I'm facing my annual safety inspection here in North Carolina, and my wipers have somehow stopped working. I admit that the last time I operated them was for last years inspection, and haven't checked them since. I have only done an initial assessment of the situation, but major troubleshooting will have to wait until later in the week.

I have pulled the 3-wire connector off the motor, and verified the presence of 12v on the yellow wire, and the 12v/ground on the light blue and light green at the appripriate switch positions. I have also measured 12v at the wiper override switch under the steering column. I do not have voltage at the wiper door switch, nor at the motor itself, on the solid red wire. I haven't pulled the connector off the wiper switch in the dash, but I can hear the relay clicking as I cycle the switch, and I know the switch has a good ground.

I noticed a fusible link in the wiring harness just under the wiper motor, The wiring diagram in the AIM doesn't show this in the wiper motor circuit, but I have learned not to take the AIM as gospel. Is this link in the wiper motor primary circuit? If not, any ideas where to look for the missing voltage?

Thanks, Shannon

 

I just got my wiper system working after finding that Bubba miswired the switch connector. When I bought the car everything worked, I installed new carpet soon after buying the car and also took out the center console for cleaning. When I reinstalled the console, I connected the the connector to the switch correctly. The connector can be put on backwards with a little effort but the switch has a little plastic finger sticking out from the back on the drivers side (as if looking at it in the installed position) that keeps you from installing the connector backwards. I bought a used switch and that didn't help and after troubleshooting it for half a day and figuring out how the switch should work, I decided, out of a whim, to place the switch connector on backwards and see what happens. Everything worked great!!! If you don't have 12 volts going through the door switch , ohm it out to see if it is good. I have heard here on the forum that the switch ohms good but the connection is bad. Try cleaning the connections on the door switch if it ohms good. My wiring diagram dosen't show a fusible link but my car is a 71. I think your door switch is the problem or the door switch connection. good luck.
John

P.S. I graduated from Apex High School Class of..................oh well....82 Damn has it been that long????? :lol: :lol:

 

Class of '82 in Apex NC? If you haven't been back in a while, you won't believe how things have changed.

Update on the wipers. If I activate the wiper switch, the wiper door does open, so I assume that the solenoid is OK behind the tach. I need to pull the switch to triple-check the orientation of the plug, but I'm 99.9% sure it's correct since I'm seeing the right voltages on the pins at the motor. I really think there's a problem in the 12v unfused supply somewhere.

Shannon

 

I don't have my wiring diagram handy, but if I remember correctly, I think the wiper motor is supposed to have 12V all the time and the switch completes the circuit by going to ground. Perhaps this will trigger a response from someone who knows for sure.

 

Shannon, if it's any consolation, a lot of places don't even check wipers anymore. When I bought my '69 last year and had it inspected, they just checked the lights, tires, and horn and slapped a sticker on it. If they had checked my wipers, I'd still be walking! Obviously you would like them to work, but don't let it keep you from trying to get it inspected as is.

Jeff Broughton

 

You are correct. Also the motor case needs a good ground as does the switch in the console. You can use your ohm meter to check them to chassie ground or to the engine block...both shold be the same (if your engine block has a good ground wire). There is a single black wire coming off my motor on my 71 which is the motor case ground. This wire runs down to the heater blower motor to get its ground. Does your wiper work when you press the washer in? That is the problem I had, they would work when I pressed the washer only but not in Hi or Low position. I got my car inspected in this condition and I was pressing the washer while driving the car into the inspection bay. I also turned on the headlights and other stuff so the guy wouldn't get suspious!! HAHA

JSB69. I haven't been back to the area in about 10 years but when I got out of the USAF in 88 I lived in Cary for a few years and the place changed so much while I was in the AF I can't imagine what it looks like today.
Good luck Hope we are helping you.
John