Wiper motor

[John]

Having solved one electrical issue I now have another to sort out. The wiper stalled halfway across the screen and couldn't be persuaded back into action so out with the motor and I find I have a broken drive cable.

In goes a new cable and I now find that the wiper sweeps back onto the bonnet from the park position! Its like I've set it up for left hand drive. I'm thinking this must be a park switch problem. I tested the motor before putting it back in and I'm getting intermittent plus 2 speeds. So it must be that the cable and park switch are out of sync?

Any wise words much appreciated. I rebuilt the motor some years back, cleaned the motor commutator, new brushes, new park switch, but old cable and wheelbox. Just a good clean up and new grease. I don't recall having to index the mechanism, it just worked right.

Cheers John

[John]

I think I may have worked this out, the park switch is operated by a cam on the underside of the gearwheel. On the topside of the wheel is the pivot for the arm that pushes and pulls the drive cable. The gearwheel can be fitted in two different positions. One gives park with the drive cable extended, the other with the cable retracted.

I guessing this allows the same motor to be used in right hand and left hand drive cars. I've managed to re-assemble mine for left hand drive! Thats the theory anyhow, if it works I'll report back with some pictures to show what I'm on about

Cheers John

[TonyL]

Thanks for explaining that, & yes, please report back. I can see myself having a go at my wiper motor sooner or later, although I fear it may be beyond my limited mechanical abilities - I'm trying to learn.

I'm thinking if I put a silicone blade on mine, it may last a bit longer. I've used these on other cars & I like them.

[rbgosling]

I'm thinking if I put a silicone blade on mine, it may last a bit longer. I've used these on other cars & I like them.

Not as easy as you'd hope. Because the Excel wiper blade attaches to the arm in an unusual way, "normal" blades won't fit. I've tried just buying replacement rubber to fit to the existing blade frame, but couldn't find anything with a X-section that would work. On the other hand, an Peugeot 405 arm will fit directly in place of the existing arm (others might too, but that's the one I used!), then you will have plenty of choice of blades to fit. It also has a slight kink to it, which means the wiper looks a bit neater when parked.

[John]

I think my wiper woes may be self-inflicted! I don't think the park switch has gone out of sync, I think I've put the wiper wheelbox on to the cable tubing back to front

The parts diagrams are not much use as they don't show the various parts in situ, just exploded views. I'm trying to find some pictures to confirm this but I think the wheel box sits behind the drive tube not in front of it. That will explain why it's working in reverse and trying to clean my bonnet! I reckon if I take it off then turn it 180 degrees before re-attaching, all will be good. Anyone happen to have a motor and drive assembly lying around to check this theory?

I think the drive cable runs forward of the wheelbox, not behind it. No wonder it was a swine to feed back through the hole

Cheers John

[John]

There's two lessons to learn from this saga!

1) Take pictures, more than you think you may need. It's surprising when you need a particular reference point.
2) Go back and look at the pictures you took!

I found some photos from when I originally rebuilt the wiper motor 7 years ago. And thankfully one is of the whole assembly just as I took it out of the dash. As I suspected, I've got the wheelbox on back to front Should have checked.

Once it's back in again and working right I'll post more pictures. One thing I'm going to check is whether my car has the later steady bracket that's visible on the parts diagram. One end is fixed to the scuttle, the other end goes over one of the wheelbox studs. How you're supposed to reach that is anyone's guess. Don't think mine has it.

Cheers John

[MetBlue]

I've got a late car and it doesn't have the bracket.
Suspect it was on early cars and at some point was realised to be more trouble than it's worth.
Tony

[John]

Hi Tony, I had a look and mine hasn't got the bracket either, even seeing that area of the scuttle is hard work. Mirror on a stick and a torch were called for. You'd have no chance getting in there to reach any fasteners. Probably fitted before the heater went in on the assembly line, then impossible to reach later for servicing!

Cheers John