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  1. #1
    FEP Member
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    Default Wierd electrical issue....

    I haven't run across this problem before, but just want to verify my hunch.

    Would the wiper control switch on the column cause the wipers to only work in spurts in fast speed, but not to work in normal or delay? My thinking is if the wiper motor itself is bad, you get nothing......bad switch, you get erratic/weird wiper movement. Better to ask on here instead of throwing parts at the car....been down that road before with the CV in my sig.

    Thanks a bunch folks...
    Lonnie

    2013 Deep Impact Blue V6 6MT....Performance Pack...Recaros....and a few mods.

  2. #2
    FEP Power Member black1980fiveoh's Avatar
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    Default

    Yes mentioned wiper delay, there is an additonal componant after the colum control, this controls the delay. I added it to my 80 and I seem to recall it just plugs in. You could try and by pass it and see if you get a regular 2 speed wiper. I doubt the problem is in the colum.
    1980 Cobra http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2364382
    11.82@115 mph - 2015 - retired due to cancer
    1981 Cobra
    reborn with a lot of new go fast parts and time to make it look pretty
    11.80 @114 mph - 2016

  3. #3

    Default

    You can rule out the switch, by testing for power to it, and from it in all of its settings.

    For what it's worth, when I unfastened my delay box to work on (probably) the pedals under the dash in my old '82 GT, the delay function never worked properly again. It would work only in the fastest delay setting, and maybe the slowest - but none of the in-between settings) Normal continuous operation wasn't affected.

    By the time I had my '84, I kinda figured that out when I had to mess with the pedal support on it. I believe I had to tighten the box down a few times, until the delay worked in all of its settings. I think that phenomenon is a grounding issue.

    Yours sounds more like the two cars in my sig. They work reliably in all of their delay settings, but as soon as I set the switch to one of the continuous speeds, they crap out. On mine, I suspect the motors. (I have a known-good motor to swap into one of the cars, but I've been lazy...)
    '88 Mustang GT convertible, T5, 3.08:1 gears. 5.0 Explobra Jet: A9L Mass Air conversion, Fenderwell Mac cold air intake, 70mm MAF meter = 4.6 T-Bird/Cougar housing + '95 Mustang F2VF-12B579-A1A sensor, aftermarket 70mm throttle body and spacer, Explorer intakes, GT40P heads with Alex's Parts springs and drilled for thermactor, Crane F3ZE-6529-AB 1.7 "Cobra" roller rockers, Ford Racing P50 headers, Mac H-pipe, Magnaflow catback, Walbro 190 LPH fuel pump, UPR firewall adjuster and quadrant with Ford OEM cable, 3G conversion ('95 Mustang V6), Taurus fan, rolled on Rustoleum gloss white paint...
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  4. #4
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    Default

    It's wierd, that's for sure. No wipers in delay mode or low speed, and sporadic operation in high speed. It has me scratching my head.....acts like the switch, but could be the delay box or the motor. I'll bypass the delay box to see if that helps....if not, motor or switch will be the culprit. for the suggestions so far folks.
    Lonnie

    2013 Deep Impact Blue V6 6MT....Performance Pack...Recaros....and a few mods.

  5. #5
    Moderator wraithracing's Avatar
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    Default

    Definitely check all of your grounds first.

    I can tell you from experience that you will waste a lot of time looking for weird electrical issues when the problem is a bad or insufficient ground.

    Once the grounds are addressed, then go through a process of elimination to determine what the issue is.

    Best of Luck!

    Trey

  6. #6

    Default

    The wiper motor contains two separate sets of windings for low speed and high speed. The
    wiper switch supplies power to the appropriate set of windings. The delay module is wired
    inline with the low speed only.

    The simple test is to see if you have any Voltage coming out of the switch when it's in the
    low speed position. On cars without interval wipers, this will be the white wire in the switch
    connector. With interval wipers, it's a brown/white stripe wire. With interval wipers, the
    brown/white wire is also active with the switch in the high speed position.

    With interval wipers, you'll also want to test for Voltage coming out of the module with the
    switch in the low speed position. This will be the white wire in the plug that goes from the
    module into the dash harness. This will tell you whether the switch is not supplying the
    Voltage, or if the module is not passing it through.

    If you have Voltage on the white wire coming out of the module, then the next test is to
    see if you have Voltage on the white wire at the motor. Also verify the motor ground.

    Even though the interval module just plugs inline with the switch, the interval switch uses
    a different connector than the standard switch. You cannot bypass the interval module by
    just swapping plugs. You would also need a non-interval switch. The dash harness wiring is
    long enough to reach.
    Cheers,
    Jeff Cook

    '85 GT Hatch, 5-speed T-Top, Eibachs, Konis, & ARE 5-Spokes ... '85 GT Vert, CFI/AOD, all factory...
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  7. #7
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    Default

    Thanks Jeff.......I'm going to check the wiring/voltages in the morning. I'm trying to get the car ready for the NPD Roundup at Silver Springs next weekend, but naturally I keep finding stupid little crap that needs attention.
    Lonnie

    2013 Deep Impact Blue V6 6MT....Performance Pack...Recaros....and a few mods.

  8. #8

    Default

    What did you find? I had this exact same issue on hot rod power tour 2021 in my Capri RS. I have a new switch so I don't think it is that but the module and motor are unknowns.

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