I have a 1978 that I have been working on for a long time. Finally getting around to smaller issues, like hooking up the windshield washer. I had the dash out for a total rebuild and put a new switch in. The old one didn't work at all. The new one was not the same as the original one, but seemed to be designed for use with or without pulse motor. All the wiring is new and although it is not OEM, everything seemed to be working fine. I took the wiper motor apart, it all seemed to work so I put new grease in it along with a new cover and bolted it back in place. I discovered in a recent post that the pink wire coming out of the harness is only there if you have pulse wipers, which I do not. Good ground on the motor. The 3 way plug works as designed, power to center and the other 2 are for low and high. There is also a ground lug on the wiper motor, for a total of 4 lugs. I have no idea of the history of this wiper motor since nothing worked very well when I got the car. I also got a new washer pump. My issue is that the windshield washer pump will not turn off. The 2 wires are power with the white one, and a ground with the pink one. If I hook a test light up between the 2, it comes on, same as the motor. The position of the switch does not make any difference. Is there something in the wiper motor itself that could cause this to happen? Or do I have to take the dash apart to get in and assume it's a bad NEW switch? I really don't want to do that if I can help it because I know sooner or later I will scratch my new Dakota Digital gauges. Thanks.

 

Did you unplug the wires at wiper motor and see if washer pump turns off? Doubt they are tied together though. Owners manual says "Pressing the control will send a measured amount of water onto the windshield".Sounds switch related to me. Timer inside switch not working? I don't have any other answers for you. I have the pulse wipers anyways. Just put my washer bottle in today and yes, white & pink wires going to it. Looked through the bag of elec. stuff you sent me and no wiper switch. In the 20years I've had the 78 PC, don't recall ever turning the wipers on other than 1st day I got it to see if they worked. Good luck.

 

Rick, I have already debated just leaving all the wiper stuff off, but that is the easy way out. I am pretty sure the problem is the switch that I used. The non pulse switches are not available so I got the pulse one at the time. I just found an old thread where a member suggested rewiring the pulse switch for a non pulse set up. But if I have do do that I might just see if I can rebuild the old one. And no, it wasn't in YOUR box of stuff. I learned a long time ago that when you replace something with a new part, and the new part isn't the same, hold onto the old part. Which I did and it is in MY box of stuff. I just hate having to take the dash apart to get to the switch. When I get done I might have a pulse switch sitting on the shelf...

 

SO I started from the beginning and I discovered that I had a ground wire hooked before the pink in the switch which gave me a constant ground instead of one controlled by the switch. That constant ground kept the washer pump on all the time. I also took the old switch apart and cleaned it out and bent some of the contacts. It all works fine and the new switch worked fine also with no re-wiring. Has a few extra steps in it for the pulse set up, but it works if anyone needs to use a pulse switch.

 

Thanks for the update....the info could help other members

 

Was yours running at full signal all the time? I'm having a similar issue, maybe the exact issues you had. As soon as I turn the key on I can hear the pump humming, and see the hoses dribbling fluid. If I actuate the switch to maker the washer work, the wipers start and the pump begins to spray fluid with some pressure. If I turn the wipers off it goes back to a slight hum from the pump and dribbling from the hoses. I suspect I'm getting some kind of weak ground signal somewhere. When you say you had a ground wire hooked before the pink in the switch, do you mean inside the switch or in the pigtail? My switch is the flat-blade switch.

 

Hey I just saw this. If I recall my issue was I added a ground off of the washer pump in addition to the existing circuit. My car has a custom harness in it, and I added lots of redundant ground wires. Just in case. That was what caused the issue, not the switch itself. As I got into the switch more I discovered how the oem system of wiring the dash switch, the washer pump and the wiper motor was set up. So if your pump is working as soon as you turn on the car then I would suspect you have a ground connected wrong. That’s the best I can suggest. And welcome to the club. Happy New Year.