75 wipers stopped
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Race Director
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From: Danville Illinois
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75 wipers stopped
Coming back from BG in Indy and got 30 miles from home and the windshield wipers stopped
They are almost to the edge of the windshield, straight up/down.
Doing a quick check and i can hear clicking sounds coming from the wiper motor area when i try to operate the wiper switch, pushing the button in for the cleaning fluid still works even tho the wipers don't move.
Motor is about 3 years old. Wipers where working good for 1/2 hour before stopping.
They are almost to the edge of the windshield, straight up/down.Doing a quick check and i can hear clicking sounds coming from the wiper motor area when i try to operate the wiper switch, pushing the button in for the cleaning fluid still works even tho the wipers don't move.
Motor is about 3 years old. Wipers where working good for 1/2 hour before stopping.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
Coming back from BG in Indy and got 30 miles from home and the windshield wipers stopped They are almost to the edge of the windshield, straight up/down.
Doing a quick check and i can hear clicking sounds coming from the wiper motor area when i try to operate the wiper switch, pushing the button in for the cleaning fluid still works even tho the wipers don't move.
Motor is about 3 years old. Wipers where working good for 1/2 hour before stopping.
They are almost to the edge of the windshield, straight up/down.Doing a quick check and i can hear clicking sounds coming from the wiper motor area when i try to operate the wiper switch, pushing the button in for the cleaning fluid still works even tho the wipers don't move.
Motor is about 3 years old. Wipers where working good for 1/2 hour before stopping.
If you can move your wipers I would think the bell crank has come off of the motor.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,682
Likes: 696
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Finally got around to the wipers.
Test light hooked up to Alternator 12 volt post. Did not know that many grounds where there and at different positions on the switch and connectors.
Starting to check the red power wire to the motor and the wipers moved about 3-4 inches when i poked through the wire with the tester prong.
Is this because i completed the circuit? or because i shorted it out?
Will see if i can get the wipers parked before continue with the trouble shooting
Test light hooked up to Alternator 12 volt post. Did not know that many grounds where there and at different positions on the switch and connectors.
Starting to check the red power wire to the motor and the wipers moved about 3-4 inches when i poked through the wire with the tester prong.
Is this because i completed the circuit? or because i shorted it out?
Will see if i can get the wipers parked before continue with the trouble shooting
Last edited by Mod75; Jun 29, 2015 at 01:53 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,222
Likes: 93
From: shelbyville West Michigan
wilcox has motor testing process on youtube. he used to have it in a document but those have disappeared. anyway, you get power to motor +12v at all times when key is on.
motor grounded through switch to run. there are 2 field windings. switch grounds one for high and both for low (or other way around, forget exactly).
there is a park switch in there that temporarily completes the circuit and runs on low until it is parked, then disconnects ground...
if you jumped from alternator to the motor and it started, that means 2 things. it wasn't getting power before, and the motor is grounded. was key on? Was wiper switch on?
it is sounding like you need a new wiper motor. worn brushes or bad spot in the winding....
motor grounded through switch to run. there are 2 field windings. switch grounds one for high and both for low (or other way around, forget exactly).
there is a park switch in there that temporarily completes the circuit and runs on low until it is parked, then disconnects ground...
if you jumped from alternator to the motor and it started, that means 2 things. it wasn't getting power before, and the motor is grounded. was key on? Was wiper switch on?
it is sounding like you need a new wiper motor. worn brushes or bad spot in the winding....
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Charlotte NC
Poking around with a test light NOT knowing where to check can be dangerous on some circuits. I suggested for you to check and see if the ground wire was off the motor and the housing was grounded.....BUT....following Willcox test procedure will fill in all the blanks.
DUB
DUB
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
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2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Correct about it being dangerous and not knowing what one is checking.
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
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As stated above i am not an electrical person.
Up date, from a computer forum i belong to i received this article from 1999, i have contacted Mr. Pfanstiehl and got his permission to re post it.
It appears that there are many grounds depending as to what position the switch is in. So far, all checks show it is grounded correctly, and i will work on it again in the am.
Up date, from a computer forum i belong to i received this article from 1999, i have contacted Mr. Pfanstiehl and got his permission to re post it.
It appears that there are many grounds depending as to what position the switch is in. So far, all checks show it is grounded correctly, and i will work on it again in the am.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Charlotte NC
SIMPLE AS THAT!
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,682
Likes: 696
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Finally got back to work on the wipers, yes most of the info above was for 69/72 but helped somewhat.
I ended up with a new motor, while testing the old one i could get it to work randomly but that's about all, would run for a few seconds and stop again.
Figuring i had missed something i took the car to our local diagnostic place and they said its the motor also.
Thanks to all for your help and thanks to Wilcox for the videos.
This is Wilcox's video for the switch
This is Wilcox's video for 69/76 motor and relay
I ended up with a new motor, while testing the old one i could get it to work randomly but that's about all, would run for a few seconds and stop again.
Figuring i had missed something i took the car to our local diagnostic place and they said its the motor also.
Thanks to all for your help and thanks to Wilcox for the videos.
This is Wilcox's video for the switch
This is Wilcox's video for 69/76 motor and relay
Last edited by Mod75; Jul 1, 2015 at 03:22 PM.