Mid Year Wiper Motor

[Gene M.]

First thing DO NOT mention sending unit out for rebuild. Pardon capitals. I'm attempting to figure out the solution to my problem. I always do everything myself. The solenoid clicks. Motor does not operate at all. The solenoid at rest has a closed connection between the green and yellow wires connected to it. The make and break of the small slider strip below solenoid does de-energize when the solenoid is pulled in. I have followed Wilcox web site to figure this out. All grounds and extras are in good connection. I suspect the over temperature switch is open. There are Four wires going into the motor yellow, green, brown (power), and black. Which one is connected to the temperature switch? And is the over temperature switch an open/close power or ground? If not brown power wire than which wire?
Thank you

[Dan D.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Gene, if you cannot figure this out I may be able to help you. Not familiar with mid-year motors, but I can bench power it in my electronics shop (that you have seen). I have plenty of other test equipment too and can probably figure it out. Does not sound that hard. -Dan-

[Joe R.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Gene,

There are a couple of things that cause the symptoms you have. Neither is the thermal switch as it resets itself. First the grease in the mechanism has turned to concrete. It needs cleaning and lubricating. Second there is a reed switch that needs cleaning. That is the one where the green and yellow wires connect.

IF you want to bench test the motor the center lug on the connector at the bottom is +12. Ground the housing of the motor, connect +12 to the center lug and then ground the lug closest to you. That is high speed. Grounding the last lug and the lug closest to you will put the motor in low speed.

You can probably get it running like new WITHOUT removing the end cap. If you remove the end cap then you will probably have to send it out to get it put back together. Work with the gear box and assume the motor is working fine.

If the above seems confusing, just wait till you pull the front off that gearbox.

Good Luck,

JR

[Gene M.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Danny and Joe,
Thank you for the response and offer to check out my motor.

I took the motor out of the car and continued to check things out. The grease was clean and soft and in good shape. As it turns out the over temperature switch was the fault, not passing current. Over temperature switch was open. Corrected the problem and all is working as intended.

For others interested, the brown and green wires connect to the over temp switch. Yellow goes to the coil winding. Black wire to one of the brushes. The other brush is grounded to the case. Thank you again.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Gene,

I am interested in your repair as I sent my wiper motor out for repair years ago after it stopped working, got it back and it worked for a few years and now nothing. I have checked the grounds at the dash switch and when you push for wash there is a click but no motor when turned to low/high speed.

The car is naturally garage kept and sees no weather and the though of having to remove the motor again really makes me mad. Can I do any troubleshooting with motor in the car, it's the only thing that does not work..

[Gene M.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Tim,
I had to take the motor out of the car in order to find out what each wire connected to inside the motor. No repair manuals illustrate this. Since I now know each wire's termination in the motor you do not need to remove your motor to verify the same problem. I now made a schematic wire diagram of the motor for future reference.

My issue was the over-temp switch. If you take the sheet metal cover off (I think there are three screws) you access the two wires that terminate at the over-temp switch. Yellow, black, brown and green wires lead into the motor. Be sure to reconnect the ground wire to the 90 degree little brass terminal attached (via cover screw) to the housing. Seems the "points" on this over-temp get oxidize and look ok but remain open. With a test jumper wire to the brown power wire and to the green wire on the switch/solenoid will over ride the temp switch. If every thing works when you do this, the over-temp was the issue. I eliminated the override temp switch from the circut thus this will not open my power.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Gene,

Thanks for the reply, I am going to look at mine this week so stay tuned. If I understand correctly, run a test 12v wire to the brown and green and this should run the motor? Points oxidization sounds about right as the thing never gets used..

I don't have the motor in front of me at present.

[Gene M.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Tim,
Yes, you got it. I hope this is the fix for your's too since it is so easy to do and ya don't have to take the motor out of the car! (now that we know what wire goes where). Check your ground wire (black one from blower goes down to starter mounting bolt) too. Bad ground gives the same clicking results. And be sure the switch on the dash has a good ground or else that stops everything too. Switch ground is thru dash. Suggest run a single wire to it and sandwich in with mounting of switch.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Thanks Gene, I am going to try to repair this weekend..

[Timothy B.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Gene,

I was just thinking, if there is no fuse for the wiper motor and you eliminate the overtemp switch is there a chance the motor could catch fire in a short circuit situation.

[Domenic T.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Gene,
I did both of mine 63 & 67 and as described "what a headache.

I had similar test problems and it was all in the test procedure. I tried to reason it out by thr book but the book at best was confusing.

I think it was the ground that I had trouble with, as in the previouse thread here, I had to ground the case.

And yes I took them ALL apart and did brushes, turned the com, the whole works.

It was the one thing that could make a person that tackels it all QUIT.

BUT as Tim pointed out, his was sent out and didn't last that long, SO doing it yourself only leaves one to blame and after the headaches it's cheaper than paying someone else to screw it up.

DOM

[Gene M.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Tim
I would think the actual use of my wipers will be minimum. It is a fair weather car. As far as overloading the motor ice and snow will not be in this car's future as long as I have it. Think about it the blower motor does not have an over temp switch. The chance of needing it for me will be a non issue.

Dom,
I'm with you. I gotta do EVERYTHING myself. I don't send out anything except chrome. A few engine machine shop things that I do not big enough equipment to do myself, but thats it.
The wiper motor is no big deal as you found out. All that is need is a bit of investigation as to what is going on inside there. A feeling of accomplishment when all done and working again makes my day.

[Domenic T.]

Re: Mid Year Wiper Motor

Tim
I would think the actual use of my wipers will be minimum. It is a fair weather car. As far as overloading the motor ice and snow will not be in this car's future as long as I have it. Think about it the blower motor does not have an over temp switch. The chance of needing it for me will be a non issue.

Dom,
I'm with you. I gotta do EVERYTHING myself. I don't send out anything except chrome. A few engine machine shop things that I do not big enough equipment to do myself, but thats it.
The wiper motor is no big deal as you found out. All that is need is a bit of investigation as to what is going on inside there. A feeling of accomplishment when all done and working again makes my day.

Amen to that with one other thing, makes me sleep better too.

DOM