Ack! My windshield wipers quit working!
01-27-03, 08:49 AM
#1
EX Pres of DFW Drunks
Thread Starter
Ack! My windshield wipers quit working!
Ok, on Saturday I was on the way back from helping 79+80 rx7 dig around the junkyard for a carb and it was raining and my windshield wipers stopped working about mid stroke! Ah fark!
Anyway... it seems like the linkage is binding. They started going slowly then started making a popat the end of each cycle when the direction changed, then they finally just stopped.
I beleive it to be a linkage issue because they still work if you tun the switch on and give them a little shove, it's like there just isn't enough force to push them up the hill or somethng...
Any guessed where to start before I go & tear into this? I was going to start with inspecting & lubricating the linkage, but if someone has been thru this before I'll take any hints you offer...
TIA
Anyway... it seems like the linkage is binding. They started going slowly then started making a popat the end of each cycle when the direction changed, then they finally just stopped.
I beleive it to be a linkage issue because they still work if you tun the switch on and give them a little shove, it's like there just isn't enough force to push them up the hill or somethng...
Any guessed where to start before I go & tear into this? I was going to start with inspecting & lubricating the linkage, but if someone has been thru this before I'll take any hints you offer...
TIA
01-27-03, 09:52 AM
#4
#1 get rainx.
#2 the motor could have seized. i have an extra set i gave james off that se i parted last spring. if you want, i'll see if i can sweet talk him into sending you the rack. other then that, open the center section and just take a look in to see if you can see any metal shining or anything that might have rubbed/is binding.
#2 the motor could have seized. i have an extra set i gave james off that se i parted last spring. if you want, i'll see if i can sweet talk him into sending you the rack. other then that, open the center section and just take a look in to see if you can see any metal shining or anything that might have rubbed/is binding.
01-27-03, 10:44 AM
#5
Senior Member
My motor seized about 2 years ago on the GSL. They ran real slow with a moaning sound, then it finally stopped working all together. Bought a replacement motor and linkage from Sun Auto Recycling (now out of business RIP) and all is well again.
01-27-03, 11:53 AM
#7
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Heh I helped my friend about 3 weeks ago switch out motors from the parts car to is car cause I didnt need it and what do you know but now my wipers have been slowing way way down and sometimes stopping. But all may be good cause I might be buying another parts car heh
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01-27-03, 02:58 PM
#8
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I just fixed this problem myself. I doubt that your problem was caused by the motor, but it might be burned out now if you never parked the wipers. I had to assist the wiper arms back to the park position.
The problem is from corrosion between the shafts that the wiper arms are bolted to, and the brass sleaves that they rotate in.
Remove the entire wiper assembly. Easy. Unbolt the wiper arms (14mm nut) from the shafts and pull the wiper arms off. There are then skinny, large nuts threaded on the shaft sleaves. Take those off. Remove the cowling in front of the windshield by removing all those screws on the front edge of it. Be careful of the wiper washer jets and hoses on it.
Unbolt the wiper motor and linkage assembly (4 bolts total, two on the front firewall, and two inside under the cowling. Unplug the motor carefully. You might have the plugs disintegrate due to UV, no big deal so long as the wires are intact.
Carefully push the driver's side shaft out of the hole and slide the motor/linkage assembly out.
The problem is typically not the linkage pivots, as they are all stainless ***** in plastic/nylon sockets. A bit of oil on them helps.
The real problem is the shafts. These are close fit inside a brass sleave, and if there was grease in there, it is long since dried up. The two dissimilar metals provide galvanic corrosion, and the close fit between shaft and sleave now becomes a pressed fit, unable to rotate.
So dissassemble the link arms from the bracket and motor. For this you have to remove the plastic spacers and nuts from the brass sleaves. You are then ready to remove the shafts from the sleaves.
