Topic: Wiper motor testing off the vehicle.

[1967 eight barrel]

Does anyone have a simple method for testing a windshield wiper motor and assuring it is in the parked position? Wiring colors to power up?

[67gtasanjose]

At home, I have a "parted out" under dash wiring harness with just the wiper circuit by itself "For such an occasion as this". I believe you'll need the switch worked into the equation to get it to park.

[Bob Gaines]

Does anyone have a simple method for testing a windshield wiper motor and assuring it is in the parked position? Wiring colors to power up?

It is easy enough to test it in place on the car without the wiper arms on it. Less hassle then mounting and testing off the car IMO. Unless your wiring harness has been fooled with there shouldn't be a issue . If not sure just match up the color wire on each side of the plug. Wiring schematics are in the electric assembly manual for any type of verification.

[1967 eight barrel]

The dash harness isn't in the vehicle, so I wanted to do it pre- installation. I haven't got my dyno done yet to break in and tune. It looks very close to the position of the one posted when I queried about this a couple weeks ago. It's just a tiny bit off of that clocking.

                                                                                                                 -Keith

[preaction]

While you have the harness out, are you going to use points or a petronix ?

[67gtasanjose]

It is easy enough to test it in place on the car without the wiper arms on it. Less hassle then mounting and testing off the car IMO. Unless your wiring harness has been fooled with there shouldn't be a issue . If not sure just match up the color wire on each side of the plug. Wiring schematics are in the electric assembly manual for any type of verification.

Easier said than done, if the lever on the back of the motor IS NOT CLOCKED CORRECTLY on the motor while it is KNOWN to be in "Park", you might have a real challenge pulling the wiper motor back out again to "clock" the arm on the back of the motor. I think Keith is trying to assure the motor is in "PARK" first, to confirm the indexing of the arm.

Fortunately, since my car is apart and I haven't yet separated my motor and bracket PLUS I have an extra switch & a spare wiper system harness extracted from an underdash harness, I should be able to run and "park" my motor to show where the arm ought to be in "park" and perform a few circuit tests to demonstrate how the two switches (main switch & foot pump switch) contribute "electrically" to cause the motor to "park".

FWIW, the electrical manual doesn't show the circuitry of the insides of the switches, only the inside of the motor and if you are not an electrical engineer, you might not understand the images very well.

I'll try and convert the color-coded wiring into a text form and hopefully provide the function of the switches that cause the motor to park.

Give me a little time, I'll post my results soon.

[Bob Gaines]

Easier said than done, if the lever on the back of the motor IS NOT CLOCKED CORRECTLY on the motor while it is KNOWN to be in "Park", you might have a real challenge pulling the wiper motor back out again to "clock" the arm on the back of the motor. I think Keith is trying to assure the motor is in "PARK" first, to confirm the indexing of the arm.

Fortunately, since my car is apart and I haven't yet separated my motor and bracket PLUS I have an extra switch & a spare wiper system harness extracted from an underdash harness, I should be able to run and "park" my motor to show where the arm ought to be in "park" and perform a few circuit tests to demonstrate how the two switches (main switch & foot pump switch) contribute "electrically" to cause the motor to "park".

FWIW, the electrical manual doesn't show the circuitry of the insides of the switches, only the inside of the motor and if you are not an electrical engineer, you might not understand the images very well.

I'll try and convert the color-coded wiring into a text form and hopefully provide the function of the switches that cause the motor to park.

Give me a little time, I'll post my results soon.

Good advice for a completely disassembled assembly were you don't remember where you left off. A completely disassembled wiper assembly was not my starting point. A unbolted intact assembly was my starting since protected under the dash typically doesn't require complete dis assembly .

[67gtasanjose]

OK, I bench tested my wiper motor assembly that hasn't been removed from the bracket, nor had the arm removed from the motor yet. To complete the circuit and properly run the motor into "PARK" position, you will require the dash switch AND the washer pump switches"functions" duplicated. This will be difficult to follow, that is describing the pinpoint tests I will run to offer assistance in getting your wiper motor parked WITHOUT having it installed, further helping you to "clock" the arm on a disassembled motor/bracket/arm parts & pieces.

I will attach a few images to help as I figure things out. For now, I will show a picture of my "dirty, unrestored motor & bracket with the correct "clocked" arm still attached. It is very easy to move the linkages while removing the wiper trans linkages, so it might help others to see these images or to possibly teach somebody how to assemble these "from scratch"

The picture below shows that WHILE IN PARK POSITION (which you need to do "electrically", using the wiper switch AND the washer switch plugged in (or duplicated in the circuit). NOTICE it points a few degrees off from parallel to the bracket (maybe 1-2 degrees). Ask me what I am looking at if this is unclear.

