Wiper issues

[woody127]

Gentlemen/Ladies:
I'm going absolutely crazy with a wiper issue. Have replaced the wiper motor twice, and first seems to work well. Just got done putting the 2nd motor in and even removed the cowl cover and reset the arms to ensure that the wipers would start in the parked position. Yeah worked for about 2 days and then no wipers at all. Banged on the motor and yes the wipers moved, and then stopped. I was told the the control harness in the steering column is bad. YIKES have to remove the steering wheel and replace the harness to the wipers. Anyone have any thoughts on this.

 

[vanaisa]

Are you sure that linkage joints are not dry? Just thought....

 

[dougco1]

Gentlemen/Ladies:
I'm going absolutely crazy with a wiper issue. Have replaced the wiper motor twice, and first seems to work well. Just got done putting the 2nd motor in and even removed the cowl cover and reset the arms to ensure that the wipers would start in the parked position. Yeah worked for about 2 days and then no wipers at all. Banged on the motor and yes the wipers moved, and then stopped. I was told the the control harness in the steering column is bad. YIKES have to remove the steering wheel and replace the harness to the wipers. Anyone have any thoughts on this.

Make sure you bypass the radio resisters that the military put in. They are no longer needed, will often fail and cause issues with your wipers. If that's not the case, it sounds as if you got bad remanufactured wiper motors "It happens". You can turn them back in for a replacement under warranty till you get a good one.

 

[nyoffroad]

I'd be checking for voltage at the motor before I got into the steering column, speaking of that it really isn't that bad to do. Look on u tube and you'll find some vids IIRC it can be done with the steering wheel in place, just whatever you do DO NOT pull the old wires out with tieing a string onto them to use to pull the new ones thru.

 

[woody127]

Make sure you bypass the radio resisters that the military put in. They are no longer needed, will often fail and cause issues with your wipers. If that's not the case, it sounds as if you got bad remanufactured wiper motors "It happens". You can turn them back in for a replacement under warranty till you get a good one.

Done that.

 

[Barrman]

These motors weren’t all that great new. Are you running stock wipers or the biggest ones that clear the molding? The combination of weak motor and bigger than stock blades has taught me to not turn them on unless the windshield is wet.

I have had them stick just about all positions on the glass or just not move too. Do your wiring and linkage checks. Then just keep doing warranty replacements until you get one that seems good. Then don’t use it until it is raining.

 

[Keith_J]

Pulling the wheel isn't that difficult with the proper puller and circlip tool. Invest wisely and it is a snap.
I would say it is the switch. Test the motor with a jumper wire before swapping. The washer function is through a solenoid shifting a cam, don't energize this circuit during the test.

 

[woody127]

These motors weren’t all that great new. Are you running stock wipers or the biggest ones that clear the molding? The combination of weak motor and bigger than stock blades has taught me to not turn them on unless the windshield is wet.

I have had them stick just about all positions on the glass or just not move too. Do your wiring and linkage checks. Then just keep doing warranty replacements until you get one that seems good. Then don’t use it until it is raining.

This is the 2nd wiper motor I've gotten from the same vendor, hard to find 1 with washer on it. You can find all kinds of aftermarket motors, but don't have the washer. As far as the wipers go I stayed with the original size.

 

[cucvrus]

This is the 2nd wiper motor I've gotten from the same vendor, hard to find 1 with washer on it. You can find all kinds of aftermarket motors, but don't have the washer. As far as the wipers go I stayed with the original size.

OK. I know this was covered a thousand and 1 times. You need to order parts for a 1984 K5 or K30. Not a 1985, 1986, or 1987. !984 will get you the right parts every time. 1985,86,87 models had the washer motor in the tank. That was a good setup. It can be done if you have a salvage yard nearby for the donor tank and electric pump assembly. Also I would like to se the wiper switch being changed without removing the steering wheel and for that also without removing the steering column. I tried many times. I have a box of screwed up CUCV steering columns that repairs went bad one way or another. There are lots of little gadgets in there that will kick your arse if you are not tentative or parts placement. A few were towed to me with the column apart. At that point I sold them a $100. salvage yard column and moved on from there. Good Luck. If you do the repair with the steering wheel in place I am chompping at the bit to see that. Again Good Luck. It can be done. It is a level 7 of a 1-10 basis. 10 being the hardest. Please report back.

 

[woody127]

OK. I know this was covered a thousand and 1 times. You need to order parts for a 1984 K5 or K30. Not a 1985, 1986, or 1987. !984 will get you the right parts every time. 1985,86,87 models had the washer motor in the tank. That was a good setup. It can be done if you have a salvage yard nearby for the donor tank and electric pump assembly. Also I would like to se the wiper switch being changed without removing the steering wheel and for that also without removing the steering column. I tried many times. I have a box of screwed up CUCV steering columns that repairs went bad one way or another. There are lots of little gadgets in there that will kick your arse if you are not tentative or parts placement. A few were towed to me with the column apart. At that point I sold them a $100. salvage yard column and moved on from there. Good Luck. If you do the repair with the steering wheel in place I am chompping at the bit to see that. Again Good Luck. It can be done. It is a level 7 of a 1-10 basis. 10 being the hardest. Please report back.

