Car - 86 IROC with intermitent wipers. Just stopped working. No noises or clicks. We did get it to move a couple of inches by wiggling the blades but it only moved three times. Never went over the windshield though - only a couple of inches and back. Couldn't get it to move again. It seems to be stuck in the "ready to wipe" postion. Contacts are clean and the circuit board looks great. Ideas?

------------------
88 firebird formula
350 Vortec TBI
214int/224exh, .471int/.491exh
Edelbrock headers
SIX-speed
open 3.73's
2 1/4 stock catback
I love pissing those LS1's off
My Formula

 

Birmass,

Multiplex wiper transmission. Check the solenoid for the intermittnet holding clutch in the motor with an ohmmeter. The two-wire connector on the wiper transmission should have a purple and a yellow wire. nplug the connector and check the resistance of the coil for a reading of 18-24 ohms. The clutch is what interrupts the parking mechanism of the wiper transmission when in intermittent mode. If the clutch is holding, the pulse control should be delivering an impulse of about 1/3 second in duration on wire 95, a dark green wire at the wiper motor connector.

These things can be repaired, but are a royal PITA since you can't get repair parts easily. It might be easier to replace the unit with a reman if you find the problem is in the transmission.

------------------
Later,
Vader
------------------
"No matter how hard you try you can't stop us now"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0

 

My 87 camaro wipers were working fine, but my washer wasn't. I purchased a washer from Discount Auto for $18, reassembled, then my wipers would only move a limited distance. Smoke appeared and I found that the plastic wheel rod in the assembly had broken off. Now my wipers don't work eitherand I am not getting juice in the wiper assembly, and the car is at the mechanics since yesterday. As I sweat out the awaiting final bill, I can't believe that a simple washer repair has turned into this major disaster. Let me know if you have any good news.

 

Electrical mechanic took care of my wiper problem by replacing the wiper cover assembly that attaches to the wiper motor and contains the intermittent circuit board. The piece can only be purchased from GM and costs $90, but is very sensitive when installing. Thats why I burned the first one. Everythinh works now, $200 later with labor.

 

Run a short ground wire from a convenient screw somewhere on the motor assembly to one of the ground screws on the firewall... see if that helps. The motor is mounted on rubber bushings with a small brass strap across one of the bushings to ground it; over time the rubber compresses and wears out, the strap loses contact with the motor frame, and the wipers become intermittent or stop working altogether.

 

check ground at the firewall. i fixed an s-10 last month that way. best of luck, tom