test a wiper motor?

[Blackjokr]

Hey guys, so new fuse box in place and new horns and the signals now work and the horns make a good BEEEP, but see no activity on the wipers. I hear a bit of a click but no action. Any way to test or or shoud i be looking for any additional fuses? Also the windshield washer pump does not seem to make any noise when pushed. i will check wiring from the steering wheel but I am pretty sure that's ok. Under the hood was a wiring mess I am cleaning up. As always, thanks in advance amigos!

best,
Lou

 

[Blackjokr]

ok so same old story. I guess I am learning. I cleaned up the plastic washer fluid bag off, filled it, cleaned the contacts off the washer fluid pump and bam..it spun! saw fluid go in and one is spraying. the other I think needs declogging. Wiper motor is next! i am so excited. this is like one giant puzzle!

 

[JPSmit]

I may have said this earlier, but, open the wiper motor, clean out the old hard grease and replce with new soft grease.

 

[Blackjokr]

Thank you JP! ok well it must be getting electric because as i leaned into the hood to screw the washer fluid motor back on I smelt heat...i touched the windshield washer motor and it is hot as heck! I turned off the car after several attempts to get it to run and i left it in the wipe #2 position for a few minutes with no movement. I got the nut off that runs the cable from the motor to the wipers but the cable is stuck in there. Do I just give it a yank becaus eit is covered and stuck due to all of that old black grease or is ther esome special method to disconnect it? thanks!

 

[Blackjokr]

just figured it out...duh to me!

 

[Blackjokr]

ugh..got it apart, cleaned it and reassembled and it gave a little bit ofa move and had the sound of an old crikkity staircase. However, I saw one of the 3 magnets inside to the coil was broken 2/3 of the way so it looks like a new motor is in order unless someone can tell me where to get one of those tiny magnets. otherwise, the blades moved and it looks like it will be running soon enough..woo woo

 

[dklawson]

Is this your '79 Midget? If so, you can buy almost any of the "round" wiper motors for reasonable money including from places like eBay. The motor was common to most BL cars from the early 1970s. You may need to move the drive gear from your old motor to the new one but otherwise you should be OK. Swapping the gear and using a donor is going to be more economical and less work than finding and installing a replacement magnet.

 

[Blackjokr]

Doug,

thank you! I agree. Even a brand new exact replacement I have found for $89. Ebay has a few used ones in working order in the $40-50's range so I probably will opt for the replacement. It is funny though because the magnet is actually designed to be replaceable obviously and straneg coincidence but ,my Searc Craftsman mitre saw started slowing down. My buddy opened up the magnet bunkers (I didn't even know you COULD do that) and the magnets were worn. two new magnets and its cutting high powered again. So I learn a little more abou the electric motor. Apparently the same principle applies ot this washer motor and my circular saw...nice

 

[Blackjokr]

oops and yes it is the 79 midget..

 

[histerical]

I believe you are referring to the carbon brushes and not magnets. You may be able to find replacements at any electric motor repair place. Don't bother with the application, just match the size and attachment. I have a box of assorted sizes that I was given by a local hardware store years ago. They can be filed to fit if they are not exactly the correct .
I find it a bit hard to imagine that a wiper motor ever ran long enough to wear out the brushes, though the commutator may be dirty so they are not making contact. You can try cleaning the armature with super-fine paper or even an eraser, but I understand that emery paper should be avoided.

 

[dklawson]

The manuals have always warned against emory paper as Histerical said. I think the few that mention sandpaper at all suggest garnet paper. The explanation I was given (right or wrong) was that if a bit of emory became lodged in the soft copper commutator it would quickly wear away brushes.

I had not even thought that Blackjokr may have been talking about brushes instead of magnets. That's a good point and the brushes should be available while new magnets might be hard to find.

 

[Blackjokr]

yes guys..sorry! the brushes..one is completely cracked in half and looks replaceable. I found an electric motor shop here in town. Will rty them first!!

 

[dklawson]

It's fortunate you have a shop nearby. Brushes are much easier to come by than magnets and I'm sure the shop will be able to provide a fix for your motor.

 

[Blackjokr]

ok well the "new" restored pump came off of Ebay and into my home. I hooked it up and originally the wipers started to move then quit. GRR!!!!! I thought. Maybe the cable that turns them is warped..but then a magical thing happend!! I actually bolted down the wiper motor instead of just sitting it in the car and BOOOO YAAAA..with a little nudge those 3 wiper blades went ..SQUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAK.......SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAKKKK!!! Thanks guys! I am going to get the old motor fixed and put it in the parts bin for future since one brush is the only damaged item and it is replaceable. I am so excited! next week the clips come for the new door panels, the new door handles, and the new door pulls are arriving. I already have the window cranks...oooh..its liek being a kid at Xmas again!