I know this has been covered, and yes I dread the fact that I made have to pull the column to fix this, but I was thinking maybe just rewire the wipers through a alternate location. I'm sure I can find a kit somewhere. She's no show piece just a toy for me.

 

[nyoffroad]

OK< maybe I'm wrong, after all that's why I wrote IIRC that stands for "If I Remember Correctly. It's been almost 20 years since I worked in a body shop and I know I haven't changed a HL switch in at least that long. I thought to remove the switch it was a push-twist-pull and then gently pull the wires up and out trailing the 'fish string' and then reverse the process. I don't know and I'm certainly not going out to the garage and try it when I don't need to!

Yes you could wire up some 3 position toggle switch, but do you really want something that hoky? Did you ever determine what the problem is? Switch, motor, or wiring or even mechanical?

 

[woody127]

It's just getting long in the tooth, I've replaced the motor twice now, seems to work for a while then nothing. Just for Sugar & Laughs hot wired the other motor and it worked just fine. The reason I've figured out the issue is in the harness is the fact motor receives powers and is grounded, even added an additional ground. with that being said, I get no movement or even washer at the handle, and yes turn signals work fine so it has to be in the column.

 

[cucvrus]

I know this has been covered, and yes I dread the fact that I made have to pull the column to fix this, but I was thinking maybe just rewire the wipers through a alternate location. I'm sure I can find a kit somewhere. She's no show piece just a toy for me.

I was just trying to help. Remain calm. Yes you can do a 2 position switch. But before you go thru all that make sure it has a great sufficient ground and the plug on the motor is fitting tight. After many years of hard use the plug can loose it grip on the connections. Check it out and report back. I am only here to help. Good Luck.

 

[cucvrus]

1984 was the first year for the smart stalk controls in the Chevrolet / GM trucks line. The 1983 still had the dimmer switch on the floor and the wiper switch on the dash. So if you are not concerned about originality just buy the 1983 wiper switch and wire it in. The washer works from the 1983 switch also.
1978-1983 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Parts | 14028807 | 1978-83 Chevrolet / (classicindustries.com)
May this be the harness that goes to the switch? I would check but I have set you on the trail.
Chevrolet K5 Blazer Parts | Wiper Switch Harness | Classic Industries

 

[woody127]

I was just trying to help. Remain calm. Yes you can do a 2 position switch. But before you go thru all that make sure it has a great sufficient ground and the plug on the motor is fitting tight. After many years of hard use the plug can loose it grip on the connections. Check it out and report back. I am only here to help. Good Luck.

Well do sir, Thank You

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Do the basics!

Check the ground, and that does NOT mean look at it! Take it apart and clean it down to shiny bare metal, do the same with the connector OR replace it with a new one. Slap on some dielectric grease and put it back together.

Now cheat. Run some jumper wires straight from the battery and see if the motor works that way. IF it does, your motor is fine. Your poroblem is with the wiring.

Next step:

Now get a meter and test your voltage at the motor. See what it's getting. Test it with the motor disconnected and with it connected. If you see less than 12v when it's connected and should be running, you have high resistance somewhere upstream. Could be any connector or switch. Work your way backwards and find out where you have good voltage when the motor is connected and the switch is on.


Take it one step at a time to find out where the problem is. Don't just throw 'fixes' at it!!!

 

[Mullaney]

Do the basics!

Check the ground, and that does NOT mean look at it! Take it apart and clean it down to shiny bare metal, do the same with the connector OR replace it with a new one. Slap on some dielectric grease and put it back together.

Now cheat. Run some jumper wires straight from the battery and see if the motor works that way. IF it does, your motor is fine. Your poroblem is with the wiring.

Next step:

Now get a meter and test your voltage at the motor. See what it's getting. Test it with the motor disconnected and with it connected. If you see less than 12v when it's connected and should be running, you have high resistance somewhere upstream. Could be any connector or switch. Work your way backwards and find out where you have good voltage when the motor is connected and the switch is on.


Take it one step at a time to find out where the problem is. Don't just throw 'fixes' at it!!!

.
Nicely worded MarcusOReallyus ! Especially the "measure" rather than "look"
We all do it... It should work - and then it doesn't.
Quality time spent checking ground connections is time well spent!

Often times I will drag a wire off the battery ground post and attach that to the failing whatever.
You will be surprised how often that will prove the problem.
It doesn't solve the problem - but that makes you know what has to be done.

 

[INFChief]

Gentlemen/Ladies:
I'm going absolutely crazy with a wiper issue. Have replaced the wiper motor twice, and first seems to work well. Just got done putting the 2nd motor in and even removed the cowl cover and reset the arms to ensure that the wipers would start in the parked position. Yeah worked for about 2 days and then no wipers at all. Banged on the motor and yes the wipers moved, and then stopped. I was told the the control harness in the steering column is bad. YIKES have to remove the steering wheel and replace the harness to the wipers. Anyone have any thoughts on this.

Is this a combinations switch or a dash mounted switch?

 

[cucvrus]

Is this a combinations switch or a dash mounted switch?

The OEM CUCV wiper switch is a multi function switch mounted on the turn signal switch. It was GM's first year for the smart stalk switch in the GM truck line. So it is column mounted on a stock CUCV of all variants. I hope that helps.

 

[cucvrus]

This is the back side of the steering column. I want to see that wiper switch changed without removing the steering wheel. Good Luck.