Well I'm looking at getting my wiper motor repaired.  My plan is to remove the wiper motor and send it into wiperman to get the 'ol Trico unit refurbished and made top-notch.

My question is this: will I run into any problems with trying to run the car with the unit removed from the car?  What are your suggestions....i.e. how best to plug the vacuum lines during the short-term?  Or am I better off just waiting until before I put the car away for the winter before doing this?

Thanks in advance for any insight you all may have!

Just pull the vacuum hose off the wiper motor and stick a 1/4 bolt or a stick of wood.  That will stop the vacuum leak and you can drive the car.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

That's actually what I was thinking Hoosier, but I figured that being a noob was better than being an ignorant noob, and wanted to ask the question.

Thanks for the quick response.

What are you driving?If you are interested there are 2 speed electric conversion kits for most popular models now equipped with vacuum.They use the original dash knob and wiper linkage under dash  so no one can tell you switched-until you turn them on going up a hill!

  

You might try this fix before sending it out.  A lot of problems with vacuum wipers is because the flapper inside the unit dries out.  Try this with a helper

From the engine compartment, take off the hose that goes to the wipers.  Insert it in a bottle of ordinary brake fluid and work the wipers manually up and down (this is where the helper comes in) about ten times.  Usually, the vacuum created will suck in the brake fluid.  Let it sit overnight so the flapper soaks up the fluid.  Then try it.  If the flapper is dried out, this should fix it.

Before doing this, put some rags under the wiper unit as it may drip some.  You will get some smoke when you first start the car after doing this, but it will go away.

Throw the remains of the brake fluid away.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Hi guys....thanks for the added info!

I've got a '55 Fairlane (Club Sedan if anyone's curious).  She's 6-Volt, so I didn't think that there were any electric conversions available except for 12-volt.  Am I wrong?

Paul....thanks for the tip about the brake fluid.  I'll have to give that a try!

Thanks for all the help....this site is great, and with any luck someday I'll be able to contribute and not just ask!

I think you are right about 12 volt only.Check Newport engineering website for more info.