windshield wipers no work, but there is power

[inkatouring]

The wipers would not turn on yesterday (it's a weekend in San Francisco, so it has to rain...). Today I disconnected the wire pigtail and the purple/brown wire was hot (key on, switch on), but no others. Is that the way it is supposed to be? If so, I assume it's time for a new wiper motor, no?

[napa02]

did you try disconecting the linkage from the motor to see if it moves freely? If they are not lubed well they can bind up after not being used for awhile.

[Mike Self]

power lead is hot all the time. The round can on the wiper motor contains a self-parking switch that causes the motor to stop the wipers at the bottom of the windshield after you turn the wipers off. I suspect the self-parking mechanism is the culprit, presuming the fuse is OK.

Check through the archives; I know this has been discussed before, as I've written a couple of responses on the subject. Of course, check for a binding linkage before delving into the motor itself. But a frozen linkage will blow the fuse in short order.

mike

[inkatouring]

The fuse is fine and the mechanism moves freely. Then I look at the relay and notice that it is unplugged as, are some of the other wires to it (I have an intermittant wiper "upgrade" on the car -- a 73). I plug in the relay and it still doesn't work.*

Since installing the intermittant wipers, I have forgotten the placement of the extra wires. Any ideas? Any wiring diagrams out there for the upgrade?

* I haven't put power to the motor directly, as I do not which wires to "hot wire", but am fairly comfortable with the idea that the motor is working. But, just in case, which wires would I "hot wire" to test the motor?

[Beaner7102]

There is much info on a humble wiring diagram and thanks to DIN 72552, the post numbers relate to speciffic things:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_72552

So the wires on the wiper motor are as follows:

(Post number - function - wire colour)

53. wiper motor + in – Black-Yellow wire

53a. limit stop+ - Black wire

53b. limit stop field - Black-white wire

31. return to battery- or direct to ground – Brown wire

31b. return to battery- or ground through switch – Brown-Red wire

So hotwire Black-Yellow to +12v and Brown to ground.

Beaner7102