1964 Wiper restoration variable speed?

[Evan Frucht]

Does anyone know who rebuilds these early wiper motors. A few people restore the later ones but I havent found anyone for early ones

Has anyone dealt with a bad switch before? If my switch tests bad how can I go about repairing it? Anyone update the switch and figure out how to adapt a newer replacement.

I also noticed there is a tiny circuit breaker attached to the switch? Could that be my problem?

Also, I wouldn't mind trying to do this repair myself. Anyone done repairs like this before?

Backstory:

I found out recently my wiper motor or switch must have some sort of internal damage or short becuase they wiper system never worked right. Sometimes would work, sometimes not at all. The "park" feature that is supposed to returned blades to bottom of windshield didnt work most of the time, and alot of times when the wipers were not working they would sometimes twitch at bottom of the window real fast almost like the "park" feature was triping on and off or something.

 

[Shorthorse]

Have you bench tested it? The park function needs a good ground. I'd check that first.
You Tube has some videos on bench testing and park features.

 

[Evan Frucht]

Have you bench tested it? The park function needs a good ground. I'd check that first.
You Tube has some videos on bench testing and park features.

I'm gonna bench test it first. Maybe the motor just needs some cleaning up. I suspect my SWITCH is part of the problem but who knows. I think the manual has a way to bench test the switch so I'll try that. There is also a circuit breaker on the switch. How can I test a circuit breaker

 

[matthon]

The circuit breaker is for the reverse lights, yup, Mopar powered the reverse lights off of the wiper switch.

On my 67 the circuit breaker is internal, which makes it even better. I rewired that car and forgot to power up the reverse lights off of my new fusebox, I need to do that asap.

My wipers are hit or miss as well, sometimes putting it in reverse will make them start working, or if the reverse lights won't go on I'll turn the wipers on and off until they both work.

I want to power the wiper switch off the fusebox as well.
I pulled it apart years ago, cleaned up everything, and it worked fine for a while.
I need to pull it apart again and make sure I remember this correctly, that there is a circuit breaker in there.

YouTube has videos of wiper switch disassembly and cleaning.

Make sure it's grounded well too.
I grounded everything on the dash with it's own wire, every bulb, switch, gauge, etc.
Mopar relied on the screws and switches making contact with the dash for the grounds.
I made a small harness and my dash lights are brighter and never flicker.
I need to verify I grounded that switch too.
I think I just completely forgot about the wiper switch/reverse lights when I spent all that time rewiring.

I'm sure someone will confirm if I'm off on any of this.

 

[Evan Frucht]

The circuit breaker is for the reverse lights, yup, Mopar powered the reverse lights off of the wiper switch.

On my 67 the circuit breaker is internal, which makes it even better. I rewired that car and forgot to power up the reverse lights off of my new fusebox, I need to do that asap.

My wipers are hit or miss as well, sometimes putting it in reverse will make them start working, or if the reverse lights won't go on I'll turn the wipers on and off until they both work.

I want to power the wiper switch off the fusebox as well.
I pulled it apart years ago, cleaned up everything, and it worked fine for a while.
I need to pull it apart again and make sure I remember this correctly, that there is a circuit breaker in there.

YouTube has videos of wiper switch disassembly and cleaning.

Make sure it's grounded well too.
I grounded everything on the dash with it's own wire, every bulb, switch, gauge, etc.
Mopar relied on the screws and switches making contact with the dash for the grounds.
I made a small harness and my dash lights are brighter and never flicker.
I need to verify I grounded that switch too.
I think I just completely forgot about the wiper switch/reverse lights when I spent all that time rewiring.

I'm sure someone will confirm if I'm off on any of this.

I'm not talking about that circuit breaker on the driver side kick panel. On my wiper switch on my 64 there is a separate circuit breaker attached the back of the actual switch. I think that may be only for the VARIABLE speed one I have becuase it states in my manual that single speed switches have an internal circuit breaker.

In my technical manual it states:
"a separate circuit breaker is attached to the 'B' terminal of the switch to protect the motor"

So that circuit breaker is for the motor.
That leads me to think that maybe that's what was getting making the ammeter tick. Maybe I have a short in my switch or a bad circuit breaker on my switch. Or something else

I had been wondering what that circuit breaker was under the kick panel that has a wire going to it from the wiper switch. On my wiring diagram it was only labelled "accecory circuit breaker"
Good to know it's for the backup lights... that makes sense becuase the wire that leads off it goes to harness for the rear end.

 

[Evan Frucht]

When I did this bench test on my motor it failed to run at at all (only did part 1 of test for now) and it was creating a spark at my battery postive terminal everytime I tried. But no burnt wires inside?

 

[matthon]

I'm not talking about that circuit breaker on the driver side kick panel

I wasn't either. I forget what's getting power from that on mine. Maybe it is the reverse lights, I recall reconnecting it after I disconnected the ammeter. I'll have to check.
The wiring diagram doesn't show anything getting power from that accessory breaker, it shows the reverse lights and the switch itself powered from the breaker on the switch, or at least those wires connected there.
I think I recall the diagram being wrong. Stupid diagram.

So the yellow wire is both grounded and powered to test?

Are the two circuit breakers the same?
Could you swap them to see what the switch does?

