1957 wiper motor conversion to electric

[fordrodsteven]

Another option available is to install a small aftermarket vacuum pump in the wiper circuit and it will assist the wipers helping to avoid the wipers stopping when you step on the gas pedal.

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[Philt]

Has anyone ever replaced their vacuum wiper motor for one of the electric upgrades? I cannot imagine how you can get to it w/o removing the dash, something I swore I would never do.

Thoughts?

Thanks

Don't know about the 57 but my mechanic, today, swapped the vac wipers for a CASCO electric kit. Frankly he is younger and more agile than I so I asked him to install. He said it was not nearly the project he had expected. I will pickup the car tomorrow and relay his comments.
Phil in Nashville

 

[Douglemmo]

Cannot find the thread/post that discusses with details the brake fluid suggestion to help rejuvenate my wipers. Could someone post that link or give instructions? Thanks

I used a bottle of DOT3 fluid and put a length of rubber tubing in the bottle and put the other end on the inlet nipple on the wiper motor under the dash. Turn on the engine and then the wipers. You may have to manually move the wipers to start. The engine will suck the fluid through the wiper motor and into the engine. I suggest doing this outside because it will make a lot of smoke as the fluid burne in the engine. Fixed my wiper motor perfectly.

 

[zuburg]

I used a bottle of DOT3 fluid and put a length of rubber tubing in the bottle and put the other end on the inlet nipple on the wiper motor under the dash. Turn on the engine and then the wipers. You may have to manually move the wipers to start. The engine will suck the fluid through the wiper motor and into the engine. I suggest doing this outside because it will make a lot of smoke as the fluid burne in the engine. Fixed my wiper motor perfectly.

Is it a bad assumption to say by inlet nipple, you don’t mean the hose that goes through the firewall and attaches to the engine? I think the other nipple has a hose that goes to the heater?

 

[doug7740]

Is it a bad assumption to say by inlet nipple, you don’t mean the hose that goes through the firewall and attaches to the engine? I think the other nipple has a hose that goes to the heater?

There isn't any hose connected to the wiper inlet nipple and that's where you would connect the hose from the bottle of Dot 3 or 4 brake fluid. The vacuum tee that comes off of the wiper vacuum source is for the heater temperature control.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[57tbird57]

I tried the brake fluid truck and wipers still do not work properly. The wiper goes up half way and stops. They will not move again until i turn them off. Any other ideas?

 

[jack-in-sac]

Don't know about the 57 but my mechanic, today, swapped the vac wipers for a CASCO electric kit. Frankly he is younger and more agile than I so I asked him to install. He said it was not nearly the project he had expected. I will pickup the car tomorrow and relay his comments.
Phil in Nashville

I swapped the vacuum wipers for electric fron New Port Engineering. It seemed obvious to me that when the company made there "kit" they made it on a dash that was removed from the car. Yes everything fits. However the connection to the wiper arms was virtually impossible with the dash in the car. Even with a friend who is ambidexterous I had to use a different clip to keep the arms on the electric motor. It was worth the effort. When returning from the Flagstaff convention in 2019 we were in a torrential downpour. The two speed electric wipers were so much more useful than with vacuum. When accelerating vacuum wipers stop due insufficient vacuum. Electric keeps on wiping.

 

[Ward 57]

I tried the brake fluid truck and wipers still do not work properly. The wiper goes up half way and stops. They will not move again until i turn them off. Any other ideas?

Are all the linkages in line? May need some grease also. Sounds like something is binding.

 

[Boozeman]

I tried the brake fluid truck and wipers still do not work properly. The wiper goes up half way and stops. They will not move again until i turn them off. Any other ideas?

Like Douglemmo said above, you have to manually work the wipers back and forth while the wiper mortor is sucking up the fluid, or they will just go halfway up and stop as you describe. I had to manually work mine for about 5 minutes. They slowly get stronger and stronger, and eventually start moving back and forth more quickly on their own.

 

[Mr. Bill]

I had my mechanic replace the original one speed vacuum wiper with a kit that gave me 2 speeds and a washer. When I saw how much work it took to remove the dash and run the wiring I am glad I didn''t and I am too old to get under and remove the dash and do all that work.

 

[BobbyFarrell]

Has anyone tried the electric windshield wiper conversion from the old vacuum wiper motor? Any brand recommendations?

 

[paul5456]

Has anyone tried the electric windshield wiper conversion from the old vacuum wiper motor? Any brand recommendations?

Newport Engineering is makes a very good kit. You can use the original knob with the upgrade. I have their kits in three cars (48 Ford, 56 Bird and 54 Ford) and they all work very good. While I don't drive that much in the rain, they always worked when I needed them. They only makea 12 V unit - if you have an original 55 (6 V) then your out of luck.

 

[doug7740]

After years of very little use the wiper motor seals have dried out causing the wiper motor to become sluggish. If after adding an ounce of dot 3 brake fluid to the wiper motor the wipers do not come back to life, the wiper motor will have to be disassembled so the internal wiper motor seals can be cleaned and lubricated.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[Ward 57]

After years of very little use the wiper motor seals have dried out causing the wiper motor to become sluggish. If after adding an ounce of dot 3 brake fluid to the wiper motor the wipers do not come back to life, the wiper motor will have to be disassembled so the internal wiper motor seals can be cleaned and lubricated.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

View attachment 25400

Thank heavens mine still work great. Did squirt a little PB Max in the intake and they just zip now.
Did have a problem after tinkering under the dash, car had a rough idle and cycling everything the wipers didn't work. Took a look and the vacuum hose off the 'T' had broken off the motor. Yes, broke off. Hard as a rock. Re-attached what was left and they were sluggish, more cracks. Replaced the hose and the wipers never have worked better. Plus without the vacuum leak it purrs at idle. Check those hoses.

 

[PinkCar]

Has anyone ever replaced their vacuum wiper motor for one of the electric upgrades? I cannot imagine how you can get to it w/o removing the dash, something I swore I would never do.

Thoughts?

Thanks

I replace the vacuum wipers 20+ years ago. It works well. It was difficult as underdash access was blocked by A/C unit. Otherwise easy. Do it. However, the wipers are so small they are virtually useless. Good luck.