Re: wiper motor

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

On Sat, 28 Feb 1998, Dan Nees wrote:

>    On a different matter, I need to replace the windshield wiper motor 
> on the 79. What is involved in the procedure? Is it extremely difficult?

Ugh.. PITA.

Pop the hood, and undo the 4 or 6 screws that hold the cowl-cover to the 
cowl.  (This is the nice flat surface you always set your tools on.. it 
also has the "hold-downs" for the windshield washer lines).

Pull that off, and you get to see the fun before you.

The actual wiper motor is on the passenger side.  Look under the slotted 
part of the cowl, all the way over, and actually inside the fender area, 
and you'll find the pump.

It's held in place by 3 bolts.  Same type that hold your hard top down.  
9/16?  either that or 1/2"! (isn't everything?)

I believe there are two bolts across the "top", and one on the underside.

But, removing those bolts is the easy part.

Then you need to figure out how to get the whole pump *and* the arm 
assemblies out!

My suggestion (in hindsight!) is to locate the passenger windshield wiper 
post.  Go under it, to where the wiper motor "arm" (works just like the 
old steam locomotives) is, and there is a little "clip".  It reminds me 
of a "C-clip" (love those things), but it's really a "U".  Same principle 
though.

The wiper post (where the wiper attaches on the topside) is just a 
shaft.  This shaft goes through the cowl, and down underneath.  It then 
runs through TWO flat wiper motor arms.  One goes to the motor, one goes 
to the driver's side.

You need to find the U-clip, and pull it out.  Then you can push the 
"arm" coming from the motor down and off the stud of the passenger wiper.

*NOW* it's easier to take the motor out.  You still need to bend and 
contort a little bit to figure out how to wiggle the motor out.

Once you get it out, there's also a 2-prong plug that needs to be 
disconnected.

Installation is the reversal.  Just wiggle the motor in place, somehow 
get the 3 bolts back in in the right spots, and then reconnect the "arm" 
to the passenger stud.

Be careful.. I dropped one of my bolts down into the fender, and still 
haven't pulled it out.  As a result, I have 2 bolts holding the wiper 
motor in place, and it's "flexed" a little, such that the "arm" coming 
out of the motor now scrapes the sheet metal inside there.. terrible 
sound, but it doesn't rain enough for me to go buy a new bolt and re-do 
it.

Hmm.. this might also be a good time to buy some steel screen meshing, 
and install it over the tops of the fender area.. and maybe cover the 
underside of the slotted section of the cowl while you're there.  Also 
stuff your shopvac down into the fenders and suck out all the crap in 
there.. maybe loosen the bottom of the fender and wash it out, too.

-Tom