To do this you have to carefully remove the snap ring that retains the shaft inside the sleave. Tiny, easily lost, easily bent out of shape ring. I needed some jewlers screwdrivers and tiny needle nose pliers to do it.
I then had to use a rotary tool to debur the end of the shaft, then I had to carefully press / pound the shaft out of the sleave. I did this by reinstalling the nut on the sleave that holds the sleave on the bracket (19mm nut), and tightening the lower nut against it so the two nuts had the threads locked, and I used these nuts for grabbing the sleave. Mine was severely locked up and stuck, so it took a little bit of effort. Some liquid wrench and soaking was in order.
After I had the shaft out of the sleave, I used my rotorary tool to polish the shaft and sleave bearing surfaces and remove all the corrosion. I then repacked them with grease, oiled and greased everything, reassembled everything and put it back in the car.
The result is that my wipers work like new again. I'd bet that 9 out of 10 wiper problems are from corrosion here. I'm going to periodically put a couple drops of gear oil on the shafts / sleaves in the future to prevent this. (have to remove the wiper arms for this is all.)
If your wiper ever dies in mid stroke, do what you can to return them to the park position, since this will burn out the wiper motor and they aren't cheap.
Hope this helps, it made an amazing difference for me.
The problem is from corrosion between the shafts that the wiper arms are bolted to, and the brass sleaves that they rotate in.
Remove the entire wiper assembly. Easy. Unbolt the wiper arms (14mm nut) from the shafts and pull the wiper arms off. There are then skinny, large nuts threaded on the shaft sleaves. Take those off. Remove the cowling in front of the windshield by removing all those screws on the front edge of it. Be careful of the wiper washer jets and hoses on it.
Unbolt the wiper motor and linkage assembly (4 bolts total, two on the front firewall, and two inside under the cowling. Unplug the motor carefully. You might have the plugs disintegrate due to UV, no big deal so long as the wires are intact.
Carefully push the driver's side shaft out of the hole and slide the motor/linkage assembly out.
The problem is typically not the linkage pivots, as they are all stainless ***** in plastic/nylon sockets. A bit of oil on them helps.
The real problem is the shafts. These are close fit inside a brass sleave, and if there was grease in there, it is long since dried up. The two dissimilar metals provide galvanic corrosion, and the close fit between shaft and sleave now becomes a pressed fit, unable to rotate.
So dissassemble the link arms from the bracket and motor. For this you have to remove the plastic spacers and nuts from the brass sleaves. You are then ready to remove the shafts from the sleaves.
To do this you have to carefully remove the snap ring that retains the shaft inside the sleave. Tiny, easily lost, easily bent out of shape ring. I needed some jewlers screwdrivers and tiny needle nose pliers to do it.
I then had to use a rotary tool to debur the end of the shaft, then I had to carefully press / pound the shaft out of the sleave. I did this by reinstalling the nut on the sleave that holds the sleave on the bracket (19mm nut), and tightening the lower nut against it so the two nuts had the threads locked, and I used these nuts for grabbing the sleave. Mine was severely locked up and stuck, so it took a little bit of effort. Some liquid wrench and soaking was in order.
After I had the shaft out of the sleave, I used my rotorary tool to polish the shaft and sleave bearing surfaces and remove all the corrosion. I then repacked them with grease, oiled and greased everything, reassembled everything and put it back in the car.
The result is that my wipers work like new again. I'd bet that 9 out of 10 wiper problems are from corrosion here. I'm going to periodically put a couple drops of gear oil on the shafts / sleaves in the future to prevent this. (have to remove the wiper arms for this is all.)
If your wiper ever dies in mid stroke, do what you can to return them to the park position, since this will burn out the wiper motor and they aren't cheap.
Hope this helps, it made an amazing difference for me.
01-27-03, 03:43 PM
#9
EX Pres of DFW Drunks
Thread Starter
excellent... this was about what I was expecting was the issue... No the motor had not yet burned up when I got home, so I'm not afraid there... Thanks for the post...
