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Vacuum wipers - Is this the speed they should go at on a dry windshield?

Started by joeceretti, May 15, 2015, 09:57:39 AM

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joeceretti

Finally cleaned and rebuilt my vacuum motor. I think it works correctly... Is this the speed they should go at?

Youtube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS0eIxflxro

harry s

Joe, Looks like they are pretty healthy. I'm sure they will be faster and smoother on a wet windshield, especially if you are going downhill.     Harry
Harry Scott 4195
1941 6733
1948 6267X
2011 DTS Platinum

Jon S

Jon

1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT

joeceretti

I wasn't worried about scratching it. New soft blades and a fairly clean windshield. They go like gangbusters when I spray water on it. Every piece of glass has to be changed out anyway.

Quentin Hall

53 Eldo #319
53 Eldo #412.
53 Eldo #433
57 Biarritz
53 series 62 conv
39 Sixty Special Custom
57 Biarritz

Jay Friedman

The wipers on my '49 go a bit faster following a rebuild of the vacuum motor by Ficken, www.wiperman.com. 
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

wbdeford

Ditto what Quentin said....I drove my '58 in a total downpour in 2001 and didn't even need the teeny tiny wipers.
1958 Sedan de Ville

Past:
1956 Fleetwood 75 Sedan
1957 Fleetwood 60 Special
1958 Miller-Meteor Futura Landau Duplex
1960 Coupe de Ville
1966 De Ville Convertible
1970 De Ville Convertible
1971 Eldorado Convertible
1979 Sedan de Ville
1980 Seville

joeceretti

To get these working I did some chemical witchcraft, I will call it, to remove the bowing and worn spots in the original pot metal case. Then I made a new seal on the old paddle. It should last for decades as the chemicals I used are way more abrasion resistant than any pot metal could ever be. Thinking of offering it as a service to those with wiper motors that can't be fixed by a simple cleaning and seal replacement.

I like watching the tiny wipers going back and forth... it's somehow comical to me.

wbdeford

Joe Ceretti, Does the '38 also rely on a vacuum pump inside the oil pan?
1958 Sedan de Ville

Past:
1956 Fleetwood 75 Sedan
1957 Fleetwood 60 Special
1958 Miller-Meteor Futura Landau Duplex
1960 Coupe de Ville
1966 De Ville Convertible
1970 De Ville Convertible
1971 Eldorado Convertible
1979 Sedan de Ville
1980 Seville

Steve Passmore

Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

Jay Friedman

I don't know about a '38, but through the '40s and up to '53 or so, additional vacuum is supplied by a pump that is part of the fuel pump.  I think it is beginning in '54 that the vacuum pump is inside the oil pan. 
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

joeceretti

The 38 has a secondary diaphragm and vacuum bypass valve on the bottom of the fuel pump. If the engine vacuum drops below somewhere around 10 inches the valve on the pump kicks over and the mechanical pump kicks in. An in car vacuum gauge is a useful thing to have to get a clue when and if your fuel pump is having problems. My vacuum gauge never drops below 10 inches no matter the throttle position.

Roger Zimmermann

Quote from: Jay Friedman on May 15, 2015, 06:25:14 PM
I think it is beginning in '54 that the vacuum pump is inside the oil pan.
Jay, that's correct. The system was used from '54 to '58. After that the wiper were electric. Too late? Well...Lincoln still had vacuum wiper in the 60s!
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

Jay Friedman

Roger,

And Studebakers had electric wipers in the early '40s.  Too bad Cadillac stuck with vacuum so long.
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

wbdeford

Quote from: Steve Passmore on May 15, 2015, 05:54:29 PM
Do you mean the oil pump William?? They are all gear driven.

Steve, '58s have a separate vacuum pump that is driven by the oil pump, and sits right next to the oil pump intake inside the oil pan.  A pipe comes up through the block to provide a second vacuum source for the wipers for times when engine vacuum is low, so the wipers don't stop when you hit the accelerator.  In the attached pic, from below when I had my oil pan off, the vacuum pump is on the left and you can see the small pipe attached to it.  I was curious if '38s have the same or similar setup.  I see that has since been answered :)
1958 Sedan de Ville

Past:
1956 Fleetwood 75 Sedan
1957 Fleetwood 60 Special
1958 Miller-Meteor Futura Landau Duplex
1960 Coupe de Ville
1966 De Ville Convertible
1970 De Ville Convertible
1971 Eldorado Convertible
1979 Sedan de Ville
1980 Seville

wbdeford

Joe, my biggest problem with the '58 wipers isn't that they are vacuum, or even that the pump is located inside the oil pan (after all, the maintenance schedule had you remove the pan once per year anyway).  It's that their 26" (2x13") cover so little of the windshield.  I had a '74 1/2 MGB with three little 10" wipers. 30" of wipers for its teeny tiny windshield, vs. 26" for the large Cadillac windshield.  Fortunately, RainX works tremendously well, and the car hasn't been more than sprinkled on since 2001 anyway.

I popped in my Christine DVD to watch the wipers on a '58 Plymouth for a '58 to '58 comparison,  and they cover much more of the windshield.  Cadillac should have given its buyers a better view than a low end car like Plymouth.

This post may sound like I'm annoyed--really, I just find it an amusing bit of history.
1958 Sedan de Ville

Past:
1956 Fleetwood 75 Sedan
1957 Fleetwood 60 Special
1958 Miller-Meteor Futura Landau Duplex
1960 Coupe de Ville
1966 De Ville Convertible
1970 De Ville Convertible
1971 Eldorado Convertible
1979 Sedan de Ville
1980 Seville

Steve Passmore

That pump arrangement in the sump was certainly not the case in any flathead William.
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

jackworstell

When replacing the seal material on the paddles of the wiper motor.....what's a good material to use for this ?

Jack Worstell  #7558