1937 LaSalle wiper issue

[Cadillac Jack 82]

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!

[Steve Rinaldo]

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

[Cadillac Jack 82]

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?

[Steve Rinaldo]

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.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

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?

[Steve Rinaldo]

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.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

That was the reading at the pump

[Steve Rinaldo]

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.