 

[Evan Frucht]

I wasn't either. I forget what's getting power from that on mine. Maybe it is the reverse lights, I recall reconnecting it after I disconnected the ammeter. I'll have to check.
The wiring diagram doesn't show anything getting power from that accessory breaker, it shows the reverse lights and the switch itself powered from the breaker on the switch, or at least those wires connected there.
I think I recall the diagram being wrong. Stupid diagram.

So the yellow wire is both grounded and powered to test?

Are the two circuit breakers the same?
Could you swap them to see what the switch does?

I think the two circuit breakers are slightly different. I'll have to double check that.

Ya the yellow wire is both grounded and powered to test. I thought that was a strange way to test it so I took a picture of that page in my service manual just to set the record straight. Maybe someone can explain why it says to test that way... or maybe its somehow a typo... I doubt it but if it is someone must of caught it

At this point I'm trying to figure out what is shorting out inside the motor? Trying to figure out what's wrong before I look into sending off for restoration.
It actually looks really clean inside so I'm hoping I can isolate the problem (internal short?) and perform a simple fix.

 

[matthon]

I've heard of issues when a variable speed switch is used with a single speed motor, or vise-versa, as well as 2 speed vs 3 speed.
Was either replaced with the wrong part?

 

[Detroit Iron]

Was there a production 3 speed wiper in '64?

 

[Evan Frucht]

I've heard of issues when a variable speed switch is used with a single speed motor, or vise-versa, as well as 2 speed vs 3 speed.
Was either replaced with the wrong part?

I think it's an all original combo based on the rest of car and the way the actually motor looks. It looks like the motor was NEVER removed until now.

 

[Evan Frucht]

Was there a production 3 speed wiper in '64?

Nope. Only "single speed" and then "variable speed" according to my manual. Variable speed has infinite speeds... like a headlight rheostat

 

[Evan Frucht]

I originally thought I had a bad switch on my hands but then I pull the motor and it fails the bench test.

Basically i just want to make sure the bench test I'm doing is correct.

I'm also looking for other tests I can do. Or how i can use my new mutimeter to try to figure out what is going on. What is causing the short ?

 

[bearman]

Evan thanks for the thread I guess I should check mine out while I have the dash board out. Looking at yours I see it has brushes in it. Has the spring pressure for the brushes lost its tension. Also did you check out the armature the brushes ride on sometimes they crack and shut down or I have seen others where the armature is lifting off the shaft causing a short. Just my 2 cents but following along.

 

[Evan Frucht]

Evan thanks for the thread I guess I should check mine out while I have the dash board out. Looking at yours I see it has brushes in it. Has the spring pressure for the brushes lost its tension. Also did you check out the armature the brushes ride on sometimes they crack and shut down or I have seen others where the armature is lifting off the shaft causing a short. Just my 2 cents but following along.

With the motor cover off the armature has some play in it. I can pull it out of the motor about a 1/8 inch maybe less and can also wiggle it around. But the motor cover also has a guide for armature to keep it centered and in place (see pic) so I'm not sure if that's my problem. The brushes have some spring tension I'm not sure if it's enough though but they stay pushed up against the armature when I spin it.

 

[bearman]

Evan, I have seen when the brushes get to a 1/4 inch in size the tension doesn't hold when the motor is turning and also send the wobble in the shaft cause ground problem. If you can supply power and ground and watch it as turns you maybe able to locate problem. I have also seen the wiper arms cause problems because of not in time or not using the full stroke of the motor so it heats up and shuts down.

 

[Evan Frucht]

Evan, I have seen when the brushes get to a 1/4 inch in size the tension doesn't hold when the motor is turning and also send the wobble in the shaft cause ground problem. If you can supply power and ground and watch it as turns you maybe able to locate problem. I have also seen the wiper arms cause problems because of not in time or not using the full stroke of the motor so it heats up and shuts down.

I just cleaned everything up and re tested. It still is shorting out on the first test. I did the second test and it started to run (didnt check which direction) but then it stopped suddenly becuase something was jamming up the wiper rods. Now that test wont make it run anymore.... I get a strong short when I do the first test and a weaker spark when I do the second test now....

 

[bearman]

It's sounds like your pivot arm is jamming up. Which in returns overheats the motor and shuts down. Not sure but is the axle or shaft have bushings on it. What could be happening is the shaft is touching the stator when you first start it and then frees up. But it will go bad because of the bushings are bad. Just a guess without seeing it. I could be all wrong

 

[Plumber452]

I just cleaned everything up and re tested. It still is shorting out on the first test. I did the second test and it started to run (didnt check which direction) but then it stopped suddenly becuase something was jamming up the wiper rods. Now that test wont make it run anymore.... I get a strong short when I do the first test and a weaker spark when I do the second test now....

Hello, did you ever get this resolved? I have a 64 Fury that has set for 45 years and the wipers tried to work then stopped. I hear the breaker on the switch clicking and I checked voltage at the motor and it’s on and off. How did you remove your motor? I’m hoping I can remove and clean it and it’ll start working. Thanks

 

[T Brashears]

My car sat for a dozen years,one wiper arm pivot froze. I soaked it,got it free,blew the crud out,then drilled a small hole in the housing and shot some grease in them.