Wiper Door won't Close
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1st Gear
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1
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From: Johnstown Pa
Wiper Door won't Close
Hello. And Happy Independence Day!
My first post of what is sure to many...
Recently purchased a 1969 Coupe. Great car. 74000 miles. 350/350 hp, 4 speed. The Wiper door will not Close. It moves. I can push it shut. I removed the door and the vent in front of it. (And yes I snapped of one of the shoulder bolts) #$@&%!. This looks complicated. And it also looks expensive.
Pat
My first post of what is sure to many...
Recently purchased a 1969 Coupe. Great car. 74000 miles. 350/350 hp, 4 speed. The Wiper door will not Close. It moves. I can push it shut. I removed the door and the vent in front of it. (And yes I snapped of one of the shoulder bolts) #$@&%!. This looks complicated. And it also looks expensive.
Pat
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Moving this to C3 Tech.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Pat,
Welcome!
A 69 350/350! VERY nice!
The headlight doors and wiper door can be a bit of a mystery!
Do the head light doors operate properly? Has the wiper door ever operated properly? Does it open normally when you turn the wipers back on after closing it??
Below the steering column there are 3 controls. A **** in the center and a 'stalk' on each side of it. The stalk on the right is the vacuum override for the wiper door. When it's pulled down the wiper door remains open under all conditions. Is it pulled?
There's a vacuum relay mounted on the rear of the right side apron. It controls the vacuum flow to the wiper for actuator. It should have a small hose and 3 large hoses attached to it? Does it?
The wiper door actuator should have 2 large hoses attached to it, (one in front and one in back), are they there?
In the wiper bay under the right-side wiper transmission is a wiper safety valve. It should have 3 hoses attached to it. Are they there? This valve controls the flow of vacuum to the relay and actuator to close the door UNTIL AFTER the wipers are fully down and are in the 'park' position. This COULD be the cause of your problem.
Do you have a small vacuum pump with a gauge that you can use to test the function of the parts?
Do you have a Chassis Service Manual and/or any kind of trouble shooting guide for the vacuum system?
So some questions first and then perhaps some suggestions. DON"T replace anything until you determine what's working and what isn't.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Here's the safety valve and the lever on the wiper transmission that pushes the switch's plunger to signal the wiper relay to close the door.
Welcome!
A 69 350/350! VERY nice!
The headlight doors and wiper door can be a bit of a mystery!
Do the head light doors operate properly? Has the wiper door ever operated properly? Does it open normally when you turn the wipers back on after closing it??
Below the steering column there are 3 controls. A **** in the center and a 'stalk' on each side of it. The stalk on the right is the vacuum override for the wiper door. When it's pulled down the wiper door remains open under all conditions. Is it pulled?
There's a vacuum relay mounted on the rear of the right side apron. It controls the vacuum flow to the wiper for actuator. It should have a small hose and 3 large hoses attached to it? Does it?
The wiper door actuator should have 2 large hoses attached to it, (one in front and one in back), are they there?
In the wiper bay under the right-side wiper transmission is a wiper safety valve. It should have 3 hoses attached to it. Are they there? This valve controls the flow of vacuum to the relay and actuator to close the door UNTIL AFTER the wipers are fully down and are in the 'park' position. This COULD be the cause of your problem.
Do you have a small vacuum pump with a gauge that you can use to test the function of the parts?
Do you have a Chassis Service Manual and/or any kind of trouble shooting guide for the vacuum system?
So some questions first and then perhaps some suggestions. DON"T replace anything until you determine what's working and what isn't.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Here's the safety valve and the lever on the wiper transmission that pushes the switch's plunger to signal the wiper relay to close the door.
Last edited by Alan 71; Jul 4, 2017 at 09:23 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
Don't snap off any more shoulder bolts!!! Those things are very weak...especially after sitting there for 40 years. You MUST soak them in rust penetrant for a few days (adding more each day) in order to have any chance of successfully removing those shoulder bolts. Even after that, apply removal torque very sparingly to them. They will either accept a LITTLE bit of load, then loosen. Or they will accept TOO MUCH and snap off. 
Repairing the wiper door due to snapped off bolt shanks is a PITA and must be done correctly or proper alignment with the linkage will be lost and the door will just bind up.
Send me a PM if you need to drill/tap to repair the wiper door.
Repairing the wiper door due to snapped off bolt shanks is a PITA and must be done correctly or proper alignment with the linkage will be lost and the door will just bind up.
Send me a PM if you need to drill/tap to repair the wiper door.
