Advice on wiper mechanism
Discussion
Planning to overhaul the wiper system and seeking advice on all the parts needed to order in advance.
Problem:
- wipers stop mid screen in intermittent setting with the wipers tilted up off the screen (park switch definitely but should I change the connector block too?)
- intermittent setting wipes much, much slower than normal speed. (Motor?)
- high speed setting does not work at all whether the wipers are touching the screen or tilted up off the screen. When high speed is selected, the wipers stop immediately wherever position they are in mid screen. Checked and there's power to the block (which parts to change?)
- screen wash disappears when driving after brimming the reservoir. The wash is working fine when testing in stationary and the system holds the screen wash with no obvious water gashing out from the top or bottom when testing in stationary. Which parts may be suspected and where I should be looking for leaks?
Good bit:
- normal speed works perfectly and the wipers can wipe across dry screen in normal speed setting.
Part list:
- park switch (definitely)
- connector block with the park switch?
- slow intermittent setting wipe speed - new motor?
- high speed not work - new motor?
- any other parts to change while in at it?
Car is Chimaera 400HC with the motor at the base of the passenger side windscreen.
What I don't understand is whether the motor is dying, because the normal speed works perfectly. So far I am only using the normal speed and not the other two. A pain but not the end of the world.
I am hoping to spend Christmas and New year to get the other two settings working but no time before or after - hence the plan to order all the parts needed now before part suppliers close for Christmas to New year.
Cheers in advance!!
G
Problem:
- wipers stop mid screen in intermittent setting with the wipers tilted up off the screen (park switch definitely but should I change the connector block too?)
- intermittent setting wipes much, much slower than normal speed. (Motor?)
- high speed setting does not work at all whether the wipers are touching the screen or tilted up off the screen. When high speed is selected, the wipers stop immediately wherever position they are in mid screen. Checked and there's power to the block (which parts to change?)
- screen wash disappears when driving after brimming the reservoir. The wash is working fine when testing in stationary and the system holds the screen wash with no obvious water gashing out from the top or bottom when testing in stationary. Which parts may be suspected and where I should be looking for leaks?
Good bit:
- normal speed works perfectly and the wipers can wipe across dry screen in normal speed setting.
Part list:
- park switch (definitely)
- connector block with the park switch?
- slow intermittent setting wipe speed - new motor?
- high speed not work - new motor?
- any other parts to change while in at it?
Car is Chimaera 400HC with the motor at the base of the passenger side windscreen.
What I don't understand is whether the motor is dying, because the normal speed works perfectly. So far I am only using the normal speed and not the other two. A pain but not the end of the world.
I am hoping to spend Christmas and New year to get the other two settings working but no time before or after - hence the plan to order all the parts needed now before part suppliers close for Christmas to New year.
Cheers in advance!!
G
Plenty of help here https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
There is something strange happening with your wiper circuit, the intermittent wipe part of the circuit operates the first speed which you mention is working ok
There is something strange happening with your wiper circuit, the intermittent wipe part of the circuit operates the first speed which you mention is working ok
If the wipers work on speed 1 then the motor is working okay. As it stops on speed 2 that is either the wiper stalk or the brush inside the motor that is making no contact, in my case due to lack of use.
Undo the 13mm nuts that hold the wiper motor down on the clamp.
Tilt up the motor and use a piece of wood or a screwdriver handle to hold it there.
Disconnect the park switch and remove for cleaning or replacement.
Undo the 2 small 8mm (or 7mm) bolts on the end cover and pull them out. They are long so if seized they may shear off so be careful.
Use a small screwdriver and gently lever the cover back and carefully lift off. There is a small ball bearing in the centre of the cap so don't let it fall out and be lost.
Holding the gearbox side pull the outer tube off the assembly. It is held by magnets so it needs a good effort to remove it.
The centre rotor can be removed by unscrewing it from the gearbox. It has a coarse thread on the end that meshes with the wheel in the gearbox. That is accessed by undoing the 4 small bolts on the top of it. Its worth cleaning out all the old grease and applying some new stuff.
