As it is now winter in the PNW, it is time for a new windshield wiper problem that exceeds my experience/knowledge. Perhaps you can help?

1983 242. Replaced the wiper motor last year in October. Has seemed pretty "normal" since then.

But yesterday I noticed that things are strange:

1. When I press the lever up for long intermittent, I get 3 strokes at the long interval and then the wiper moves as if I pressed the lever down for slow regular speed. This continues until I press the lever down to stop all wiper activity. But it does the same thing when I press the lever up again. Seems consistently repeatable.

2. It used to be that if I just tapped the lever down (but not so far as to turn on slow regular speed, the wiper would do one full stroke up and down and then stop in the down position. Now, the wiper stops as soon as I release the pressure on the lever. This can be mid-stroke, full open, etc.

3. If the wiper is in regular, slow speed and I press the lever up to stop, the blade stops instantly - regardless of where it is in the cycle. It used to always complete the cycle and return to the full down position.

Is this a wiper relay problem? A problem with the lever? Or a motor issue? (Or something else entirely?)

Thanks

Hi,

Just off hand I would say the problem is inside the wiper motor cams and related switch network.

It seems to me to call it a “latch over finger wiper” that runs on the cam inside.

Evidently it’s not staying closed and when the wiper relay cuts off.
The latching contacts are not there to keep the motor moving through to the stop or park point.

How old is the wiper motor mechanism?
Could be a tired finger or in some cases maybe a flaky ground, but that should effect everything.

Try this site or link: http://cleanflametrap.com/wiper.html
for a lot more information and pictures of what I’m talking about!
Arts Benstein has got it covered inside and out!

Phil

Hi Phil,

Since it was not raining this morning, I did a bit of exploration on my wipers. I put a test light onto the contact plug on the black/white wire and then connected the light to a good ground. With the car running, the wipers worked perfectly normal and the test light went solidly on and solidly off. No flickering. I removed the test lamp and it remains working just fine. I have no idea how to interpret this except maybe a shaky ground wire connection? Will have to see if it happens again.

Cheers

Mine were a little wonky on intermittent setting last week. They'd stop briefly mid-sweep on our 89 sedan, then momentarily pick up and finish. I suspect a poor connection like with yours, perhaps even the fuse needs a spin.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

What makes a good leader?
Someone who does what they’re told.

Art, it is always good to be in good company! Wonky is a good word for what was happening. The rain has returned and the wipers have remained "normal" so far. I will check the fuse too.

Hi,

Sometimes if you jostle things it starts to working.
It’s that magical touch that keeps you short of catching a gremlin!

I equate that to green or white corrosion on wiring or like you say, a bad ground.
Either one shares an equal half of a circuit. More times than not, the ground side wins a bit more of its share due to its own simplicity and therefore, gets ignored first. (:-)

I used to always ignore my age and moved happily through the changing times.
Today the life stick is looking shorter and the affects of being on the other end are very similar to not remembering anything before a certain young age.
So Now I’m certain, that everything has a certainty to it!

I have learned our bodies run on electricity or a magnetic energy too!
With those wipers stopping that is certainly electrical and but so is corrosion!

I forgot about Arts loose magnet repairs!
It must be that my zero and ones of binary neurons, being held in my upper storage device, have been corrupted.
(-:)

Phil

Thanks Phil. Art's page there helped me ID the issue with my old motor (permanent magnets coming unglued). I replaced it with a unit a buddy sent me in October, 2020. The unit was in a box but certainly a rebuilt unit - looked like it has been spray painted black on the outside. At the time, I posted about using plumber's putty to seal the new unit into place - no muss, no fuss.

Thanks for pointing me at Art's page again. Seems I have some more testing to do.

Cheers!