Cadillac & LaSalle Club Discussion Forum

Cadillac & LaSalle Club Forums => Technical / Authenticity => Topic started by: Cadillac Jack 82 on May 24, 2019, 12:23:42 AM

Title: 1937 LaSalle wiper issue
Post by: Cadillac Jack 82 on May 24, 2019, 12:23:42 AM

So when I received my car the wipers worked great!  Today I fired her up and there was a weird knocking noise.  Turns out it was the fuel pump and most of the screws were loose.  I tightened them down and the noise stopped.  Only issue is that my wipers barely move.  I'll admit that the blades seem a little dry but what would cause my wipers to suddenly stop working properly?  I've checked all the connections and they're air tight!
Title: Re: 1937 LaSalle wiper issue
Post by: Steve Rinaldo on May 24, 2019, 07:22:08 AM
Here is what I did:
1. make sure you use the largest size hose you can.
2. add a vacuum tank. you can find one on ebay. It goes in line with wiper feed hose.
3. Oil the wiper seal in side the vac. motor. use some light oil and pour it in through motor intake hole. then move the wiper arm back and forth manually until it frees up
4. Check the switch to see if it is working correctly.
After I did this the vac. wiper works great. Good luck, Steve
Title: Re: 1937 LaSalle wiper issue
Post by: Cadillac Jack 82 on May 25, 2019, 11:47:26 PM

So I'm at the end of my rope here.  Wipers were working fine a week ago and now they're not working at all.  I checked the lines and they're fine.  I even have an original brass vacuum tank that came with the car.  Still nothing works.  Is my wiper motor shot or is my vacuum pump donski?
Title: Re: 1937 LaSalle wiper issue
Post by: Steve Rinaldo on May 26, 2019, 08:46:02 AM
The only thing I can think of is to use a vac. gauge to and check at each connection. Dhould read 18-21 in. of  vac.
Title: Re: 1937 LaSalle wiper issue
Post by: Cadillac Jack 82 on May 26, 2019, 11:03:04 AM

I'm only getting 5 inches of vacuum.  Guess my pump is bad.  Anyone know where I can find a new one or a place that rebuilds them?
Title: Re: 1937 LaSalle wiper issue
Post by: Steve Rinaldo on May 26, 2019, 01:06:58 PM
Sounds like you have Vac. issue, not a parts problem. Go to the source and see what you have at idle. Make sure you are connected to a manifold vac. source which is below the throttle blades at idle.
Title: Re: 1937 LaSalle wiper issue
Post by: Cadillac Jack 82 on May 26, 2019, 02:05:13 PM

That was the reading at the pump
Title: Re: 1937 LaSalle wiper issue
Post by: Steve Rinaldo on May 26, 2019, 08:26:43 PM
Are you talking about the top part of the mechanical fuel pump? If so that portion of the pump failed and you just connect the directly to a manifold vacuum port and the system will work.