[pilot737]

I just noticed my wipers don't work. After some testing, I think the motor is the problem but not sure.

Troubleshooting so far with test light:
With wiper switch on, get a positive test light at switch wire contact point.
Wipers on, get a positive test light at motor wire contact point.

Also used a jumper wire in place of switch and no wipers.

I do hear a 'click' when I push the wiper switch for the washer activation.

Bad motor? Other tests I should try?

[gtospieg]

Is it properly grounded?

[pilot737]

I'm not sure. I've owned the car 3 years but don't think I ever tested wipers, so not sure if they worked during my ownership. Sorry for my ignorance but is there a way I can test for proper grounding?

Sidenote: the engine was removed and reinstalled a year ago. Maybe something wasn't connected properly?

[gtospieg]

I believe the factory grounded the wiper motor through one of the bolts that attach the motor. You could also run a temporary ground for testing purposes. You may also want to remove the motor and try cleaning everything.

[pilot737]

Ah, grounded to the motor? Maybe the shop didn't reconnect properly after the engine reinstall.

[Peter Serio]

Most electric accessories on a car are attached to a ground and the the power "+" is turned on and off to activate that item. The wiper motor is the exception to this rule.

Because you need to arms to park at the base of your windshield NOT 1/2 up on the glass! For that reason the wiper motor is always powered to battery + (thru a 15 amp fuse) when you turn your key on and then the dash switch grounds a wire or wires to turn the motor on & off. That is what also gives you control over low and high speeds.

A 3rd terminal at the switch "grounds" the relay-coil that commands the washer pump to engage a small cog in the nylon wheel. That causes the wheel to ratchet and to turn the fluid bellows in a cycle to draw washer fluid from the reservoir & push that out to the windshield.

There is a supplemental ground, however, at the motor to the firewall which allows the arms to "park." The ground is made as part of one of the rubber mounting grommets and sometimes that thin copper contact strip will corrode or break.

Here is an example of the ground to a typical wiper motor from a car made by GM from the 1960s era.

[GT182]

Originally Posted by gtospieg

I believe the factory grounded the wiper motor through one of the bolts that attach the motor. You could also run a temporary ground for testing purposes. You may also want to remove the motor and try cleaning everything.

Yes.

Now if you need a replacement in a hurry, go to NAPA. They are painted the correct color and if one is bad, you can replace it fast. Stay away from Auto Zone. The ones from AZ are silver so you'll have to paint it flat black and they're no good to begin with. I went thru 4 from AZ that were no good.... all they did was smoke when they were turned on.

And don't drop the clip that attaches it to the wiper transmission. Use a magnet or buy a new clip when you get the new wiper motor. Don't ask how I know.

[Goatracer1]

For testing or if you are not interested in originality just run a ground wire from the motor to a good ground spot.

[pilot737]

Unfortunately, I'm not very confident I am testing the motor correctly. I did run a separate ground wire from the negative battery terminal to the low and high terminals on the motor (one at a time) and didn't work.

When I push the switch to activate the washer, the switch does move to the 'low' wiper speed correctly, and I hear a (one) click sound coming from the engine bay but nothing happens. (There is water in the washer tank.)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am getting power to the switch, and also getting power to the motor.

[MUSLCAH]

Mine didn’t work either....so I just gave it the old Fonzzerillie ....and it started working....true story

[Peter Serio]

The end output shaft on that motor rides in an oilite bushing. Over time the oil fill will become used up and then that bushing runs dry and begins to wear. I parked my GTO once for the winter and right before I put it away I washed it; toweled it dry on the outside and put the car in the garage and put the car cover on. Next spring I went to get the car out of storage and the wipers would not work at all! They were working fine the fall prior.

It turned out to be that the bushing had lost all of it's oil (the car was a 1966 GTO and this was around 1984 or 1985) and when I washed the car some of the water splash from the hose got into the cowl air inlet area and seeped down into the wiper motor, around the output shaft.

It turned out that the output shaft of the motor rusted over the winter and the shaft was frozen solid to the bushing. I replaced that motor with a good used one that I got off of a '65 tempest or Lemans from the auto parts yard and it worked perfectly!!

[Goatracer1]

You must have a Ground to the wiper motor itself just grounding the terminals will not work.

[pilot737]

An update in case anyone else comes across this thread with similar issues.

The problem was a bad motor. Probably the original motor as most of this car is original. I installed a refurbished motor from Ames Perf and wipers are fully operational now... (like the Death Star in Star Wars movie.)

The refurb motors are a little more expensive compared to new motor but I thought it was worth it. Ames offers both.

Thanks for ALL the help in this thread... you guys are great!