As you dismantle the wiper motor, you will see the coloured wires are attached to a plate. This plate has 3 small carbon brushes on it. They sit in recesses and must be able to slide freely. Use a small screwdriver to ensure they move easily and do not stick.
Ensure the brushes are sound, not cracked or broken off and have a smooth face that touches the rotor.
Where they touch the rotor its worth cleaning the slot between the segments with a pin/needle to remove any trapped carbon dust.
While the motor is off check there is no resistance in the wiper linkage assembly. With the blades off the screen move the arms. If there is resistance the spindles may be corroded. This will involve more serious work.
Reassemble screwing the rotor back into the gearbox, push the tube on and then the tricky part.
You need to lubricate the bearing in the end cap where the ball bearing is and some light grease will hold the ball in place.
As you push the plate on you have to very gently slide the brushes one by one outwards and push the plate inwards. Make sure all 3 - 2 large and 1 small (at the bottom) spring back into contact with the rotor.
Reassemble and before operating make sure the arms are off the screen as the park position may be different.
Its much easier than all this sounds. TVR Parts online sell an uprated motor that they claim works like a modern car and someone on here vouched for that. It is quite expensive though, almost £200.
Undo the 13mm nuts that hold the wiper motor down on the clamp.
Tilt up the motor and use a piece of wood or a screwdriver handle to hold it there.
Disconnect the park switch and remove for cleaning or replacement.
Undo the 2 small 8mm (or 7mm) bolts on the end cover and pull them out. They are long so if seized they may shear off so be careful.
Use a small screwdriver and gently lever the cover back and carefully lift off. There is a small ball bearing in the centre of the cap so don't let it fall out and be lost.
Holding the gearbox side pull the outer tube off the assembly. It is held by magnets so it needs a good effort to remove it.
The centre rotor can be removed by unscrewing it from the gearbox. It has a coarse thread on the end that meshes with the wheel in the gearbox. That is accessed by undoing the 4 small bolts on the top of it. Its worth cleaning out all the old grease and applying some new stuff.
As you dismantle the wiper motor, you will see the coloured wires are attached to a plate. This plate has 3 small carbon brushes on it. They sit in recesses and must be able to slide freely. Use a small screwdriver to ensure they move easily and do not stick.
Ensure the brushes are sound, not cracked or broken off and have a smooth face that touches the rotor.
Where they touch the rotor its worth cleaning the slot between the segments with a pin/needle to remove any trapped carbon dust.
While the motor is off check there is no resistance in the wiper linkage assembly. With the blades off the screen move the arms. If there is resistance the spindles may be corroded. This will involve more serious work.
Reassemble screwing the rotor back into the gearbox, push the tube on and then the tricky part.
You need to lubricate the bearing in the end cap where the ball bearing is and some light grease will hold the ball in place.
As you push the plate on you have to very gently slide the brushes one by one outwards and push the plate inwards. Make sure all 3 - 2 large and 1 small (at the bottom) spring back into contact with the rotor.
Reassemble and before operating make sure the arms are off the screen as the park position may be different.
Its much easier than all this sounds. TVR Parts online sell an uprated motor that they claim works like a modern car and someone on here vouched for that. It is quite expensive though, almost £200.
Mine was very poor back in the spring. I started by replacing the park switch, the old one was very corroded. It's a land rover part and this is an example:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-DEFENDER-NEW...
It still wasn't very good so I replaced the brush box too:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lucas-LRW110-14W-27W-29...
f:0
You may be able to get them a bit better cheaper. I NEARLY lost the ball bearing in the end of the motor casing so be careful when the case comes away from the magnetized armature.
Still not brilliant but at least they got through the Mot test. Some Rain X on the windscreen will help too. Even after all this, mine struggle on a dry screen.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-DEFENDER-NEW...
It still wasn't very good so I replaced the brush box too:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lucas-LRW110-14W-27W-29...
f:0You may be able to get them a bit better cheaper. I NEARLY lost the ball bearing in the end of the motor casing so be careful when the case comes away from the magnetized armature.
