Motor wont work and makes a clicking noise one time when you move the switch on. I'm hoping someone knows from the clicking noise whether the motor is bad or just wiring problem?

Everything worked perfect last time I used it maybe 8 months ago so not sure why it would just die sitting around not being used.

 

This is a starter trick, but try tapping on the housing of the wiper motor with a wooden handle, and then try the switch.

Check fuses. Even though a fuse has failed it may look fine and have intermittent operation.

Also, use a DMM, and test the wires AT the motor. Turn the switch on and see if you have a 12V signal. Maybe run your own ground from the block or frame to make sure it's not a ground problem.

 

check the ground going to the wiper motor.

 

Good ideas. I was playing with the ground cause I thought that had to be the problem, but no change.

I'm also wondering if it could be the switch.

 

Wilcox has a nice schematic of how to test the motor also which I found doing a search.

 

I am having the exact same prob on my 79.

 

I just replaced my wiper motor with one from NAPA. I think it was around $60.00.

 

Surfer69:

This is an easy motor to test before removing!

People, please remember this! If I had to take a guess at how many wiper motors were replaced that were not bad I would have to put it in the rage of 90 percent.

The wiper motors are easy to test on the car without removing a thing! The test pasted below will work on just about any three wire wiper motor. If the wiper motor test good, then send me an email to Willcoxcustomerservice@willcoxcorvette.c om (please don’t us the PM or the direct forum mail, it will not get to me). Well figure this out; you can’t have a problem on this system that I have not addressed in the past. (Oh, always make sure you have your over ride **** in the on setting before you do anything, this just happened to a customer of ours the other day).

Sincerely

Willcox Inc.



For testing the wiper motor, use the test listed in the lower right of this picture.

 

Same here on my 82. I figured that since I could operate the switch and I could hear a click at the wiper relay and at the motor, it must be the motor.

Replaced the motor. That was it.

$54 at Advance Auto Parts.

 

Timscott,

Try the test, if it fails then replace the motor.

Willcox Inc.

 

OK, I win the idiot of the year award. Like Wilcox has stated, I thought there is no way this motor is bad out of the blue like this. So sure enough, somehow the overide/stop switch under the steering was set to off so the wipers wouldnt work. I still have the **** down there so once I turned it everything worked fine.

I probably waisted 3 hours but using the schematic I noticed no power to the RW wire which is suppose to be hot all the time. That lead me to think about the switch. At least I didnt drop $150 on new motor. Sorry for the waist of time.

 

OK,, get this, When I purchased my vette (69) , I had the same problem. Bought a new wiper motor. Here's the catch.. No such switch under the dash. Nothing, no connectors. Bought a switch to see what connector might fit but I spent hours searching. I think someone moved the wires because the vacuume release has been remounted by the instrument cluster. Can't find the previous owner so I'm hoping someone will have a brilliant suggestion. Or - it never rains...

Help>>

 

Sounds to me like someone bypassed the switch. The main motor power feed comes through this switch and it should be a red with a white strip wire.

If the wiper motor is not working, go to the red/white wire and see if you have power on it.

If not power, then try to find out where the wire goes too! The purpose of the switch under the steering column is so you can turn off the motor to change the wiper blades. Turning the **** to the off position while the blades sweep will stop them dead in their tracks so you can remove them.

If you don’t have power running to the motor it will not run! You can use the test procedure listed on our web site to check the motor, but you will still need 12 volts running to the motor to do this.

You should purchase an assembly manual if you don’t have one, (in our forum sale section) and from there we can figure this out.

The main red wire that powers up the wiper motor runs from the headlamp switch connection down to the wiper override switch and then straight to the wiper motor. Without this switch and no power source you will not have wipers.

Not to take this offline, but you should email me at willcoxcustomerservice@willcoxcorvette.c om and I can help you figure this out. I’m limited as to how much time I can spend on the computer, but if you email me I will email you back as soon as possible.

Regards,

Willcox Inc.

 

That's how I found out about the switch, I checked for power in the red/white wire and there was none.

 

Fixed it!! You sent me in the right direction. I traced the red/white wire
as mentioed. Some previous owner had disconnected the wire from the wiper motor and attached it to another wire going somewhere inside the firewall. I unwrapped the electrical tape and reattached the connector to the wiper motor per your drawing. Nothing, but I knew I had to be getting close. I double checked the ground and nothing at ground so I jumped the ground lead to the engine block and it worked. Both speeds & park worked like a charm. I ran a perminent ground from the engine block to the wiper motor ground and it's up and running the way it should. Now I'll have to follow bubbas extra wire to find out where it leads, that should be interesting.
Thanks for your help. One less problem to deal with..


Mike