have to look for a NOS motor or a good rebuildable used motor.

Roger Harmon

I use a childs liquid medicine squirter and neats foot oil.

lostmind

As a side note , neats foot oil was base ingredient in Hudson clutch oil.