I would like to provide everyone a quick and easy method to prevent the windshield wiper motor from failing.
All last week it rained here in New England. Wouldn't you know it, just when you need them most the wiper system fails. Murphys lay prevails AGAIN!!! :mad

The wipers would come on and stop in mid sweep. Then they would work again sporatically every 5-10 minutes making 4 or 5 sweeps then stopping in mid sweep. Another thing that they failed to do is return to the park position when I shut them off.

I checked the wiper switch by removing it and testing it on our 02 Z. As murphys law strikes AGAIN, that proved the switch was good. All that is left to check was the motor.

Upon disassembly I found the following problems:

The passenger side wiper arm nut was rusted solid to the stem because water had leaked under the cap that seals this little well area. After an hour of soaking it in B Blaster and working the nut it came loose.
(LESSON #1) Remove the little protective caps on the wiper arms, remove the nuts and apply anti sieze to the threads and seal the well caps with black silicone RTV.

The problem was VERY obvious when I removed the cowling! :eek: The well that the motor sits in was FULL of water and most of the bottom of the motor (Thats where all of the electronic control circuits live) was under water. :mad

The cause of the water problem was about a pound of black nasty rotting tree junk was cloging up the THREE water drain spouts (commonly refered to as utters) and they were pluged solid.

How in the world does that stuff find it's way in there?? :confused:

LESSON# 2 Recommend that every time that you check your oil reach up under the area where the wiper motor resides, find the THREE utters and make sure that they are free and clear of tree trash or what ever finds its way into the drain area.

There is a very happy ending to the story! :D I was able to remove the cover off of the botton of the motor (about 2oz of water came out) flush the circuit board and the relays out with brake parts cleaner (marvelous stuff), dry the circuit board assembly under a heat lamp for an hour and reassemble it. I hooked it up and it worked! :thumbs: :thumbs:

I hope that through my problems and trouble shooting efforts that I am able to help you prevent a very expensive problem from ever happening.

Now I have to troubleshoot and repair a Throttle Acuator Control (TAC) module failure problem! :cuss :cuss Wish me luck!

Bill Curlee

 

Bill,
Thanks for the info, will check for clear drain holes next oil change. :thumbs:
Just put the battery mat in yesterday as preventative measure also .... easier to do preventative maint than pay for repairs...

 

thats why you shouldn't drive these cars in the rain ! :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :seeya

 

Ok,, I've had it with the damn mice! :mad As I was cleaning out the well under the windshield cowl with soap and water and rinsing all of the junk out with the hose, the other side of the well filled with water. To get to the drain utter on that side you have to remove the battery. Upon removal of the battery I found that the mice are using my car when I'm not!
There was about a hand full of empty acorns behind the battery and they chewed my battery insulator wrap to make nesting materials with.
Now grant it, they must be cool mice to live in corvetts but I have an old Volvo that they can have a BLAST with.
The drain utter was full of acorns. I have to find a way to keep those little buggers away from the Vetts.

I checked for battery leakage when the battery was removed and I am safe in that area. :thumbs: Now I have to figure out what is making the 1518 code pop up!

Bill C

 

Good thread. Good application of troubleshooting skills :cheers: Good timing for me. I'm fixing to install a new Champion XLT gel type battery. I'll look at the things you mentioned. Hey, those mice have good taste !

 

Thanks Bill.......just checked my wiper nuts, and the right hand side was slightly rusted. Removed them both, cleaned and replaced using a little anti-sieze. I'm going to have to look for those "utters" you mentioned.
It's a good thing you're a handy man.
Good luck with the Throttle Acuator Control

 

EXCELLENT!!! I just love the great and articulate info in this forum. Thanks for the info I will definetly check that one out for my wifes car was clogged and made a mess of the A/C vent system. I am not sure where it all is but I will find the areas in question and check it out. Then Marinsw was talking about a battery mat of some sort is it something you made up or something that you bought that will take the acid if the battery fails? Thanks again guys for the info!

 

mine never sees rain! i dont even have washer fluid!