Club 80-90 Forums

I have fitted a new wiper motor today and stripped the linkages to free up the wiper spindles as they were very stiff. I have put everything back as it was or so I think but have a problem.

When the wipers are on the blades move throught their full range of movement ok but when I cancel the wipers they stop at about 10 oclock (viewed from the drivers seat). I first thought, "you muppet you have got the wipers in the wrong place" but this can't be the case as the off position is not at either end of the range of motion if you get my drift. I would have thought that the motor should stop at one end of it's range of motion not part way through.

Any thoughts most welcome.

Chris

I have had this twice before.... not on a VW though... so may be of no help.

but, one time I had the linkage mechanism a*** about face, upside down or 180 deg out... took it all apart again and refited all good. The next time it was a faulty park circuit inside the motor itself, it was on a Punto... the way the park worked was by a 3/4 circle plate that a contact ran on, when it gets to the no contact area it will stop, they use conductive grease inside and the grease can move and complete the circuit if that makes sense, the fix was to clean the grease from the contacts inside.

hope this may help...

The motor itself just goes round and round in a circle. That circle has a certain position where it will always park.
The linkage converts that circular motion to back-and-forth motion.

When you assemble the motor to the linkage, you need to get the two in synch - else you're going to have the situation that you describe. Sounds like when it went together, it was aligned with the linkage part-way through the sweep with the motor in that parked position. I'd have expected the motor shaft to be keyed in some way, so that wouldn't be possible - was it splined? The other option is that that new (new-new? or new-to-you?) motor's been wrongly assembled, and the keying doesn't sit right with the park position.

Normally just the positioning of the main crank arm when in it's parked position (the one that bolts to the motor) and it's relation to main mechanism (normally inline with it) however I am talking generally as it's been a while since I've seen one on a T3.

Martin

Thanks for the replys.

Thinking more about it after Adrian said that the motor just goes round in a circle makes me think I have got the linkage out of sync. If i disconnect the linkage, let the motor turn until it stops then reconect the linkage I think that should do it.

Will let you know if it works.

Chris

silver surfer wrote:Thanks for the replys.

Thinking more about it after Adrian said that the motor just goes round in a circle makes me think I have got the linkage out of sync. If i disconnect the linkage, let the motor turn until it stops then reconect the linkage I think that should do it.

Will let you know if it works.

Chris

Probably the best way to do it but dont put the wipers on until you've tested it. If they over travel they might scratch the front panel, or make sure you wrap some cloth or similar around the arms. Don't ask me how I know that can happen

meggles wrote:Probably the best way to do it but dont put the wipers on until you've tested it. If they over travel they might scratch the front panel, or make sure you wrap some cloth or similar around the arms.

Yep, take the arms off the spindles, and make some little cardboard "flags", then attach 'em to the spindles with electrical tape or similar - then you don't risk that happening, but can still see exactly what's happening...

Don't ask me how I know that can happen

Haven't we all...?

Thanks for the tip and yes when I first found out I had a problem was when I saw the wipers going down the front of the van below the windscreen

Not too bad as I am doing a bit of a resto job so the van is getting painted anyway.

Changed the position of the mechanism on the motor to account for the motor only going round 360 degrees then stopping then going another 360 degrees not 180 forward then 180 back as i had originally thought. This sorted the problem.

Many thankls for the help.

Key points I have learned now:

1) motors go round and round
2) spindles get full of crap and rust so can need stripping and cleaning otherwise the motors and wiring can get hot.
3) the position of the arm on the motor can be changed without taking the whole assembly out.
4) motor turn anti-clockwise when viewed from behind in the fitted position

Maybe this will help others