wiper motor

[bash]

Same cable as a shortened mini cable dude, a proper mini that is not a fat elvis bmw one.

Bash

[Phantasm]

Thanks for that. I found one on eBay, got the price down to $18 shipped. Now I will have two!!! Maybe both will work. We'll see.

[amarshall]

Yanked out the wiper assembly.

I hope you remembered to tie some string to the spindle before you removed the wheelbox.

Re-aligning it blind is virtually impossible.

[Phantasm]

Yes, 12 lb test fishing line!

[Phantasm]

So I pulled up the parts diagram up and noted a few things missing from my wheelbox...
The diagram shows 4 parts labeled A009: the wheel box, a nut a to secure the washer and rubber seal to the body, a "thingy", and a nut to secure the wiper. What is the thingy? A trim/spacer? mine is notably absent. What size is it? Material?

Also there is a seady bracket wiper wheelbox A010 with a screw and washer. This too was not in my assembly, and can't imagine how it could be installed/removed even with the HVAC removed. I take it this isn't needed because the bundy is short and does this job?

[CHRISYD]

i remember when I took my wiper motor out, I left the wheel box and tube in the car and just undid the nut that holds the tube to the motor and slide the drive rod out complete with motor.

[marky]

My car is an 87 and may have a different motor or the set up behind the dash may be different. The wiper stopped suddenly because the drive cable had stripped but I was able to get the whole set up out through the instrument panel hole refurbish it and put it back. The second time it stopped it had just blown a fuse due to moving on a dry screen.

Mark.

PS - got the drive cable from SJ very cheap but had to cut it to length.

I have a nagging thought that there was something unusual that I had to do to get the motor out but rather unhelpfully I can't remember what I did - I may have separated the motor from the rack inside the dash. No ignore that I have just found some notes and it came out in one piece quite easily - bit tight and some maneuvering needed but not too bad so later cars must be different.

PS . finally remembered what the complication was. There was an extra earth wire attached to one of the cover screws on the motor so I had to carefully remove the screw ( without dropping it inside the dash) and then carefully replace it later.
Also my car has no air conditioning and I wondered if that made a difference to the amount of movement available to the motor and rack behind the bulkhead?

[Phantasm]

Follow up. All is back together and working. Had I known how it all went together and what the underlying cause was, this would have gone faster. The HVAC being out was helpful but not necessarily needed if you understand the mechanism operation. I did not.
Yes, 91 with a/c it is possible to undo the nut holding the tube and pull the motor and cable out leaving the wheelbox behind. Relubing wheelbox would be a challenge for reassembly though and might be tight reinserting the cable and grease would get on everything in the dash.
I had the ground wire attached to a cover nut as well. Not sure why it is there, the motor worked without it.
The mini cable worked great. Used a Dremel to cut it to size.
Motor still stalls or barely works on a dry windshield, is that normal??

Can the wiper spring tension be adjust?

[amarshall]

Also there is a seady bracket wiper wheelbox A010 with a screw and washer. This too was not in my assembly, and can't imagine how it could be installed/removed even with the HVAC removed.

Left hand column in the parts manual = Pre-'86.

[CHRISYD]

Follow up. All is back together and working. Had I known how it all went together and what the underlying cause was, this would have gone faster. The HVAC being out was helpful but not necessarily needed if you understand the mechanism operation. I did not.
Yes, 91 with a/c it is possible to undo the nut holding the tube and pull the motor and cable out leaving the wheelbox behind. Relubing wheelbox would be a challenge for reassembly though and might be tight reinserting the cable and grease would get on everything in the dash.
I had the ground wire attached to a cover nut as well. Not sure why it is there, the motor worked without it.
The mini cable worked great. Used a Dremel to cut it to size.
Motor still stalls or barely works on a dry windshield, is that normal??

Can the wiper spring tension be adjust?

probably the motor is just tired and needs rewinding/remagnetising.

[amarshall]

Finally got back to mine. Motor out (without disconnecting HVAC hose). Looks like the wheelbox has seized. It's a lovely shade of dark orange and won't turn on the bundy at all.

Light is going now, so it'll have to wait until I have a marking at home day to see if the replacement's better.

As to the wiper stalling, part of the problem is the rake on the screen. The spring tension increases towards the vertical...

[amarshall]

Tips.

1 when the string breaks, push some windscreen washer tube down through the hole and use that to guide a new string through.
2. Disconnecting the HVAC duct at the heater end makes it a lot easier to get the motor in and out
3. Make sure you don't trap the bonnet release cable when you reinstall the wheelbox
4. Don't forget to use a little silicone sealant on the wheelbox washer to make sure it's all water tight.


Ow. Ow ow. Ow ow ow.

It has tasted blood, again - but it lives!

[KevW]

My wipers have stopped working so I'm planning delving behind the dash (I've read the horror stories!), removing the motor and taking it to an auto electrician for a re-build. In the meantime I'm wondering if anyone has manged to find a suitable alternative motor. I'd rather invest in a brand new motor than get the old one fettled.

[Tanz]

Mine stopped working last week - all good now. Before you take it anywhere have a look at the commutator. Mine was very dirty so gave it a good clean and made sure the brushes were moving so they could take up ware. Working really well now. The last time I fixed them was 2017 so seems they need regular maintenance.
It's not too bad to get the wiper motor out. Remove instruments, go outside and remove the wiper arm and the nut and washers. Remove the two bolts that hold the motor bracket to the bulkhead, disconnect the wiring plug. Disconnect the air vent pipe (black corrugated pipe) on the left hand side of the instrument opening and push it out of the way to the right hand side. Now with a bit of twisting and turning and pushing wiring out of the way it will come out.
Getting it back in is easier with an assistant. Getting the spindle back through the hole is the problem. You can tie something to it to help you guide it through but I found with a person outside the car peering down the hole they can see the spindle and guide you as to which way to go. Once it is through the hole get you assistant to put the nut on quick!

Some pictures from 2017 here https://imageshack.com/a/HxAl/1

[KevW]

Thanks Phil that's really helpful. I've only had slow and intermittent speeds available on my wipers for quite a while but they've eventually given up the ghost good and proper.