67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

[Chuck G.]

It was running....both HI and LO speeds.

We turned it off using the switch, and the blades wouldn't park.

From that point on... we cannot get the motor to run.

This motor was rebuilt/restored about 4 years ago.

Seems I remember that if it doesn't park, somehow the internal "circuitry" is altered, and it won't start up again.

Any way to "park" these wipers? We do NOT want to get involved with removing the motor again, unless we have to.

We had the instrument cluster out. It's reinstalled. Everything works except............

We tested it electrically with a probe and a voltmeter, and all the wiring to the motor... and to the switch is correct.

[John M.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

Chuck,
Steve Hackle will know what's wrong; he specializes in these things.

http://restorationservice.net/

John

[Joe R.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

Chuck,

On the connector at the bottom +12 is the center lug. The lug away from the firewall can be grounded and the motor should run. Just run it and stop in the parked position. Sounds simple-may not be that simple but it should work. Call if you need any further assistance.

JR

[Leif A.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

It was running....both HI and LO speeds.

We turned it off using the switch, and the blades wouldn't park.

From that point on... we cannot get the motor to run.

This motor was rebuilt/restored about 4 years ago.

Seems I remember that if it doesn't park, somehow the internal "circuitry" is altered, and it won't start up again.

Any way to "park" these wipers? We do NOT want to get involved with removing the motor again, unless we have to.

We had the instrument cluster out. It's reinstalled. Everything works except............

We tested it electrically with a probe and a voltmeter, and all the wiring to the motor... and to the switch is correct.

I_know_this_will_sound_too_simplistic_but_have_you _checked_the_fuse??__Can't_use_space_bar_when_repl ying_with_quote.

[Chuck G.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

I_know_this_will_sound_too_simplistic_but_have_you _checked_the_fuse??__Can't_use_space_bar_when_repl ying_with_quote.

There is no specific fuse labelled "wiper motor". We checked every fuse in the block with a 12V probe, and had 12V on both sides of every fuse.

Everything else works.. heater blower, radio, cig lighter, inst. lamps, turn signals, 4 way flashers, etc. etc.



Every fuse in that panel checked out OK.

[Edward J.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

Chuck, It sounds as though the park switch is not operating, Its been awhile since I looked a wiper motor a part but believe there is a arm the sometimes sticks and needs lube, 4 years is enough time to have the grease harden if the old white grease was used. the best way to address this is remove the wiper motor, but if the pump and cover can be removed to access this.

[Chuck G.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

Edward... the space bar won't work when you "quote" a post.............

I can't make it up to the guy's house again today, but another Corvette buddy is going. We tried the direct wiring to no avail yesterday. 12V to the center lug and ground one or both of the outer lugs....... no luck. Not only did we not have any "luck" getting it to run, but there was no "hum", no "twitch", etc in the wiper motor.......... nothing.

My buddy is coming by the house later this morning to pick up a bag of goodies...... #90 lamps, a headlight limit switch, and a few black phosphate J nuts and screws............ I'll ask him to try hot wiring the motor again. I'll also ask him to WHACK that motor vigorously.

Seems like I recall that if the blades get stuck without parking, some internal electrical wiring connections screw up. IIRC, an electrical contact is lost internally.

We do not want to take this motor out if we don't have to.

We're a group of tired old men... 70 years old +/-. We're looking for an easy way out.

[Donald O.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

When you electrically tested the motor, was the motor still grounded? It needs to be, as well as the +12vdc in the center contact and then add the ground to either side for the motor to work.

Hope the motor is OK

DonO

[Roy S.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

Chuck this sounds very simplistic but often time is forgotten. the wiper motor on a Corvette is hot all the time. In other word when wired correctly it takes a ground to make it work and that is all it takes. If for some reason the ground is bad it will not work. With respect to not parking are you say it runs past park, or it never got to park before it quit? running past park can often be attributed to the grease if it conducts electricity in the least bit it will not shut off and keep running, don't ask me how I know. You need to use a good dielectric grease in the wiper motor assembly.

