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Wiper motor question

Steve Blair

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2022
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Location
St Cloud, MN
Hello everyone!
I had my wiper motor rebuilt before installing it in my car so I expected it to work perfectly, I ran the motor without the wiper arms attached just so I didn't mess anything up and I noticed the wipers stop as soon as I turn the wiper switch off not returning to park. I grounded the motor and wiper switch so I know the grounds are good, my understanding is the motor has a device built into it to return the wipers to park, anyone have experience with this issue? The car was a basket case when I bought it so I have no idea how the wipers worked before I purchased the car. The wiper switch is a variable speed switch and the wiper runs accordingly it just never returns to park! Any ideas are appreciated!
Thanks
 
Is it a 3 speed/variable speed wiper motor. If yes, try a test of the motor first (see my video). This could be done in the car, just jumper/connect the correct colored wires. I used a high output power supply, most people use a car battery. If that checks out I'd say it's your variable switch.
 
Yes.There are spiral contacts inside that park it. Can be accessed under the cover. broke or bent

20200402_160552.jpg
 
Last edited:
Thanks for responding guys! I ran a park test by running a jumper wire from the green lead on the wiper motor to the brown wire and connected the red lead on the wiper motor to ground and the blue wiper wire to the positive lead on the battery with nothing happening. I pulled the wiper motor off the car and pulled the cover off the motor, it looked like the person who I paid to rebuild the motor totally missed the park pawl (I'm not sure what it's called) under the cover when they installed the cover. I replaced the cover making sure everything was where it belonged and reinstalled the wiper motor on the car connecting the wiper arms and wiring. I turned the key on and HALLELUJA the wiper motor returned to park and works as it should now! Thanks for getting back to me, the wipers are working as they should now!
Thank you!
 
Thanks for responding guys! I ran a park test by running a jumper wire from the green lead on the wiper motor to the brown wire and connected the red lead on the wiper motor to ground and the blue wiper wire to the positive lead on the battery with nothing happening. I pulled the wiper motor off the car and pulled the cover off the motor, it looked like the person who I paid to rebuild the motor totally missed the park pawl (I'm not sure what it's called) under the cover when they installed the cover. I replaced the cover making sure everything was where it belonged and reinstalled the wiper motor on the car connecting the wiper arms and wiring. I turned the key on and HALLELUJA the wiper motor returned to park and works as it should now! Thanks for getting back to me, the wipers are working as they should now!
Thank you!
Steve, you should let the person who did the rebuild know what you had to do. Did they run a test on it before sending it out?
 
I would let them know but I've done a poor job with my receipts. If I find the receipt I will make them aware of my issues with the job they did. They were a rebuild service I found on line, I'll have to see if I can find the receipt. I'm sure they didn't test it before sending it back to me or they would have seen it didn't park (it ran but didn't park). They did a poor job testing their work if they tested it!

Have a good evening!
 
Never in a million years would I have guessed that a rebuilt motor would be missing internals. I don't know who you used but the reputable ones in that business never would have made such a mistake (I hope).

WprGear.jpg
 
Yup, they totally missed connecting the arm on the wiper cover to the slot in the metal arm on the wiper gear (they couldn't have done much of a test when they were done!). When I find my receipt for the rebuild I will post the information on the E Bodies forum. If I remember correctly I paid about $280 for the rebuild and I wonder what I got for the money?
 
Hello everyone!
I had my wiper motor rebuilt before installing it in my car so I expected it to work perfectly, I ran the motor without the wiper arms attached just so I didn't mess anything up and I noticed the wipers stop as soon as I turn the wiper switch off not returning to park. I grounded the motor and wiper switch so I know the grounds are good, my understanding is the motor has a device built into it to return the wipers to park, anyone have experience with this issue? The car was a basket case when I bought it so I have no idea how the wipers worked before I purchased the car. The wiper switch is a variable speed switch and the wiper runs accordingly it just never returns to park! Any ideas are appreciated!
Thanks
 
How long have you had the motor if they are dormant for any length time or bounced around on a mail truck the switch on the inside can get corroded or moved and not function.
When the switch plate is installed on the motor it needs to be clocked which requires the internals to be in a designated location. it also requires the switch plate to be in a designated Once it is turned on everything changes

4786.jpeg
 
None of the parts were missing, the person who rebuilt the motor for me just missed putting the cover on correctly (they missed what I call the park pawl).
 
I removed the cover and noticed the arm on the cover was not in the space it fit into on the motor, nothing was corroded or broken it just looked like the arm was out of place so as I replaced the cover I made sure the arm on the cover was inserted into the square space on the motor and that the metal band that part of a switch was on what I figured was the correct side of the center post. After I put the cover back on I put the motor back on the car and ran it using the switch on the dash and it appeared to run both directions and park when the switch on the dash was turned off. If I don't locate the receipt for the rebuild it might be a good idea to have someone reputable to take a look at the motor just to make sure it's assembled correctly...
 
Hello everyone!
I had my wiper motor rebuilt before installing it in my car so I expected it to work perfectly, I ran the motor without the wiper arms attached just so I didn't mess anything up and I noticed the wipers stop as soon as I turn the wiper switch off not returning to park. I grounded the motor and wiper switch so I know the grounds are good, my understanding is the motor has a device built into it to return the wipers to park, anyone have experience with this issue? The car was a basket case when I bought it so I have no idea how the wipers worked before I purchased the car. The wiper switch is a variable speed switch and the wiper runs accordingly it just never returns to park! Any ideas are appreciated!
Thanks
Could ne in your switch?
 
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