I have an 82 Berlenetta. The wipers have decided that they want to work sometimes. I only had a chance to take a brief look at it and i did notice some hoses going to it. I assume that was for the washers but I thought it best to check.

I assume I have a bad motor but I am definitely open to any other suspicions you might think could be causing the problem. When I first turn them on (its worse when its cold), The windshield wipers don't turn on right away. Usually after a few minutes they will come to life and will work fine. I can turn them off and back on without issue while driving once they start. The problem isn't noticed again until the car has been parked for a while. It is usually days if not weeks until they get used again. We don't get much rain here.

Is the system completely electrical? Is there a vacuum component required to make the wipers come on? Have any of you had this problem as well?

Thank you

 

It is completely electrical.

Yes it happens ALL THE TIME, to all GM cars of that vintage. It's a VERY BAD design feature. But VERY EEEEEEZY to fix.

Try running a wire from any convenient screw on the body of the motor, NOT one of the ones that goes into plastic, to any convenient point on the firewall. Reason being, the only ground the motor has, is a little copper strap that goes across one of the rubber mounting bushings; and when the rubber deteriorates, the copper on longer touches the mounting ear of the motor, and no more ground.

Most cars, the symptom is, they work when they feel like it and that isn't real often; and they might change their mind at any moment and just stop randomly anywhere in their arc. But what you're describing is common too.

 

thank you for the suggestion. I will give it a try.