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ANOTHER wiper motor thread.....and a dummy that needs a little help.

Mocajava

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I have a 69 Coronet 440 with 383/727 combo that was all stock and in good driving condition before I totally stripped it. I have included a picture of the motor and ORIGINAL switch after I refurbished the panel. I am told this is a three speed motor but also told it is a TWO speed switch! How is this possible from factory and how can this setup work! I assume the three speed has off/park, low medium and a high speed and the two speed just off/park low and high...correct? I was going to get a different switch to match my custom dash I am building and would love to see or hear of some options/ manufacturers and what others have used. But I need to confirm what a three speed switch has for functions first....what I am exactly looking for.
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I know Ron Francis has some offerings and so does Cole Hersee but no idea of if they function correctly to be used with the 3 speed Mopar wiper motor. I would appreciate any guidance the FFBO Guru's could offer. Mocajava
 
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That’s a three speed motor alright. You must have a sweep style dash? Three speed and two speed have the same dash panel. Push the top of the switch and see if it clicks three times. This is three speed switch in a 69 coronet R/T, can’t tell by just looking at it.
 
View attachment 563744 That’s a three speed motor alright. You must have a sweep style dash? Three speed and two speed have the same dash panel. Push the top of the switch and see if it clicks three times. This is three speed switch in a 69 coronet R/T, can’t tell by just looking at it.
I agree, 3 speed motor but you can't tell from looking at it if it's a 2 or 3 speed switch. I can tell you that a 2 speed switch will not work on a 3 speed motor. As scat pack said, you should be able to tell by moving the switch, you are right should be park, low, mid, and high. You can also tell by looking at the back of the switch. A 3 speed will have the resistor (white block on side of switch in photo) on it and a 2 speed won't.

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I don't know about a 3 speed but Ron Francis wiper switches would not work on my 2 speed. Most of their stuff is based on Chevy parts where Mopar has a different way of doing things. You really need to study the function of yours in comparison to any 6switch you may buy. What I ended up doing since I also wanted a custom dash was I bought a twist knob style wiper switch from a van then just bought a billet knob from Ron Francis but again mine was a 2 speed.
 
Thank you SIRS, I knew I would get an education from the guru's! I didn't know you double clicked on the top for the mid and high range. I would think that since the 3 speed switch controls the power to the motor, I could find a decent rotary switch to function the motor in all three speeds. The aftermarket has some nice offerings, I'm just not sure the questions to ask about what type of switch will work. I am still searching for someone that has made the switch to aftermarket for this switch before I commit to getting the three speed motor rebuilt. If I can't resolve this dilemma with the 3 speed, I may just get a two speed motor with a simple switch that matches my other dash pieces and run with that. Thanks you gentlemen.
 
I didn't know you double clicked on the top for the mid and high range.

You don't double click like you're clicking a mouse ... the switch has 4 distinct positions - off, low, med, high.

The problem with using other switches is how Mopar controls the speed. In reality it is a 2-speed motor BUT the position that feeds through the resistor slows one of those speeds to make three speeds.

Likewise with the 2-speed motor, its actually a single speed but running power through the big resistor that's on it gives the second slower speed.
 
Makes me wonder if it could be run with a rheostat type control running the power through a single to the motor? In doing that, would it delete the park function built into the motor? As I said, I am lost when it comes to electronics and THAT is why I have soooo many questions.
 
Makes me wonder if it could be run with a rheostat type control running the power through a single to the motor? In doing that, would it delete the park function built into the motor? As I said, I am lost when it comes to electronics and THAT is why I have soooo many questions.
Lost me on that brother. Don't know
 
Makes me wonder if it could be run with a rheostat type control running the power through a single to the motor? In doing that, would it delete the park function built into the motor? As I said, I am lost when it comes to electronics and THAT is why I have soooo many questions.
Neighbor had a 65 polara convertible with a variable speed wiper. Motor was same as a 3 speed, the wiper switch was a thumbwheel kinda like a rheostat. The thumbwheel clicked once as you turn the wheel up and obliviously the more you turn, the faster the wiper moves. I don’t see why a switch like that wouldn’t work with your wiper motor
 
Makes me wonder if it could be run with a rheostat type control running the power through a single to the motor? In doing that, would it delete the park function built into the motor?

Not a good option. Any motor that' controlled by a rheostat is a single speed motor and the rheostat varies the voltage. The downside is that the voltage that's not directed to the motor is converted to heat in the switch - not a good thing. And yes, that resistor on the 3-speed switch WILL get hot but since its not in full-time use like a rheostat would be it not a big deal.

As to the next post about his neighbors thumbwheel, I doubt it operated like he says or it would have been pointless to use a 3-speed motor since the thumbwheel (rheostat) only has one feel line out and a 3-speed motor has multiple feeds into it. My guess would be that there were detents on the thumbwheel and it was in fact a 3-speed switch.

