Windshield Wiper Problem
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 78
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From: Austin TX
Windshield Wiper Problem
1982 Corvette
350
I am having trouble getting the windshield wiper to work. I can hot wire the motor and it will run, so the motor is fine. I have replaced the relay, but that did not solve the problem. I am thinking that it might be the intermittent wiper assembly board, but I don’t know how to test it. If it is that, then any ideas on where I can get one? I have searched but, I can not find it anywhere. Any suggestions on this would be greatly appreciated.
TIA,
CDM
350
I am having trouble getting the windshield wiper to work. I can hot wire the motor and it will run, so the motor is fine. I have replaced the relay, but that did not solve the problem. I am thinking that it might be the intermittent wiper assembly board, but I don’t know how to test it. If it is that, then any ideas on where I can get one? I have searched but, I can not find it anywhere. Any suggestions on this would be greatly appreciated.
TIA,
CDM
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
I started having this same problem this past summer and yet to get it fixed.
My mechanic was baffled because the switch seems to be working fine and we can jump the wiper motor to have it work fine while jumped. He was thinking maybe it's the circuit board in the wiper motor. I went to Autozone to order one since they didn't have a model for our exclusively rare Corvette's, while he looked it up he said that I would need to swap the circuit board from the old motor to the new one so I didn't order it
My mechanic was baffled because the switch seems to be working fine and we can jump the wiper motor to have it work fine while jumped. He was thinking maybe it's the circuit board in the wiper motor. I went to Autozone to order one since they didn't have a model for our exclusively rare Corvette's, while he looked it up he said that I would need to swap the circuit board from the old motor to the new one so I didn't order it
Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
From: Nottingham
I'm not totally sure from your post what the exact problem is, but if you've eliminated the motor and switch from being at fault, then it doesn't surprise me that it's the controller in the jack box behind the seat.... They seem to give up quite regularly!
You can't buy them new anymore, as far as I know. Having said that, with a bit of patience you can most likely fix yours. Make sure all the connections are good at the board and re-solder if necessary.
Is it the intermittent only that's giving you problems, or the whole range of speeds?
If intermittent only, the big power transistor is probably cooked. If it's all the speeds, then that sounds a bit trickier.. I've been all through the wipers on my 80, so gimme a bit more info about what exactly's happening (or not!) and hopefully we can sort it out...
Theo
You can't buy them new anymore, as far as I know. Having said that, with a bit of patience you can most likely fix yours. Make sure all the connections are good at the board and re-solder if necessary.
Is it the intermittent only that's giving you problems, or the whole range of speeds?
If intermittent only, the big power transistor is probably cooked. If it's all the speeds, then that sounds a bit trickier.. I've been all through the wipers on my 80, so gimme a bit more info about what exactly's happening (or not!) and hopefully we can sort it out...
Theo
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
Let me guess, your wiper/washer control box is dead. I'm willing to bet that GM's fiuberglass reinforced tape let loose, the plastic cover fell off the wiper control box and a metal object of some sort shorted against the circuit board. Bad news is, I think those boxes are discontinued.
Now, I've been thinking, my truck (83) has a very nice little box that does essentially the same as the big piece of junk in the rear of the vette, it's the size of a matchbox. Does anyone have the a schematic of what leads are on the controller & switch?? I have my switch and controller somewhere but can't find my schematic (I even rewired an older one to adapt to the later conenctor, wire colors are different but box is the same) ...but I was thinking, maybe it's pretty easy to adapt to the little box instead, saves a bunch of wires in the back also.
Now, I've been thinking, my truck (83) has a very nice little box that does essentially the same as the big piece of junk in the rear of the vette, it's the size of a matchbox. Does anyone have the a schematic of what leads are on the controller & switch?? I have my switch and controller somewhere but can't find my schematic (I even rewired an older one to adapt to the later conenctor, wire colors are different but box is the same) ...but I was thinking, maybe it's pretty easy to adapt to the little box instead, saves a bunch of wires in the back also.
Last edited by Twin_Turbo; Jan 5, 2005 at 06:52 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
Do other GM cars also have these wiper controllers or is this a Corvette only thing? Is it possible to maybe use a wiper motor or switch from a vintage Camaro and eliminate future headaches?
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