Vacuum wiper working correctly?

My 62 CJ5 is the first vehicle I have owned with vacuum powered wipers. When I bought the CJ last winter I replaced the vacuum hoses and until a couple of weeks ago I thought my wipers were working correctly. When I pull the valve out on either side the wiper makes a good strong swipe to the right and stays there. When I close the valve the wipers then makes a good strong swipe to the left.

It didn't surprise me too much that the wiper worked like this. I thought, "This is step up from the hand-cranked wipers, but barely."

Recently my father-in-law took a ride with me and remarked that he thought the wipers should continuously keep wiping when the valve is open. Considering that he owned vehicles of this vintage when they were new, I started to wonder if mine need some TLC to work properly.

So, are my wipers supposed to keep working when the valve is open and if so where do I start to fix them? I haven't opened up one of the wipers, yet and don't know what I will find inside when I do.

 

Yes they are supposed to oscillate back and fourth on their own. Go ahead and open them up. They are very simple and very few parts with no little springs or balls to pop out and fly away. You may have to make new gaskets however. I re-lubed mine with Vaseline but my jeep is a fair weather car so I only test run my wipers about once a month for the past 2 years and they work great but I did add a vacuum wiper pump for exercise and it made a vast improvement.

 

My wiper motor works the exact same way and I've been trying to fix it. I've had it apart three times to lube everything, I put it back together and it works fantastically for about 3 or 4 swipes and then starts acting up again. I think I've narrowed the problem down to a leak between the two housing halves, which means I need to make a new gasket.

I did prove that Vaseline is by far the best lubricant to use. Do not use wheel bearing grease like I first did, it only makes it worse.

 

Are you sure that you have 18-20 inches of vacuum at idle?

 

Thanks guys! I will tear into mine this weekend and see what I find.