The windshield wipers on my 1988 240 DL are running really slow and the wiper motor makes somewhat of a groaning sound when operating. Is my wiper motor bad? or is there another problem? Is this problem common on these cars?

I purchased a used wiper motor from a local junkyard but they gave me one from a 740 and after getting it home I can see that it wont fit. The wiring connector is different and also the output shaft/attachment is different.

Before I go any further, I thought I should check the board to see if anyone has had any similar experiences or ideas.

Thanks, Greg
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1988 240 DL 163,000 miles

Open up the gearbox cover (carefully) - then lubricate the gears with your favorite grease. Careful not to get grease on the electrical contacts on the cover - your wipers won't shut off! Lubrication seemed to quiet my wipers dramatically.

"...wiper motor makes somewhat of a groaning sound when operating..."

A clue.

Sounds as if a magnet has become unglued from the motor housing. Rumor has it that this problem can be easily repaired (though I've never fixed one).

Disassemble the motor and thoroughly clean out all the grit and dust from years of operation. Clean the loose magnet. Note the glue marks on the outer surface of the magnets and the mating marks on the inside of the case -- these "witness" marks allow you to reposition the magnet is it former location.

Use a good epoxy glue to affix the magnet to the case. Others have reported good luck with JB Weld.

Relube the motor bearings (bushings) and reassemble the motor. Pay attention to the brushes and avoid getting dirt or oil on them or the commutator.
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Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

As much as I always tend to agree with Don, for this one I say: chuck the old motor, bolt in a new (used) one and be done with it. The crank arm is one nut to remove, the motor itself has only the wiring plug and 4 (or is it 3) bolts holding it in. Plus the black goo. Pull the glovebox for a better view of the linkage. Replace the goo or heat it with a hair dryer to prevent leaks there- I killed a fuel pump relay once due to water leaks originating here after a wiper motor job. Make absolutely certain that there's an intact ground on the wiper motor, or it won't work at all. Add a ground wire to one of the bolts if the tab is in poor condition.
You might want to try adding a ground to yours before doing anything- the groudn tab is really a poor design.
Also I found that wires can sometimes pull out of the conenctor and weird things happen like the wipers won't park.
Good luck!
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Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 221K, 88 744GLE- 202K, 91 244 181K, 88 244GL 145K

Sure, if he has one.

Personally, I prefer to revive and recycle.... and if a dab of epoxy does it for $0, so much the better -- a real sense of (Yankee) accomplishment.
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Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

Some great ideas here! Since I already paid for the (wrong) wiper motor, the junkyard guys said they'd swap me for the correct one... they dont liek to refund money on electrical parts. So I think I'll try the replacement idea.

Although If I'm get adventurous, I might just take the old one apart just to see if I can repair it anyway.

Thanks!

Before replacing the motor, disconnect the drive and make sure the linkage is
free of friction.
The wiper spindles especially can seize up and overload the motor.
You should check this even if the motor is faulty as this could have caused the motor failure.
Colin.

Thanks for the info.

How do I check the wiper spindles?

And, if the spindles are binding, what can I do about it?
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1988 240 DL 163,000 miles

With the linkage disconnected and the wipers lifted off the glass the movement of the arms by hand should be very easy.
If tight apply your favorite maintainence spray and rotate the spindles until nice and free to move.
Colin.

Thanks for the advice. I'll try it when i get my wiper motor out

Yes your motor is going bad, easy to replace or you can pull your current one apart and repair it. I got one from a p'n'p for my former '84 and it worked just fine.

One tip, put it in then reset the wipers, cause they will be off. Just unscrew them and reset them, you know what i mean?

Good luck
chuck
'88 244 168K
'87 BMW 325 168K