3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002) 1993-2002 Discussion including performance modifications and Technical Support Sections.
Sponsored by:

Have you ever tried to find a windshield wiper motor?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-14-12, 07:19 PM
  #1  
Constant threat

Thread Starter
 
bajaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: near Wichita, Kansas
Posts: 4,952
Received 35 Likes on 31 Posts
Have you ever tried to find a windshield wiper motor?

Advance Auto Parts.
no
O'Reilly's
no
Autozone
no
Autoparts Warehouse
no
AM Autoparts
no

Now, a 1995 929 motor LOOKS the same on some of the websites...anyone know if it IS?

Hell...I'm not really even sure if I have a problem. I drove FD today as it was only like 80 degrees, after weeks of 100+ temps. And of course, it rained. My wipers, on high, were about the same speed as most (new) cars are on low. On low, the blades juddered across my windshield. They just seem slow and weak. How do YOUR cars' wipers act?

And no, I have tried my local Mazda dealer nor Malloy yet...was looking for an option.

By the way, EVERYONE has scads of REAR wiper motors! Go figure.
Old 08-14-12, 07:43 PM
  #2  
Rotary Freak

iTrader: (5)
 
Tem120's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Miami
Posts: 2,824
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Originally Posted by bajaman
Advance Auto Parts.
no
O'Reilly's
no
Autozone
no
Autoparts Warehouse
no
AM Autoparts
no

Now, a 1995 929 motor LOOKS the same on some of the websites...anyone know if it IS?

Hell...I'm not really even sure if I have a problem. I drove FD today as it was only like 80 degrees, after weeks of 100+ temps. And of course, it rained. My wipers, on high, were about the same speed as most (new) cars are on low. On low, the blades juddered across my windshield. They just seem slow and weak. How do YOUR cars' wipers act?

And no, I have tried my local Mazda dealer nor Malloy yet...was looking for an option.

By the way, EVERYONE has scads of REAR wiper motors! Go figure.
Forum Members ? yes. try fritz Flynn , and Gringo Grande they may have what you need .
Old 08-14-12, 08:15 PM
  #3  
Lives on the Forum

iTrader: (6)
 
David Hayes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: FL
Posts: 6,505
Received 177 Likes on 120 Posts
Ray Crowe at Malloy told me I bought the last one in the US a few years ago.
Old 08-15-12, 07:47 AM
  #4  
Rotary Enthusiast

iTrader: (2)
 
CloudPump's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Toronto
Posts: 865
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
For Sale section on this board. Post a Wanted to Buy ad.

You'll find one in no time.

-Geoff
Old 08-15-12, 08:01 AM
  #5  
All out Track Freak!

iTrader: (263)
 
Fritz Flynn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Charlottesville VA 22901
Posts: 10,672
Received 412 Likes on 250 Posts
If you still need it I have some just shoot me a PM
Old 08-15-12, 08:07 AM
  #6  
rotorhead

iTrader: (3)
 
arghx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: cold
Posts: 16,182
Received 429 Likes on 263 Posts
I actually started looking into swapping an FC wiper motor into an FD a while back. but I never got far enough to execute the swap. There were a couple pins that needed to be moved around on the connector I believe and the mounting block is a little different.

I think the FC motor is better anyway (still not great though). The FD wiper motor is simply pathetic. The wipers move so slow.
Old 08-15-12, 08:47 AM
  #7  
1.5 Goodfella's Tall

iTrader: (97)
 
Gringo Grande's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 4,216
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Fritz and I have an amicable relationship (no homo). I definitely have one but since Fritz chimed in first please purchase from him, you will be very pleased with his service and part quality.
Old 08-15-12, 08:49 AM
  #8  
RX-7 Bad Ass

iTrader: (55)
 
DaleClark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 15,399
Received 2,437 Likes on 1,508 Posts
I think some of the fault of the FD wiper motor is the wiper switch - if you pull the wiper/headlight switch assembly off and open it up, there are exposed copper contacts that can get corroded and dirty. I haven't tried a before/after of cleaning the contacts, I just replaced the whole switch with a new one.

But, that might be worth trying. I doubt it's the motor itself.