FWIW the 3-speed motor should still work with the 2-speed switch but you'll only get two speeds and park. The connector on the dash harness is the same for both switches but when using the 3-speed there are seperate connectors used - these are usually taped up on the harness if not in use. You'd have to change the connector in the engine compartment but the FSM wiring diagram would help you there.
 
And FWIW, there is nothing "electronic" here ... this is all basic "electrical" - wire, mechanical switches and motors.
 
Okay Stanton, I appreciate your explanation. That being said, if my original intent is to get an aftermarket switch that has three speeds plus park/off, I should be able to make that work....correct. The whole idea was to find a switch the would better match my new Speedhut gauges and switches I had chosen and still operate the wipers. If it is available, I will look in the Cole Hersee catalog and Digitech to see what is offered. It was mentioned by a fellow member that he didn't think much of Ron Francis switches...so I may avoid those offerings. THX and pipe up if you think I'm going down the wrong road.
 
Not a good option. Any motor that' controlled by a rheostat is a single speed motor and the rheostat varies the voltage. The downside is that the voltage that's not directed to the motor is converted to heat in the switch - not a good thing. And yes, that resistor on the 3-speed switch WILL get hot but since its not in full-time use like a rheostat would be it not a big deal.

As to the next post about his neighbors thumbwheel, I doubt it operated like he says or it would have been pointless to use a 3-speed motor since the thumbwheel (rheostat) only has one feel line out and a 3-speed motor has multiple feeds into it. My guess would be that there were detents on the thumbwheel and it was in fact a 3-speed switch.

FWIW the 3-speed motor should still work with the 2-speed switch but you'll only get two speeds and park. The connector on the dash harness is the same for both switches but when using the 3-speed there are seperate connectors used - these are usually taped up on the harness if not in use. You'd have to change the connector in the engine compartment but the FSM wiring diagram would help you there.
I’ll look at his polara again, gotta swing over there to grab parts for his charger anyways. I’ll take another look at the wiper motor and switch.
 
What you need is a wiper switch with the 4 positions. You then need to wire it "similar" to an original Mopar 3 speed switch - easy enough to do using the FSM wiring diagram as well as the motor test process to determine which wire do what. But any aftermarket switch likely won't have the resistor which is what creates the 3rd speed so you'd need to put one of those in the circuit for that position. Finding the value of that resistor is as simple as putting an ohm meter on it.

I dunno ... as simple as I make it sound I know that it won't be simple to accomplish because of how the original switch is configured.
 
Stanton I am looking at Cole Hersee and decided to just use a two speed switch for now. There offerings include several varieties for dual motors and single motors with two speeds and a park/off. My question is do I need the switch that has off and a PARK control or does the wiper motor have the park function built into them? I am assuming by the extra cost for the one switch that it has the park function in the switch.....therefore more expensive to make.
 
The park function is in the motor.
Can you help me with the park function on my variable speed wiper motor? Mine won't go to the park position after I turn it off and what's worse when I turn it on the wipers go down to the detent before going up. I'm afraid of the gears getting stripped. Thanks.
 
Can you help me with the park function on my variable speed wiper motor? Mine won't go to the park position after I turn it off and what's worse when I turn it on the wipers go down to the detent before going up. I'm afraid of the gears getting stripped. Thanks.

This is not mine, it was posted previously, can't remember by who but I used this to diagnose my issues a while back.

If you do not have the proper functions, 99% of the time it is a ground problem. If you have a problem run a ground wire from the wiper motor ground strap to the negative battery post. Run switch again.
If you still experience trouble:
(1) Disconnect motor leads at bulkhead disconnect. Connect jumper wire from battery positive terminal to brown and red leads in bulkhead disconnect. Connect a second jumper from the green lead to ground. (The ground circuit is completed through the car body). The motor should run continuously. Disconnect leads.
(2) Connect jumper wire from green lead to brown lead. Connect red lead to ground. Connect third jumper wire from battery positive terminal to blue lead. The wiper should run to the park position.
 
I'm no pro with the motor's actually function, I just know how it should work "electrically".

I think the issue is mechanical, not electrical. BUT with bad grounds the park function can screw up so maybe check the grounds first - there are two - one is the brass strap and the other is one of the wires.

The park mechanism is all under the top cover.
I'd pop the cover off (note where the small tab on the cover is positioned see attached) and have a look at the guts. If anything is worn its going to be immediately visible.
When you have that cover off (you can do that in the car) I think it will quickly become obvious how the "park" functions. Maybe the contacts inside the cover are corroded, bent or who knows what.

Put a meter on all the wiring - make sure there is continuity on each from the switch to the motor.

Sorry - no definitive solution !! Maybe there's a wiper expert reading this that can help.
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