Wiper door problem
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
From: Boise,Idaho,U.S.A.
Wiper door problem
OK here is my problem. When I select my wipers on, The door does not open (I can here an electrical relay making contact). When I select the override switch under the steering column still nothing happens. I am assuming that I do have A vacuum related problem. When I pull the vacuum hose off the back side of the actuator I do have vacuum. Obveously I do not have vacuum on the foward side of the actuator ( I still have the override switch pulled). When I move the boot on the actuating rod part of the actuator out of the way (to actually see if the rod moves) and take the hose off the back part of the actuator and put it on the forward side I can see the actuator rod move into the actuator cannistor. However nothing else happens ( I kind of expected my door to open). The movement I seen was pretty slow. I know when these doors open it's usually pretty fast? Am I missing something here. And I did go to the corvettefaq. and that is how I got this far. Also ran out of time to work. Any suggestions and help would greatly appreciated! This is 
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 3
From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Test each part of the "vaccum" train. Get your wife/gf/mums vaccum cleaner and make up a simple vaccum source. Check that the actuator opens the door. You will need to remove both hoses off it and only apply to one side. Will it open when it has vaccum? If it does start working back. Look up where your feet go and make sure you haven't kicked apart a vaccum joint. Look for leaks under the dash.
Use a smoke generator (or a LP air source) and put air in the vaccum lines and see if there is a leak. If there are no leaks then either a relay or actuator is seized.
Its a painful experience but just take it one step at a time. Bad news - most of this stuff is big bucks. Good news - GM still sells the original DELCO vaccum relays and actuators. Dearer then the copies but made to last.
Good luck.
Pete
Use a smoke generator (or a LP air source) and put air in the vaccum lines and see if there is a leak. If there are no leaks then either a relay or actuator is seized.
Its a painful experience but just take it one step at a time. Bad news - most of this stuff is big bucks. Good news - GM still sells the original DELCO vaccum relays and actuators. Dearer then the copies but made to last.
Good luck.
Pete
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
From: Boise,Idaho,U.S.A.
Some quick info. On the start of this after summer when wipers are needed. I turn them on and the door opens However the wipers do not operate. I shut the switch off and then select back on and nothing operated. That is where I am at now.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi, welcome to the world of vacumm/electrical wiper door Vettes. 1)Your linkage must be disconnected/broken if the actuator rod moves and nothing else does. 2) the actuator seal may be bad. 3) the most common fault for the wipers not working when the door is open is a lack of ground. The most common loss of ground is a broken center gauge cluster bezel. There have been some excellent posts on trouble shooting these systems on the N.C.R.S. site.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 6
The actuator rod opens the wiper door by the rod moving toward the firewall. When it retracts back inside the actuator that would close the door.
Sounds as though you may have more than one problem. A common issue is the wiper switch itself. Then check the wiper motor. If you can confirm they are getting the volts needed to operate then you can move on the vacuum issues. Sounds like an actuator at minimum.
Others may have more specifics but it isn't usually an easy fix which is why so many don't work. It's tedious, time consuming and expensive as noted previously. It can be done as I have just done it with help from a mechanic as mine was in rough shape. If I had it to do over again I don't know that I would bother. I don't drive it in the rain (on purpose anyway). But it is cool to show people how it's supposed to work...
Good luck! Mark
Sounds as though you may have more than one problem. A common issue is the wiper switch itself. Then check the wiper motor. If you can confirm they are getting the volts needed to operate then you can move on the vacuum issues. Sounds like an actuator at minimum.
Others may have more specifics but it isn't usually an easy fix which is why so many don't work. It's tedious, time consuming and expensive as noted previously. It can be done as I have just done it with help from a mechanic as mine was in rough shape. If I had it to do over again I don't know that I would bother. I don't drive it in the rain (on purpose anyway). But it is cool to show people how it's supposed to work...
Good luck! Mark
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,562
Likes: 1
From: (Temporarily) Colorado Springs Colorado
This might help you ... it's for a 68 ... but should be close enough http://corvetteactioncenter.com/kb/q...n.php?qstId=53
Another great source is http://www.corvette-101.com/ click vacuum trouble.
Good luck and let us know what you found.
Another great source is http://www.corvette-101.com/ click vacuum trouble.
Good luck and let us know what you found.