Dale
Old 08-15-12, 10:17 AM
  #9  
Eh

iTrader: (56)
 
djseven's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 6,544
Received 333 Likes on 189 Posts
You are better off using RainX for when you are going over 20mph and just only use the wipers when basically sitting still. They are a joke, even when the motor is working correctly.
Old 08-22-12, 07:18 PM
  #10  
Constant threat

Thread Starter
 
bajaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: near Wichita, Kansas
Posts: 4,952
Received 35 Likes on 31 Posts
Thanks, guys.

Yeah, these new vehicles spoil you with their features. My new Mazda 6s is a pretty amazing piece of machinery, hell it has a rain sensing windshield with wipers that God himself must have made, they are so good.

I'm still wondering about that 929 motor. Heck, I may buy just to check it out and see...

Of course, it might not perform any better than what I've got.
Old 04-02-16, 05:50 PM
  #11  
Full Member

iTrader: (1)
 
almcbs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 101
Received 5 Likes on 4 Posts
Originally Posted by bajaman
Thanks, guys.

Yeah, these new vehicles spoil you with their features. My new Mazda 6s is a pretty amazing piece of machinery, hell it has a rain sensing windshield with wipers that God himself must have made, they are so good.

I'm still wondering about that 929 motor. Heck, I may buy just to check it out and see...

Of course, it might not perform any better than what I've got.
reviving an ancient thread lol. Did you every try this? or figure out a way to get them to move pass the speed of snail! ??
Old 04-03-16, 10:07 AM
  #12  
Moderator

iTrader: (3)
 
j9fd3s's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Posts: 30,792
Received 2,573 Likes on 1,829 Posts
Originally Posted by almcbs
reviving an ancient thread lol. Did you every try this? or figure out a way to get them to move pass the speed of snail! ??
i just looked at the parts catalog, and i noticed a couple of things. firstly the 929 motor looks like it mounts the same as the FD so maybe it would go into the FD bracket. second, there is a cold spec FD wiper motor, i'm not sure what we got in the US, but if we got the normal one, there is a bigger one. FD01 is normal, and FD02 is the cold spec.

third, in the 1st gen world, its very common for the wiper racks to seize up, so the first thing I would do with a slow wiping FD would be to pull the mechanism apart, clean and lube it all.

fourth, rain sensing wipers are probably possible. i thought about this for my rx8, as it was a feature offered in the later ones, so its somewhat of a bolt in. in the FD you'd need to do a little more wiring, but its possible. i ended up not doing it, because its a labor saving device, but its not like its hard to turn the wipers on once every 4 years
Old 04-03-16, 05:27 PM
  #13  
Constant threat

Thread Starter
 
bajaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: near Wichita, Kansas
Posts: 4,952
Received 35 Likes on 31 Posts
Hmmmm....I am intrigued by the "cold spec motor". I need to dig into that more.
I thought the same thing on the wiper rack as far as needing lubed, etc., but it moves very freely. It is just like the old motor is not up to the task these days.
Every time I think about REALLY getting into this, I realize I don't hardly drive the car enough to warrant the hassle. I mean...I think I put maybe 600 miles on it last year, you know?
Still...it is just kind of, I dunno...shitty...to go from these modern cars that are my daily drivers to my FD and see/deal with this wiper issue. The car is still SO phenomenal in so many aspects that it almost pains me to see it...weak?...in an area like the wipers.
Old 04-03-16, 07:01 PM
  #14  
Moderator

iTrader: (3)
 
j9fd3s's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Posts: 30,792
Received 2,573 Likes on 1,829 Posts
maybe try an Rx8 wiper motor?

we race a 99 miata, and we did a track day in the rain a few weekends ago, and with the wipers just ON, the thing would freeze up half way through a session, so we sprayed it down with WD40, because we were too lazy to pull it apart, and it actually helped a bunch.

even the miata is 20 years old
Old 04-04-16, 09:22 AM
  #15  
Original Gangster/Rotary!


iTrader: (213)
 
GoodfellaFD3S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FL-->NJ/NYC again!
Posts: 30,525
Received 538 Likes on 325 Posts
Talking

