Restoring Trico vacuum wiper motor

[gav.]

Hi Folks,

I have a Trico vacuum wiper motor in an FE that needs a kit to restore it. Specifically the seals around the blade have deteriorated and are falling apart. Ideally a kit including gasket, blade seals, and the small round seal attached to the blade is what I am after.

There are no Trico model numbers on the motor (there are patent numbers), there are Holden part numbers for the motor in various manuals, but no way to relate this to any Trico kits.

I found this post by Ron Wilson (who says he rebuilds them) in 2013 on oldholden.com:
http://oldholden.com/comment/517743#comment-517743

I have tried the email address (ron.wilson223@gmail.com), but received no response, does anyone know if he is still active ?

Cheers,

gav.

[ardiesse]

Gav,

A couple of thoughts:

If the seals around the "paddle" are falling to bits, find another wiper motor.  Usually they go stiff, but don't fall apart.  Soaking the "paddle" in automatic transmission fluid for a week or so can help make them a little more pliable.  When reassembling the wiper motor, go nuts with grease on the seals and inside the housings.

If the shaft is loose in the bushings to the point where you can wobble the shaft sideways, the motor will leak air, and won't work well.  Find another wiper motor.

Another area that gives trouble is the overcentre-spring-link-rotary-valve assembly.  The rotary valve is nylon, and warps.  Its sealing surface needs to be made flat (wet'n'dry and a sheet of glass); but the surface it bears onto has to be flat also.  A small amount of grease here helps in sealing, but does not guarantee a perfect seal.

Failing everything else, Chevs of the 40s in Washington (state, not DC) offers a rebuild service for Chevrolet vacuum wiper motors.  The FE-FC wiper motor is bound to use the same internals as Chevrolet wiper motors.  You'd have to find out whether their rebuilder is prepared to take on a Holden wiper motor.

Rob