68 Electrical Starting Problems
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
68 Electrical Starting Problems
This recently-purchased convertible would not start as delivered. Pretty but not much fun. Starter drive gear was partially stripped and battery continually drained. Chevy dealer put a battery in it and returned to son Tony. Same problems persisted. I visited and found that wiper door was draining the battery. I disabled wiper door electric drains and drove the car several days with no problems. Don't need wipers with a convertible, right? Anyway, I had to leave to other end of country and recommended non-mechanical Tony to get someone to replace drive. He removed starter before removing the solenoid wires. And starter was left hanging for a bit. Starter was taken to a shop, drive replaced and bench tested. When re-installed, they heard a whirr noise. Disconneted battery and noise stopped. Reconnected battery and starter worked but smoke coming from under hood. It appears that black wire to blower and wiper motor had dead short - all insulation melted. I'm a Mustang guy (sorry) but I remember from good old days of dropping Chevy starters with never a problem after. Anyone heard of this and potential damage created? What about straightforward repair?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,034
Likes: 503
From: myrtle beach sc
Army
The 68 wiper system wiring is a one year only design. They have power to the wiper motor all of the time, even with the key in the off position! Many 68's have caught on fire. Lou.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
The wire (black)to the blower motor and wiper is a ground, put it on the starter bolt. Thats not the cars fault. The wipers on 68 are wired different, changed the next year. If you dont turn them off and let the system cycle and shut down, the wiper will draw current and run the battery down. That is a quirk of 68.
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,573
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From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
The wire (black)to the blower motor and wiper is a ground, put it on the starter bolt. Thats not the cars fault. The wipers on 68 are wired different, changed the next year. If you dont turn them off and let the system cycle and shut down, the wiper will draw current and run the battery down. That is a quirk of 68.
I found 4 bad splices/2 wires in the bundle partially melted together/blower ground wire badly grounded.....
It took me two days to repair/replace damaged wiring/add a frame ground from the starter housing to the frame (the wiper door & wiring was already removed long ago).....now there is no battery drain/starter works like new(after shimming the starter to keep the gear-teeth from grinding)....no more intermittent smoke from the wiper motor after properly grounding it----wipers work & park like new.
IT WAS ALL VERY AGGRAVATING AT FIRST....BUT IT "GAVE UP" BEFORE I DID-----ADVIL CAME IN USEFUL ALSO!
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
The wire (black)to the blower motor and wiper is a ground, put it on the starter bolt. Thats not the cars fault. The wipers on 68 are wired different, changed the next year. If you dont turn them off and let the system cycle and shut down, the wiper will draw current and run the battery down. That is a quirk of 68.
I have learned that the wiper/door design is unique and not a simple design.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Car is in a remote location so I don't know for sure where that ground wire is installed. I will have to see if someone will take a look. Hard to believe someone installed a hot ground wire on hot location. If that's what happened, makes sense. Thanks.
I have learned that the wiper/door design is unique and not a simple design.
I have learned that the wiper/door design is unique and not a simple design.
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2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,573
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From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
True! There are no 45 year old counter-employees at dealerships in my area.....LOL