One last important detail, I ran a pinpoint continuity test on BOTH switches & harness.
I can see in the wiring diagram and using the switch test results, how it all works together but it may be difficult to communicate in the written form or language.In summary, while the two switches are plugged in, the two BLACK wires on the washer pump, complete the "Park" circuit from the dash switch.

UPDATED:  Essentially, it would be near impossible to run a bench test WITHOUT DUPLICATING THE WIRING HARNESS AND USING BOTH SWITCHES or at least, using the main wiper switch & by-passing the washer pump "black" wires by looping those two together. Easiest way to do this might be to lay out your under dash harness, plug in the wiper motor, plug in a good wiper switch, plug in a good washer pump switch and supply 12V +POS+ to the orange wire at the wiper switch. Ground the wiper motor, momentarily turn on the wipers and let them park. 

Bench testing the motor "by itself" is too difficult, too many circuits all working together to "keep it simple"

At least if you do it the way I described in RED above, you should get the motor to "PARK" and you can check the "clocking" of the arm, compair it to the picture below and if it is like that, you'll be good to go.

[1967 eight barrel]

While you have the harness out, are you going to use points or a petronix ?

Yes, I am running a Pertronix II. ( Maybe) The vehicle ran with a II installed, however the cluster wasn't in the vehicle, so I contacted them to ask if there would be issues with a factory tach.  The punk kid that took the call never returned my call with a conformation either way. I'll share the information as it is forthcoming.

                                                                                            -Keith

[1967 eight barrel]

OK, I bench tested my wiper motor assembly that hasn't been removed from the bracket, nor had the arm removed from the motor yet. To complete the circuit and properly run the motor into "PARK" position, you will require the dash switch AND the washer pump switches"functions" duplicated. This will be difficult to follow, that is describing the pinpoint tests I will run to offer assistance in getting your wiper motor parked WITHOUT having it installed, further helping you to "clock" the arm on a disassembled motor/bracket/arm parts & pieces.

I will attach a few images to help as I figure things out. For now, I will show a picture of my "dirty, unrestored motor & bracket with the correct "clocked" arm still attached. It is very easy to move the linkages while removing the wiper trans linkages, so it might help others to see these images or to possibly teach somebody how to assemble these "from scratch"

The picture below shows that WHILE IN PARK POSITION (which you need to do "electrically", using the wiper switch AND the washer switch plugged in (or duplicated in the circuit). NOTICE it points a few degrees off from parallel to the bracket (maybe 1-2 degrees). Ask me what I am looking at if this is unclear.

One last important detail, I ran a pinpoint continuity test on BOTH switches & harness.
I can see in the wiring diagram and using the switch test results, how it all works together but it may be difficult to communicate in the written form or language.In summary, while the two switches are plugged in, the two BLACK wires on the washer pump, complete the "Park" circuit from the dash switch.

UPDATED:  Essentially, it would be near impossible to run a bench test WITHOUT DUPLICATING THE WIRING HARNESS AND USING BOTH SWITCHES or at least, using the main wiper switch & by-passing the washer pump "black" wires by looping those two together. Easiest way to do this might be to lay out your under dash harness, plug in the wiper motor, plug in a good wiper switch, plug in a good washer pump switch and supply 12V +POS+ to the orange wire at the wiper switch. Ground the wiper motor, momentarily turn on the wipers and let them park. 

Bench testing the motor "by itself" is too difficult, too many circuits all working together to "keep it simple"

At least if you do it the way I described in RED above, you should get the motor to "PARK" and you can check the "clocking" of the arm, compair it to the picture below and if it is like that, you'll be good to go.

Thank you so much for posting this.  I truly appreciate all the effort on your part.

[1967 eight barrel]

OK, I bench tested my wiper motor assembly that hasn't been removed from the bracket, nor had the arm removed from the motor yet. To complete the circuit and properly run the motor into "PARK" position, you will require the dash switch AND the washer pump switches"functions" duplicated. This will be difficult to follow, that is describing the pinpoint tests I will run to offer assistance in getting your wiper motor parked WITHOUT having it installed, further helping you to "clock" the arm on a disassembled motor/bracket/arm parts & pieces.