Still not brilliant but at least they got through the Mot test. Some Rain X on the windscreen will help too. Even after all this, mine struggle on a dry screen.
Belle427 said:
I can confirm the TVR Parts replacement upgraded wiper motor is a cracking bit of kit, and although expensive it’s a must upgrade for me.
I’ve been out in the rain a few times lately and it’s a fantastic improvement.
I knew someone had done it but old age and all that....... I’ve been out in the rain a few times lately and it’s a fantastic improvement.
I also vouch for the TVR Parts replacement wiper motor, although iirc the long bolts holding the end plate on have to be removed to mate it with the gearbox. I had what sound like similar symptoms to the OP and found the fault(s) with both the park switch and the plastic gear wheel which had a few teeth worn out (I suspect through the wipers sticking at some point and the motor worm drive biting into the plastic teeth) but allowed the 2nd speed to run ok but not 1st, as the gear wheel actually runs in opposite rotation for each speed, i.e. 1st speed is anti clockwise, 2nd speed is clockwise, if you see what I mean.
Edited by Richard 858 on Saturday 8th December 19:30
Richard 858 said:
I also vouch for the TVR Parts replacement wiper motor, although iirc the long bolts holding the end plate on have to be removed to mate it with the gearbox. I had what sound like similar symptoms to the OP and found the fault(s) with both the park switch and the plastic gear wheel which had a few teeth worn out (I suspect through the wipers sticking at some point and the motor worm drive biting into the plastic teeth) but allowed the 2nd speed to run ok but not 1st, as the gear wheel actually runs in opposite rotation for each speed, i.e. 1st speed is anti clockwise, 2nd speed is clockwise, if you see what I mean.
The gear wheel should be running in the same direction for intermittent, 1st, 2nd speed and parkEdited by Richard 858 on Saturday 8th December 19:30
I doubt very much that someone has fitted and wired a back-up and park mechanism and circuit to your car
hygt2 said:
New park switch and connector block fixed all the problems except for the high speed.
The high speed now works (barely) rather than does not work at all. The speed 2 wipes at less than half of the speed of speed 1.
Any ideas?
Cheers
G
I suspect the 1st and 2nd speed cables are connected the wrong way round/around, you also need to be sure that the mechanism is not tight otherwise the new park switch will not last very longThe high speed now works (barely) rather than does not work at all. The speed 2 wipes at less than half of the speed of speed 1.
Any ideas?
Cheers
G
Penelope Stopit said:
I suspect the 1st and 2nd speed cables are connected the wrong way round/around, you also need to be sure that the mechanism is not tight otherwise the new park switch will not last very long
The intermittent is the same speed as speed 1. Speed 2 is barely moving compared to intermittent and speed 1 so does this mean the wiring is correct?
hygt2 said:
Penelope Stopit said:
I suspect the 1st and 2nd speed cables are connected the wrong way round/around, you also need to be sure that the mechanism is not tight otherwise the new park switch will not last very long
The intermittent is the same speed as speed 1. Speed 2 is barely moving compared to intermittent and speed 1 so does this mean the wiring is correct?In answer to your question, the speeds you are getting at present proves the wiring is incorrect
If the park switch loom side plug is original and all the cables are in the correct position and the wiper switch plug cables are in the correct position you will very likely find that the cables that come from the motor and connect to the park switch are incorrect
I'll be back shortly with some information
You are right that the first and second speed wires had been switched.
I guess the last owner did it because the first speed slowed to a stop and switching the wires kept the wipers working going for longer.
I'll try to clean up the gearbox and see it the first speed improves.
If not, would that be time for a new wiper motor? Or are there any other cheaper fixes?
I guess the last owner did it because the first speed slowed to a stop and switching the wires kept the wipers working going for longer.
I'll try to clean up the gearbox and see it the first speed improves.
If not, would that be time for a new wiper motor? Or are there any other cheaper fixes?
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