There are many out there but has anyone on HAMB ever used one like the Hella for vacuum wipers? The wiper motor is in good shape and I would either connect it with the engine vacuum or run it independent.
Intriguing thought! Simple enough I'd guess as long as the pump only pulls about 18" Hg max. Hiding the throttle position sensor will be a challenge though. You'll need one of those so that you'll be able to recreate the wipers not operating at anything other than idle. Chris
I've had the idea of running vacuum wipers on positive air pressure, like from a bag set-up. It should be entirely possible using an adjustable air regulator feeding the atmospheric vent on the motor, and the vacuum supply venting to atmosphere. It could even be set up to give multiple speeds. I'm still wracking my brains about doing intermittent wipers with air, though ...
I think a lot of people consider vacuum wipers to be intermittent by nature. That's when they get converted to electric wipers.
Back in the '70s I had an issue with vacuum wipers in a '40 Ford. I was able to get a 6 volt vacuum pump from a boat supply and mounted it under the dash. I ran copper tube to a vacuum canister and piped it to the vacuum wipers. I can't begin to tell you how great it worked. I'm not familiar with the Hella pump you describe but I can't see why it would be any different. You don't say what year and model car you have, but the vacuum wiper system should be separate from any other vacuum controlled items on your car, which is easy enough to do.
If you're running a mechanical fuel pump on your motor, swapping to a dual-diaphragm fuel pump with it's built-in vacuum pump will help a bunch. This only works if you're running a SBF, FE, or Y-block; no Clevelands or 385 motors. The Y-block and FE were available with these pumps, the Y-block unit will also bolt on to any Windsor set up for a mechanical pump. This worked very well on a 351W-powered '56 I used to own as long as you don't have a lumpy-idle long-duration, low vacuum camshaft. Personally, I'd do a Newport Engineering swap to electric wipers... problem solved.
Have done both ways on 40's Newport can't be beat but had a wiper motor redone by a place in New York-it would tear your fingers off ! Added a small vacuum canister under the dash-worked great.
I added a Hella vacuum pump, from a Volvo brake booster, to my Willys. The Willys vacuum wiper drives two wiper blades. The vacuum wipers worked poorly before (as you might expect). The wipers work much better with the vacuum pump on - it has a separate switch. However, it still is not as good as electric wipers. But it is a help. Don
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