Simple solution..... don't drive in the rain

As part of the quest to convert my '95 BB PEP to R-model status, I had the rear wiper and squirter deleted, welded up and hatch repainted. I've also taken to removing the front wipers, keeping them in the rear hatch wrapped in a towel for emergencies, and liberal use of Rain-X (as per DJ from 2012). My friends think I'm nuts, but IMO the car just looks so much better without the front wipers:


Attached Thumbnails Have you ever tried to find a windshield wiper motor?-richbb95fikse10b.jpg  
Old 04-04-16, 08:59 PM
  #16  
10-8-10-8

 
SA3R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 845
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 7 Posts
My belief is the JDM and European market FD cars got the 'cold-spec' wiper motors.

I base this on my JDM car from Japan (and every other JDM RHD car I've ever imported and wrecked) having slightly different wiper motors to the Australian domestic FDs that were sold natively here in Australia.

I believe the Australian ones driving around me here, don't have the cold spec motor as Australia never gets cold enough.

The JDM RHD cars have different wiper motors, and this may be because Japan gets snow and it gets very cold over there in winter.
Old 04-05-16, 10:26 AM
  #17  
Spanking Pcars

iTrader: (4)
 
RedBaronII's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: DFW area
Posts: 1,084
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cool

I replaced to a new wiper motor like 8-10 years ago, wipers still SLOW.
I cleaned and lubricated the wiper rack and pin post completely, wipers still SLOW.
I recently installed a brand NEW wiper column switch (last one in the USA), wipers still SLOW.
I replaced front windshield (too pitted from tracking events), wipers still SLOW.
I replace wiper arms to a 2 inch shorter ones to reduce friction, wipers still SLOW.
Conclusion, 23 year old wiper technology/power.
These motors are not to the task in speed to rival new cars.
The fast setting is like a normal setting, but still SLOW by modern car standards.
The only solutions I see now is: adapting a newer technology/powerful wiper motor, Rain-X the hell out of the windshield or don't drive in the rain.
Old 04-05-16, 10:11 PM
  #18  
Moderator

iTrader: (3)
 
j9fd3s's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Posts: 30,792
Received 2,573 Likes on 1,829 Posts
Originally Posted by SA3R
My belief is the JDM and European market FD cars got the 'cold-spec' wiper motors.

I base this on my JDM car from Japan (and every other JDM RHD car I've ever imported and wrecked) having slightly different wiper motors to the Australian domestic FDs that were sold natively here in Australia.

I believe the Australian ones driving around me here, don't have the cold spec motor as Australia never gets cold enough.

The JDM RHD cars have different wiper motors, and this may be because Japan gets snow and it gets very cold over there in winter.
the JDM ones are F100 and F101. the transeration to engrish is Kanerichi oh except and Kanerichi... Ken Richey must live where its cold..
Old 04-09-16, 06:55 AM
  #19  
Constant threat

Thread Starter
 
bajaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: near Wichita, Kansas
Posts: 4,952
Received 35 Likes on 31 Posts
Originally Posted by GoodfellaFD3S
Simple solution..... don't drive in the rain

As part of the quest to convert my '95 BB PEP to R-model status, I had the rear wiper and squirter deleted, welded up and hatch repainted. I've also taken to removing the front wipers, keeping them in the rear hatch wrapped in a towel for emergencies, and liberal use of Rain-X (as per DJ from 2012). My friends think I'm nuts, but IMO the car just looks so much better without the front wipers:

Hmmmm...definitely 'cleaner' looking. Pretty wild how you don't notice really until you see the car without them.
Old 04-09-16, 08:04 AM
  #20  
Urban Combat Vet

iTrader: (16)
 
Sgtblue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Mid-west
Posts: 12,012
Received 862 Likes on 611 Posts
Like the OP and others I rarely use my wipers and when I do, they go pretty slow...initially. But if left on, they do seem to improve in speed. That said I've been a dedicated user of RainX on all my cars for years.

Thinking that in some states removing the wipers would be an inspection failure.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
andyvideopro
General Rotary Tech Support
2
08-11-15 09:16 PM



Quick Reply: Have you ever tried to find a windshield wiper motor?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:23 AM.