[Joe C.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

Chuck,

Check the "park pawl" in the motor. It's got a spring on it that can easily get lost.

[Chuck G.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

GOOD NEWS.

Thanks for all the replies. The "quote" function on the forum is broken, so I cannot cite individual posts.

As I previously stated, yesterday, we checked everything electrically, and all was OK.

I had other commitments today (Friday) and could not go up to my friend's house, but one of my other Corvette buddies did. Before he went up, he stopped by my house to pick up a few small items like courtesy light bulbs, J and U nuts, black phosphate screws, etc.

I gave him an additional item, a BFH. Now it was not technically a hammer, it was a rubber mallet. So, I should refer to it as a BFRM

My buddy just called. They BEAT on the motor, and it started working... but still wouldn't park. Whacking again produced the same results. After one whacking session, it finally parked. They left it that way and didn't mess with it again.

So, the problem is internal to the motor, and it will have to come out. This motor was rebuilt/restored about 4 years ago by a very reputable guy.

That's another project for another day.

[Timothy B.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

Chuck,

Same thing on my 67 car, had it restored and it worked fine but you know it never got exercised. I think it parked fine as both wipers are in the correct position but one day I tried it and the damn thing went on strike. Tried the jumper wires to ground so I bypassed the switch and still on strike. Tried talking nice to it then not so nice and still on strike but the BFRH idea may have Merit. :-)

Sorry for the error, Joe

[Joe C.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

Chuck,

Same thing on my 67 car, had it restored and it worked fine but you know it never got exercised. I think it parked fine as both wipers are in the correct position but one day I tried it and the damn thing went on strike. Tried the jumper wires to ground so I bypassed the switch and still on strike. Tried talking nice to it then not so nice and still on strike but the BFRH idea may have Merritt. :-)

The difference is that I restored mine myself, which is why it works so well...............

When I was in Catholic grammar school, the pastor of our church was Msgr. Merritt Purick.

There is also a Merritt Parkway that runs parallel to I95 in Connecticut.

[Chuck G.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

Chuck,

Same thing on my 67 car, had it restored and it worked fine but you know it never got exercised. I think it parked fine as both wipers are in the correct position but one day I tried it and the damn thing went on strike. Tried the jumper wires to ground so I bypassed the switch and still on strike. Tried talking nice to it then not so nice and still on strike but the BFRH idea may have Merritt. :-)

We're going to pull the motor out, Tim, probably after the first of the year. You can't always carry a BFRM with you.

I wasn't there for the "beatings", but I did speak to my buddy who was the "beater".

He whacked it hard, and it started to work. He then shut it off with the switch.... and it wouldn't park. It wouldn't start on its' own again either.

SO... it was whacked hard again......... same scenario.

After 3-4 whacking sessions, it finally parked, and he left it that way. Don't know if it'll start up again using the switch. I'm going up some day next week to finish up a few minor things under the instrument cluster. I might try starting it with the wiper switch. Nothing to lose, as we're going to pull the motor anyway.

[Donald O.]

Re: 67 Corvette Wiper Motor Will Not Park

Chuck
If you put 12vdc to the center terminal, don't you need to also put 12vdc to either of the other two terminals, for either High or Low speeds, so the wiper motor operates?
Its been a year since I went through mine. Mine wouldn't shut off. It would for another minute or so after turning the switch to Off from either speed. Th washer never worked before even after replacing the pump valves and o-ring seal. Had the motor/washer restored and BINGO, both worked as they should on my bench. Installed, the motor work great, but the pump crapped out. used jumpers and the pump worked, and worked without any need for priming. Turns out the wiper switch was bad and not connecting to ground for the pump. Bought a new switch and it would not fit the dash cluster panel. The attaching threads are D shaped and mine didn't have the flat milled properly. Used my Dremel and then deburred the threads. So the whole time my washers never worked was the fault of the switch. Go figure

Don