wiper motor problems

[napa 1]

Help. I think I may have a problem with my wiper motor.
I'm moving along on the Harrington, just installed the wiper assembly, but when testing the motor with a 12v lantern battery, I'm getting nothing but a spark.. It bench tested well..but now I'm wondering if somehow it's stuck, or I accidentally shorted it out?? Any thoughts about how to proceed in looking in to this. This is the original wiper motor and I also have an NOS wiper motor still in it's rootes box, but it doesn't respond to power either...so wondering if I am missing something, or if this is typical of these motors to sieze up?? Yes the battery is fresh and I'm following the wiring diagram to wire it up..ie: red to ground wire, , green to powered switch and black to body ground. Any thoughts?
thanks

 

[Ken Ellis]

Here's a post that starts a thread with some good wiper wiring discussions, including repair of an internal short. Worth the read.

http://www.sunbeamalpine.org/forum/showpost.php?p=90496&postcount=1

Ken

 

[todd reid]

Tiger Tom wrote a tech tip a few years back that covered lubricating the wiper assy. If you can't find it on the TE/AE website, I can dig out my hard copy and fax it to you. If the motor tested OK, then possibly the arms (transmission?) is binding?

 

[napa 1]

Thanks so much guys. You know, now that I think about it, I replaced the two spindle sections with NOS ones from tiger tom, I may not have attached them correctly so that maybe the gears are binding at that point. I'll remove them and see if that helps. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Tom H]

John, I'm not sure a 12 V "lantern battery" has enough current capabiity to drive a wiper motor. Especially since the NOS motor would not run from that power source. I'd suggest trying first to power up the NOS wiper from a car battery. If that works, then try your original wiper and see if it works.

As I said, I'm not sure about a lantern battery. I guarantee that a pair of 9 v transitor radio bateries in series (18 V) would NOT run your wiper motor.

Tom

 

[napa 1]

I was wondering about that as well, although on the bench I did have it running with the lantern battery...however I'm going to pick up a fresh car battery today so that at least I'll know that that part of the equation is correct. Thanks for your help.

John.

 

[Ron67Alpine]

One of the most versitile things I have for diagnosing electrical problems is one of those portable power supplies/jumpstarters. It give you a great 12volts w/enough amps to bench power most things. Great for giving yourself a jumpstart, when you forget to turn off your lights, also.

 

[napa 1]

thanks guys for the tips. I loosened the new wheel boxes and then reconnected the power and sure enough the motor came to life. - well, I don't think you can call these wipers "lively" but a least we've got normal function again. I must have clamped down on the rack some how when installing the boxes and tubes.