Just when I thought I was through with my windshield wiper woes, fate had other plans.

To begin, 1970 Corvette

I realized that my wiper motor was grounded through the wiper door grille when I took that off and replaced it. Where should I ground my wiper motor? I'm thinking of running a wire to the alternator in the meantime, but I'd like to do it right when I get the chance.

While trying to figure out the grounding issue, I found that the power wire to the wiper motor (red wire from the wiper door limit switch) is tied directly into the yellow wire on the back of the wiper motor. I know that one side of the limit switch should always be hot (as long as the wiper override switch is passing current) and the yellow wire should be hot when the car is on. I'm guessing that this isn't correct, so where should the power connect?

And while I'm thinking about it, I'm guessing that the motor may not be right, because otherwise it just wouldn't run without the power wire connected correctly. So, how can I tell what year(s) this wiper motor and washer pump was meant for?

Here are a couple pictures, let me know if I should take more.

 

The ground for your wiper motor is the SAME ground wire that is attached to the engine block down by your starter and ALSO is used for the ground for your blower motor. You SHOULD not have to run a new wire..unless your harness has been butchered.


RE-write this or explain...because there is NO yellow wire coming out of the BACK of the wiper motor.

The ONLY yellow wire(s) are the yellow wire that is in the CENTER of the three wire connector that plugs into the FRONT of your wiper motor...and THAT same yellow wire also provides power to your washer pump


CORRECT

INCORRECT...the YELLOW wire is HOT when the key is on....IF the fuse is GOOD.

Possibly look at Willcox's site and find the test for your wiper motor that I have seen them post before....or.....you can PM me and I can give you my shop phone number and you can call me when you are AT THE CAR and I can walk you through it....SO I do not have to type it all out for you.


You need to back up a bit with teh camera...you ar e way too close to see anything that is crucial for identify this motor. ALSO...need to see the three wire connector that plugs into the front of the motor.

AND you should have a male flat spade terminal that allows a ground wire to plug in also.

AND on the side of the motor housing on the drivers side...you should have a single wire coming out from it...and THAT wire is what your RED wire attaches to.

Your washer pump is CORRECT and worth a LOT OF MONEY due to your car came equipped with headlight washers. You can tell this by the 5 ports coming out of the pump.

Photo of a wiper motor. The best I could find when doing a search on Google.

http://www.google.com/search?q=photo...nMbTr2ZQGNM%3A

DUB

 

Didn't you have the issue w/ the radio coming on when the wiper door was open?? And I told you that would happen if something was wrong at your wiper motor...Well guess what- something is wired wrong at you wiper motor....

Hey Dub-

Look like they wired the the rebuilt motor (blue paint on it) and it's more than likely the wrong year!!!


Your motor should have a red wire coming out of the case- like this one-

73 and later do not.

NOTE- this was used for a fellow forum member to wire to a custom harness - the red wire goes to the wiper door switch- on the other side of the door switch power is hot all the time

 

Thanks both of you for the good info!

Here is another photo of the wiper motor


The wiring is slightly butchered, but I will try to run a ground down to the blower motor/starter.

I should have clarified with the yellow wire. The center of the connector in my first photo should be yellow (according to the wiring diagram and Willcox's diagrams) and the red that is connected there is from the limit switch.

That is good news about the pump, so I will only have to replace the wiper motor!

You are correct, that was my post. I believe this would make my radio behave like it did.

Thanks for the photo, that is definitely not the motor I have.


It sounds like I will need to replace my wiper motor if I want to keep it correct. Would I be able to just attach my current (correct) washer pump to the new (correct) wiper motor? After I clean the pump up of course.

 

The motor looks like a 1970 motor because it has the 5 port washer pump on it. But that pump will fit other motors too. However, what I can't see is the red wire that runs to the limit switch. If your motor has this wire (show coming out of the top of the picture in black), then it is the correct motor. YOu can see that same red wire coming out of the picture posted by Richard. You don't have this wire you don't have a 69-72 motor.



Here is the correct wiring diagram for your motor.


Now you can bench test the motor with it still in the car. I take the bellcrank nut off when I do this so the arms don't move. But follow this diagram or watch my video on bench testing the motor to see if it runs or not.

1969-1972


Then take a look at his paper too: 1969-1972 Corvette Windshield Wiper Motor Tech Help, Wire Schematic With Test

final wiper motor video we will be doing. In this video, I destroyed my ancient tester nicknamed Frankenmeter! It was worth it though.

And lastly, in this video I also make the statement that this may be the video to end all video's on wiper motors. There are some neat tricks you'll pick up in this such as... If the relay is clicking.... the wiper switch has a ground (there is no way the relay will click if the ground is missing).


Also take a look at this if you find there are other issues.


All the above info can be found on our website under the Tech and Install Help Link at the top. WillcoxCorvette.Com

-Willcox

 

OK...just buy a NEW motor from Willcox- they have BRAND new ones for the best deal out there!!! Yes- the pump will go right on it.

Remove the red wire and get a male connector for it (Willcox might have that too!!!)

Reconnect the yellow wire to the center terminal.

Done- and your radio won't stay on w/ the ignition off and the wiper door open!!!

Richard

 

Willcox,

That side of the motor in my last photo is covered by the washer fluid line, but there is no wire as shown in Richard's photo. I believe that the PO replaced the original (probably nonfunctional) motor with this one.

Good news is that it functions properly as a wiper motor, but the wiring is a little screwy.

Looking at the pictures on your site I am guessing it's either a 73 wiper motor based on those pictures. Is there a difference between the 73 and the 74-82 wiper motors other than the shape of the case?

 

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. And I'll be able to sell the functional (but wrong for my car) motor to offset the cost!

 

If there is no wire then I'd say this is a 1973 wiper motor. The reason I say this is that 1974-82 motor had a higher 1-2-3 connector location.

This is a 1973 motorl



This is a 1974 and newer motor. You can see the terminal connector was located in a different position than the motor you have and if it were a 74 and newer motor the 1970 five port pump wouldn't bolt on to it.



Willcox

 

Just a quick question. In the picture on post #4, you have a yellow wire that runs under the plastic cap and has a light blue wire coming out. What does that wire do? I have both those wires but they are not hooked up. The yellow is hot with the ignition on. What is the 10 gauge orange wire that is always hot underneath go to? Mine is cut. Just trying to fix the "bubba spaghetti" on my 70. Thanks

 

windshield washer pump.

Not uncommon. But to get the washer pump to work they do need to be connected.

AS it should be.

That is your HIGH SPEED BLOWER wiring that is connected to your HORN RELAY on the left inner skirt...and it has an in-line fuse holder with a 30 amp fuse. The other end of the orange wire goes to your high speed fan blower relay. That is HOW your fan can go to HIGH SPEED. without it ...it will not go to high speed.

Hopefully you have a wiring diagram. Trying to figure out the 'spaghetti mess' without a wiring diagram is useless.

DUB

 

I posted the correct schematic above, but if he wants to make the motor he has work, here is a schematic for the 1973 and newer cars.

 

If I have an AC car, does this orange wire go to a AC Relay? In Lectric Limited engine harness, at the end of the orange wire there is a connector similar to a wiper door limit switch but the relay expects a female terminal or a connector. I am just guessing, mine is cut. Some pic would be great.