I will attach a few images to help as I figure things out. For now, I will show a picture of my "dirty, unrestored motor & bracket with the correct "clocked" arm still attached. It is very easy to move the linkages while removing the wiper trans linkages, so it might help others to see these images or to possibly teach somebody how to assemble these "from scratch"

The picture below shows that WHILE IN PARK POSITION (which you need to do "electrically", using the wiper switch AND the washer switch plugged in (or duplicated in the circuit). NOTICE it points a few degrees off from parallel to the bracket (maybe 1-2 degrees). Ask me what I am looking at if this is unclear.

One last important detail, I ran a pinpoint continuity test on BOTH switches & harness.
I can see in the wiring diagram and using the switch test results, how it all works together but it may be difficult to communicate in the written form or language.In summary, while the two switches are plugged in, the two BLACK wires on the washer pump, complete the "Park" circuit from the dash switch.

UPDATED:  Essentially, it would be near impossible to run a bench test WITHOUT DUPLICATING THE WIRING HARNESS AND USING BOTH SWITCHES or at least, using the main wiper switch & by-passing the washer pump "black" wires by looping those two together. Easiest way to do this might be to lay out your under dash harness, plug in the wiper motor, plug in a good wiper switch, plug in a good washer pump switch and supply 12V +POS+ to the orange wire at the wiper switch. Ground the wiper motor, momentarily turn on the wipers and let them park. 

Bench testing the motor "by itself" is too difficult, too many circuits all working together to "keep it simple"

At least if you do it the way I described in RED above, you should get the motor to "PARK" and you can check the "clocking" of the arm, compair it to the picture below and if it is like that, you'll be good to go.

Do I see a Convenience group relay on the other side of the motor bracket?

[67gtasanjose]

Do I see a Convenience group relay on the other side of the motor bracket?

 

Yes, mounted on the wiper bracket, you might spot the zinc plated relay center bracket and mounted on that relay center bracket (but out of sight) is:
1) deluxe seat belt timer (round style)
2) Low Fuel relay
3) Tilt-away relay
4) fog light breaker.

You might also see the fog light wiring laying off to each side. (secured onto the circuit breaker out of sight)

The blue wire hanging to the right side has been shorted & fried (might need to look closer)
If anyone has a spare of this particular blue wire for the Fog Lights (between the main underdash wiring & the Fog Light Circuit Breaker) I could use an original one. 

This Fog Light wire is on my "short list" (pardon the pun) of about 3 accessory wires I need to have duplicated by Alloy Metal if I don't get another original ones first.

[67gtasanjose]

Keith, I realized another bench test that can help you assure your wiper motor is "parked" with the arm pointing the correct direction..

A continuity test between the wiper motor body and the black wire on the wiper motor should test as a "closed circuit", WHEN IN PARK position.

Using the picture previously provided on March 16th, this test can be done WITH JUST AN OHM METER! Consider the image of my wiper motor & bracket as a CLOCK (with the linkage arm as an hour hand ~no minute hand in this scenario) Using that picture as posted, with the wide part of the bracket being used as 12 O'Clock and the correctly clocked wiper arm IN PARK, a correctly clocked arm should be just before 9 O'clock. This I confirmed with a run test of my motor.

If the wiper motor linkage arm secured with the nut on the motor, if it is "clocked" correctly YOU WILL HAVE CONTINUITY BETWEEN THE BLACK WIRE AND THE CASE OF THE MOTOR BETWEEN about 9:30 & 8:30, THE MOTOR WILL TURN BY HAND USING THE ARM GOING COUNTERCLOCKWISE. If your arm is on incorrectly, your continuity will be at another "clocked rotation.

I hope this helps.

I have an ohm meter with a "beeper" on it, so my audible "beep" is 100% consistent during the rotation at those clock positions

[1967 eight barrel]

It is about in the position as the picture above. I tested as specified above; I have continuity. So it is a closed circuit, so it is at rest. Thank you! Super simple!

Now the other question: The linkage is marked right and left. Does it matter which side is over top of the other off the pivot on the arm?

                                                                                                                               -Keith

[67gtasanjose]

It is about in the position as the picture above. I tested as specified above; I have continuity. So it is a closed circuit, so it is at rest. Thank you! Super simple!

Now the other question: The linkage is marked right and left. Does it matter which side is over top of the other off the pivot on the arm?

                                                                                                                               -Keith

Those are somewhat "dummy-proof", look at the arm on the motor, there are two diameters on it. NOW, if you took those arms off of the pivots, I would have to look at mine again to answer what I can there, I might possibly need to go back & look at some pictures as I took mine apart but my understanding is everything will not line up right if you mix them up.