Re: My GTV6 on eBay and spider wipers

["Jason Hagen" <hagen_jason1@domain.elided>]

As an ex-wiper motor engineer at Ford (now Visteon), I can share the 
following perspective:

Typically, a wiper motor has a park disk or device inside which parks the 
motor in a specified position after the main wiper motor voltage has been 
released.  This takes place via an additional 12V wire (which is always hot 
when the igntition is turned on- I don't think the ignition needs to be on 
in this car to run the wipers though) which continues to run the motor until 
the wipers are in the desired position (or at least the wiper motor crank 
is!) at which point the circuit opens, power is cut, and the motor 
dynamically brakes itself.  This typically is driven on the low speed brush 
of the motor (opposed to the high speed brush).

I have a '73 Spider, but have never had a problem so haven't inspected it 
directly.  As far as your current fault, I would suggest that you have 
either:

- A broken 12V wire to the motor: There should be three wires that carry 
voltage to the motor- one for high speed operation, another for low speed, 
and the third for parking which should always be hot.  Therefore, you should 
have a wire which is always hot to the motor.  If not, look for a broken 
wire and repair.  This should solve the problem.

OR,

-  A faulty wiper motor:  If your constant 12V wire (with motor switch 
off!)is present and functional and your motor is properly grounded, you have 
a faulty parking mechanism in the motor and will have to replace the entire 
motor (or pull it apart and clean it up/repair it.  The only other 
possibility is that your motor's low speed brush and operation are bad and 
the motor cannot park as a result of that.  Either way, a bad motor.

Good luck!

-Jason Hagen

'73 Alfa Spider
'88 BMW 735i
'98 Land Rover Discovery







> From: Michael Williams <alfanut@domain.elided>
> Reply-To: Michael Williams <alfanut@domain.elided>
> To: alfa-digest@domain.elided
> Subject: My GTV6 on eBay and spider wipers
> Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 11:08:27 -0800
>
> My GTV6 has one day to go at auction on eBay. Anyone looking for a 
> beautiful example of the breed is invited to check it out.
>  
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=5356&item=2402686870
>
> Tech question: on my newly acquired 75 spider the wipers don't return to 
> park when you turn them off. They just stop wherever. Is there an easy fix 
> for this?
>
> --
> Michael Williams
> Sacramento, CA, USA
>
> 69 Duetto
> 73 Berlina (Fiat 124 Special)
> 75 Spider (new arrival!)
> 84 GTV6
>
>
> http://alfanut.home.mindspring.com/default.htm
> --
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