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Can anyone explain how this windshield wiper switch works from a 61 Galaxie. One side of the switch has a cable that goes to the electric motor which you can see in the photo. The other side of the switch has a vacuum port. The vacuum line is not on the switch in the photo. Missing from the switch is the washer fluid switch which is activated when you pull the knob out.
My question is what is the purpose of having vacuum to this switch? When my car is running I can hear a vacuum leak coming from this switch. There is no other vacuum outlet on this switch only the one inlet.
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The more I try to understand this...I am wondering if a vacuum line was installed by a previous owner in error and there isn't actually suppose to be a vacuum line on that switch. Perhaps what appears to be a vacuum port is actually a slot for the cable to move in and out of the switch as you rotate the wiper knob to turn wipers on and off? The more you rotate the wiper knob, the more the cable travels and the faster the wipers are suppose to move.
Could someone with a 61 look under their dash to see if a vacuum line goes to that switch? I would really appreciate it. Thanks
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Is the wiper motor vacuum powered in that era?
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No vacuum...electric motor. Originally when I looked under the dash I thought that vacuum controlled wiper speed. I thought that was the case because when I looked under the dash I saw the vacuum line connected to one side of that switch and then a similar line on the other side of the switch going to the wiper electric motor. The electric motor is mounted under the dash and is impossible to see. With the radio, under dash a/c, venting, etc...I can't access the wiper motor. It wasn't until I removed the switch from the dash to investigate a vacuum leak that I realized the line going to the electric motor was actually a cable, not a vacuum line.
I would think any 60, 61,62, 63, 64 Galaxie would be similar. Really hope someone can take a peak under their dash to see if the wiper switch has a vacuum line connected.
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I've determined that the wiper switch does not need vacuum. I removed the vacuum line and spent a good part of the day getting wipers and washer fluid pump working. Not sure why a vacuum line was installed on that switch. Just another mystery
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One way to stop a vacuum leak is to plug the hose into something. Maybe find the other end of that vacuum hose and cap it there.
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