So Close--Wiper Door Question
04-15-2017, 12:16 PM
#21
Drifting
Thread Starter
The 2 ports don't hold vacuum with my MityVac as shown in he video. I can hear the air swishing out as I pump.
04-15-2017, 12:20 PM
#22
Team Owner
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Hi 72/86,
Just curious, does the plunger have a black or a white 'disc' at it's end?
(Not that that affects what you're experiencing.)
Regards,
Alan
Just curious, does the plunger have a black or a white 'disc' at it's end?
(Not that that affects what you're experiencing.)
Regards,
Alan
04-15-2017, 12:23 PM
#23
Drifting
Thread Starter
04-15-2017, 01:18 PM
#24
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Hi 72/86,
Thanks!.
Many of the reproduction switches have a white disc so I was wondering if yours did or not.
Regards,
Alan
Thanks!.
Many of the reproduction switches have a white disc so I was wondering if yours did or not.
Regards,
Alan
04-15-2017, 01:21 PM
#25
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Hi Dave,
Are the safety valves you're making all black?
Regards,
Alan
Are the safety valves you're making all black?
Regards,
Alan
04-28-2017, 02:31 PM
#27
Drifting
Thread Starter
Hi,
Test:
With the plunger pushed in (retracted): the unmarked port should hold vacuum, while the red and white ports are open.
With the plunger out (extended): the port marked white should hold vacuum. The unmarked and red ports should be open.
The red port should remain open regardless of the position of the plunger (extended or retracted).
Check that the plunger return spring is functioning properly and consistently.
Ensure that the ribbed seal is intact and seats in the grooves on the plunger and switch's body.
Regards,
Alan
Test:
With the plunger pushed in (retracted): the unmarked port should hold vacuum, while the red and white ports are open.
With the plunger out (extended): the port marked white should hold vacuum. The unmarked and red ports should be open.
The red port should remain open regardless of the position of the plunger (extended or retracted).
Check that the plunger return spring is functioning properly and consistently.
Ensure that the ribbed seal is intact and seats in the grooves on the plunger and switch's body.
Regards,
Alan
04-28-2017, 03:37 PM
#28
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Hi 72/86
There is adjustment built into the mounting of the safety valve.
It's necessary for the switch to be in the correct relationship to the lever on the wiper transmission… thus adjustment is necessary.
Both the bracket the switch mounts to and the switch's mount to the bracket can be adjusted.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
There is adjustment built into the mounting of the safety valve.
It's necessary for the switch to be in the correct relationship to the lever on the wiper transmission… thus adjustment is necessary.
Both the bracket the switch mounts to and the switch's mount to the bracket can be adjusted.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
04-28-2017, 05:14 PM
#29
Team Owner
Hi,
Test:
With the plunger pushed in (retracted): the unmarked port should hold vacuum, while the red and white ports are open.
With the plunger out (extended): the port marked white should hold vacuum. The unmarked and red ports should be open.
The red port should remain open regardless of the position of the plunger (extended or retracted).
Check that the plunger return spring is functioning properly and consistently.
Ensure that the ribbed seal is intact and seats in the grooves on the plunger and switch's body.
Regards,
Alan
Test:
With the plunger pushed in (retracted): the unmarked port should hold vacuum, while the red and white ports are open.
With the plunger out (extended): the port marked white should hold vacuum. The unmarked and red ports should be open.
The red port should remain open regardless of the position of the plunger (extended or retracted).
Check that the plunger return spring is functioning properly and consistently.
Ensure that the ribbed seal is intact and seats in the grooves on the plunger and switch's body.
Regards,
Alan
04-28-2017, 07:37 PM
#30
Safety Car
wiper door will not close, if the vacuum safety switch does not sense the wipers are in park position.
Last edited by 69Vett; 04-28-2017 at 07:38 PM.
04-28-2017, 10:35 PM
#32
OK, we know the actuating vacuum is reaching the actuator through the relay (otherwise the door would not open on startup). We can also assume the relay top control chamber is NOT getting vacuum (otherwise the door would stay down on startup). Relay control chamber gets vacuum - the door stays down. Relay chamber does NOT get vacuum, door raises. Simple.
The trick is to find the reason the control chamber is NOT getting vacuum. The most common issue in this situation is the wiper arm safety valve. When original ones get old, they leak and fail. When new Chinese copies are purchased, they fail right out of the box most of the time as Mr Duntov found out.
If your solenoid is passing vacuum through it now, the next component in line is the override switch. These rarely fail! The next component is the wiper arm switch. A simple test will verify it's condition. Bypass the switch by connecting the two lower hoses together that connect to it (red & white if you look at color). You should now have vacuum to the relay on startup.
This is a simple test. Just remove the wiper grill (not the door). If you do indeed need a new wiper arm safety valve, Willcox sells one that is guaranteed to actually work...........
