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Vacuum Wiper Motor not working in Rogue

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jdarosa View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jdarosa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Vacuum Wiper Motor not working in Rogue
    Posted: Oct/27/2015 at 9:44pm
I've got a 258 with offy intake. I'm running the vacuum line from the rear top of the intake to the upper nipple on the wiper motor, but there's no movement out of the wipers. The cable is active and connected to the switch, and the valve atop the wiper functions. Any ideas out there? Could the motor be bad?

Thanks!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rocklandrambler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/28/2015 at 12:28am
Properly installed your wiper motor should be routed thru a dual action fuel pump where the vacuum section of the pump acts as a booster to keep the wipers up to speed when the car accelerates. Your wiper motor is probably bad. Is this a fairly new problem? Had it been working? The way they go bad most times is the grease inside the motor hardens with age. Pull the hose off the motor and spray some WD40 into the motor. Work the wipers back and forth by hand a few times and then start the engine and see if that doesn't help. If not, you'll have to rebuild the wiper motor.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uncljohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/28/2015 at 10:01am
It is altogether possible the Vacuum Motor for the wipers is bad. A common failure.
And while the correct routing of the vacuum line is to use the nipple on the intake AND the attachment to the vacuum pump portion of the fuel pump there is no reason in the world why it should not at least work hooked up as you have done so.
A common failure also, was that of the vacuum pump portion of the fuel pump. If you are not using it, then you do not have to worry about it failing.
The Vacuum windshield wipers RAN off intake manifold vacuum and the pump was only usefull when engine vacuum was at a low values such as climbing hills or accelerating. The pump would keep the wipers moving under those conditions.
If you actually need to rebuild the motor, Peter Stathes has specialized over the years in supplying hard to get odd ball AMC rubber parts so he would have rebuild kits and other rubber parts for AMC and Rambler cars.
http://www.amcrambler.com/
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jdarosa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/28/2015 at 10:27am
Yeah, this is exactly it. I'll rebuild the motor, then. Have either of you switched to electric wipers from the vacuum original? There's that electric kit on ebay for $200. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uncljohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/28/2015 at 11:34am
I have not had a reason to switch and frankly if they worked correctly I would not worry about it. An AMC car at this time has become a hobby car something that is enjoyed more or less because it is what it is. And frankly I would leave things alone if they worked correctly.
The only time I have wished they worked better was passing a Semi in a really bad snow storm where the temperature was such road snow turned to slush and got thrown into the windshield by all of those tires.
And I have not driven an AMC car in snow for about 30 or 40 years now.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote FuzzFace2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/28/2015 at 12:25pm
In Portland (OR or ME?)he may need the wipers a little more than you UJ
As was pointed out the vac line should go from intake to fuel pump from pump to wiper motor. Also as said they like to not work because of hard grease. Sometimes they can be cleaned of old grease and new grease installed and work then. Other times a full rebuild is needed.

I have not seen any one use a "kit" to switch to elect. wipers. Most find a car that has elect. wipers and pull everything for the swap.

Do you have a link to the swap kit?
Dave ----
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jdarosa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/28/2015 at 3:23pm
I'm in Portland, Or, and yeah, it's a hobby car but my only car. I need those wipers working! I think my pump might be mechanical but I need to double check.

It's not so much a kit but a rebuild service, and from my understanding he builds electric wipers, although I may be mistaken. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMC-AMX-JAVELIN-SC-RAMBLER-WIPER-MOTOR-RESTORATION-SERVICE-/200583985335?hash=item2eb3bcb8b7:g:gdsAAOSwymxVPBMl&vxp=mtr


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ramblinrev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/28/2015 at 7:59pm
The reality is if you switch to electric wipers, you need not just the motor, but the wiper transmission (linkage) for the electric, and a switch, and you might need different wiper arms....not sure on the Rogue.
It's a good switch to make, but doing it is more than just swapping an electric motor for the vacuum motor.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rocklandrambler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/29/2015 at 12:09am
Originally posted by jdarosa jdarosa wrote:

I'm in Portland, Or, and yeah, it's a hobby car but my only car. I need those wipers working! I think my pump might be mechanical but I need to double check.

