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Wiper Motor Issues

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Bugeye_Al

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Hey everybody. I haven't posted in a while. Life tends to get complicated at times and my little Bugeye suffers from neglect.

To catch up, I am close to firing the engine for the first time, but I want to sort out all the electrical gremlins I can identify first. One of those gremlins which has me confused is the wiper motor.

The motor runs all the time (with the ignition switch in the on position), whether or not the wiper switch is in the on or off position. I have gone over the wiring and believe everything is where it is supposed to be. (New wiring harness by the way.) My guess is it has something to do with the limit switch. I have made sure the limit swith is physically engaging and have adjusted its position with no luck. There is continuity from the limit switch to the wiper motor body - not sure if this is correct or not.

Not that I will be driving this car in the rain, but I don't think I want the wipers going and going and going....

What am I missing?
 
With the ignition on and the wiper switch on, ONE wire to the wiper motor should be (+ or - depending on your ground) and connected to "1", the other should have continuity to ground and should be connected to "2". The copper wiper in the can should always be "hot" to ground. A ground wire is often connected to the case of the motor and grounded to the car. When the switch is turned on, it completes the ground, allowing the motor to run, when the switch is turned off, grounding is provided by the copper wiper allowing it to continue to run until the wiper hits the conductorless "parking" area in the can. Just remember, its the ground that is switched by the dash switch, not what one would usually consider the "hot" lead.

Glen Byrns
 
Generally, a switch has an "in" wire and an "out" wire. With the switch ON there should be continuity between the wires. With it off, there should NOT be continuity. Use your ohm-meter and secure one lead to the ground and one to the lead to the motor. Flip the switch and see if continuity goes on and off. It's always possible you could be grounding out somewhere else, thus always completing the circuit.

- Drew
 
Thanks guys - I'll get back out there tonight with your words of wisdom in mind and a my ohm-meter in hand.
 
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