The trick is to find the reason the control chamber is NOT getting vacuum. The most common issue in this situation is the wiper arm safety valve. When original ones get old, they leak and fail. When new Chinese copies are purchased, they fail right out of the box most of the time as Mr Duntov found out.
If your solenoid is passing vacuum through it now, the next component in line is the override switch. These rarely fail! The next component is the wiper arm switch. A simple test will verify it's condition. Bypass the switch by connecting the two lower hoses together that connect to it (red & white if you look at color). You should now have vacuum to the relay on startup.
This is a simple test. Just remove the wiper grill (not the door). If you do indeed need a new wiper arm safety valve, Willcox sells one that is guaranteed to actually work...........
04-29-2017, 03:20 PM
#33
Drifting
Thread Starter
Well after an hour struggling to replace the wiper safety switch, I'm sad to say, Im back where I started...
Car starts, wiper door opens and stays open. Wipers work, stop, park. Door stays open even when car is shut off. I have to close door manually.
I pushed on the white switch top and no difference in case wipers aren't parking all the way. Theres NO or very little vacuum on the red hose going to the Wiper Door actuator. Is it supposed to be like that?
The plunger switch under the hood. When is it supposed to be engaged and when not?
Frustrated .
Steve
Car starts, wiper door opens and stays open. Wipers work, stop, park. Door stays open even when car is shut off. I have to close door manually.
I pushed on the white switch top and no difference in case wipers aren't parking all the way. Theres NO or very little vacuum on the red hose going to the Wiper Door actuator. Is it supposed to be like that?
The plunger switch under the hood. When is it supposed to be engaged and when not?
Frustrated .
Steve
04-29-2017, 05:17 PM
#34
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Hi Steve,
When the wiper arms go to the 'park' position the plunger should be depressed by the 'lever' that is on the wiper transmission.
This supplies a vacuum control signal to the wiper door relay to close the door. The relay then supplies vacuum to the large red striped hose running to the 'front' port on the wiper door actuator….. and the door closes.
Regards,
Alan
When the wiper arms go to the 'park' position the plunger should be depressed by the 'lever' that is on the wiper transmission.
This supplies a vacuum control signal to the wiper door relay to close the door. The relay then supplies vacuum to the large red striped hose running to the 'front' port on the wiper door actuator….. and the door closes.
Regards,
Alan
04-29-2017, 07:18 PM
#35
Team Owner
You mentioned in your OP that you cleaned the wiper door solenoid a while back. Maybe you need to revisit that. Could be dirty again if you didn't put some sort of filter on the open port of the solenoid.
Did you test the wiper door safety switch like in the video?
Wiper door solenoid repair procedure.
Did you test the wiper door safety switch like in the video?
Wiper door solenoid repair procedure.
04-30-2017, 01:08 AM
#36
Drifting
Thread Starter
Hi Steve,
When the wiper arms go to the 'park' position the plunger should be depressed by the 'lever' that is on the wiper transmission.
This supplies a vacuum control signal to the wiper door relay to close the door. The relay then supplies vacuum to the large red striped hose running to the 'front' port on the wiper door actuator….. and the door closes.
Regards,
Alan
When the wiper arms go to the 'park' position the plunger should be depressed by the 'lever' that is on the wiper transmission.
This supplies a vacuum control signal to the wiper door relay to close the door. The relay then supplies vacuum to the large red striped hose running to the 'front' port on the wiper door actuator….. and the door closes.
Regards,
Alan
Lights work fine.
04-30-2017, 01:11 AM
#37
Drifting
Thread Starter
You mentioned in your OP that you cleaned the wiper door solenoid a while back. Maybe you need to revisit that. Could be dirty again if you didn't put some sort of filter on the open port of the solenoid.
Did you test the wiper door safety switch like in the video?
Wiper door solenoid repair procedure.
Did you test the wiper door safety switch like in the video?
Wiper door solenoid repair procedure.
Solenoid COULD be dirty again but I already cleaned it twice and have less than 30 miles on the car since the cleaning. But who know. I dread removing that again.
04-30-2017, 08:28 AM
#38
Burning Brakes
Car starts, wiper door opens and stays open.
However with the wipers parked and that w safety switch depressed, no vacuum seems to make it to the WD actuator (red hose).
The test is simple. Connect your Mityvac or a vacuum gauge to the small control vacuum hose that connects to the WD relay. Simply pull it off and connect to it. Start the car and observe the gauge. You should have a vacuum signal. If you do not, repeat the same test, but pull the middle vacuum hose (red) off of the safety valve and connect to it. You should have a vacuum signal.
These next two tests are important, do them and report back.
04-30-2017, 11:02 AM
#39
Drifting
Thread Starter
To be clear this is the unit mounted to the inner fender? Called the WD relay?
04-30-2017, 11:25 AM
#40
Burning Brakes
Yes, it's either mounted to the inner fender, or it could be near the master cylinder, depending on the build date. I have seen both locations on 71's. Just follow the vacuum hoses to it. Looks like this.
