1956 wiper motor

[FabCad]

I'm having trouble getting the wiper motor on my 56 Cad to operate properly. When I turn the control knob on, the wipers move outward. Then when I turn the control knob off, they move back. But they don't stay in motion. However, when I briefly disconnect the vacuum line to the wiper motor and then reconnect it, the wipers go back and forth and work just fine. Any reason for this?

Thanks

[Roger Zimmermann]

Does the wiper motor stay running once you reconnect the vacuum hose or does it stall after a while?

[FabCad]

Let me double check and get back....

[FabCad]

When I reconnect the vacuum hose, the wiper motor operates only for a few seconds and then stalls.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Then your wiper motor is leaking and should be repaired. There are companies in the US who do that.
With an external vacuum source, you could confirm my "diagnostic". If you have a more recent car with cruise control operated with vacuum, take your wiper motor out, connect it to the vacuum source and try to stop the movement. If the motor is good, you should not be able to stop it by hand.

[Jay Friedman]

In my opinion Ficken's Wiper Service, www.wiperman.com is the best wiper motor repair shop.  They did an outstanding job on my '49's.

[carguyblack]

Concur with Jay's opinion. They did my 56. My wipers will shove aside a dead cow!
Chuck

[FabCad]

Thanks Roger, Jay, and Chuck. I'll check out Flicken.