It's not so much a kit but a rebuild service, and from my understanding he builds electric wipers, although I may be mistaken. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMC-AMX-JAVELIN-SC-RAMBLER-WIPER-MOTOR-RESTORATION-SERVICE-/200583985335?hash=item2eb3bcb8b7:g:gdsAAOSwymxVPBMl&vxp=mtr




This seller is selling rebuilt electric wiper motors. He is of no use to you. Go to www.amcrambler.com to have your vacuum motor rebuilt.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/29/2015 at 8:00am
A good vac wiper system will work as reliably as an electric, even in heavy rain. Most people's experience is with 20-50 year old vac wiper systems. Engine, trans, and front suspension have been rebuilt but the wiper motor is expected to still work? It's mechanical and has valves and seals... needs to be replaced! Electric motors tend to last longer, but not always. A newly rebuilt vac motor will last longer than the original did due to newer, better seal materials and better lubricants. You're looking at a motor that should last 20-30 years before it needs work.

There are alternatives to a dual action fuel pump (has a vac booster on top). That booster only provides vacuum at high rpm (1500 or more). It won't do anything at low rpm. It supplements manifold vacuum, doesn't replace it. You can use a large 1/2 gallon size "juice can" vacuum storage can between the manifold and wiper motor. That's the cheapest. You can find them under 90s Ford truck hoods, some other vehicles. They will provide enough vacuum to keep the wipers from stopping for 30-60 seconds. Two cans connected in series will provide a little more time. Finding room to mount one might be a problem, but you can mount it anywhere. I've seen one mounted on the firewall INSIDE the passenger compartment (holes drilled to run lines in and out) and one under a fender. You could use an electric vacuum pump, but new ones are a bit expensive. Still keeps the car looking and working as original (except for fuel pump, or just don't connect the weak vac booster side... run dummy lines...). You can find them on 90s and 2000s diesel cars and trucks. Some of those use a engine driven vac pump. My 84 Chevette diesel (Isuzu diesel engine) had a small vac pump on the back of the alternator. Look for a vac brake booster under a diesel hood. If it has one of those it has a vac pump of some sort somewhere. By the mid 2000s most use a Hydroboost brake booster instead of vacuum (uses power steering pump pressure for boost), but there are exceptions. Junkyard crawl time... 

There are universal electric wiper conversions that use a cable and remote mounted motor. They work well. Cost around $200 and up, depending on what options you want. You replace the pivots, not sure if the AMC arms will fit or you need new.  The motor is on one end of the cable, so it's mounted under the dash somewhere. Can be on passenger or driver side, just need longer wires to switch to put on passenger side. The pivots mount in place of your originals and clamp to the cable. These can be used on the pre 63 cars (pre 64 American) where the wipers move toward each other instead of the same direction as in newer cars -- one pivot is just mounted upside down from the other. Some British cars use the same type system. If you can't find an original 64-66 wiper motor and linkage and want electric this is a good option.
http://www.carid.com/autoloc/autoloc-wiper-kit-46607101.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwh8exBRDyyqqH9pvf1ncSJAAu4OE3mcW083B3D62NSJkiSlXPXaMcgmwQh92daPPni4UVJxoCidjw_wcB

One more thing -- the pivots (the part on the car that the wiper arms attach to) are different on vac an electric systems. The vac system pivots have little springs that are supposed to assist in returning the arms to the "down" position. Most cars that are over 30 years old no longer have the springs - they rust and break. If you have the springs intact disconnect/cut them and you're good. That's not absolutely necessary, as the springs aren't very strong and won't tax the electric motor. I changed mine because I found a 64 Classic with electric wipers for parts, but discovered that the springs on my 63 Classic pivots were indeed rusted and broken upon removal. There may be a difference in the length of the arm though, so it's a good idea to change them.  The old wiper motors are hard to find and do wear out. I had to replace mine shortly after the swap. I made some mods to a Ford wiper motor instead of getting the old one rebuilt, but it's not an easy thing to do. If you have some fab/tinkering skills it's not terribly difficult, but not a bolt-in.
Frank Swygert
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