Wiper Motor - Intermittent/Return

[flatfourontour]

The wipers have stopped auto-returning on the Prisma. Also, the same switch controls the intermittent wipe function.

I can't find any info. about the wiper motor etc. in the service manual, except in the wiring diagram the wiper motor is described as having this intermittent function built in.

I have checked continuity across the block connector to the wiper motor - all ok.

Is it worth me taking the motor off for a look? I am not an electrical wizz, but I do have a voltage/amp/ohmmeter.

Does anyone else have any experience of this problem?

Thanks!

 

[Kevinlincs]

Common issue on wiper motors.
There's a series of circular tracks on the plastic gears, the one that is powered for the self park will have grease on it and lack the right pressure to keep contact.
Sure there's stuff on youtube etc that will explain it better...

[Kevinlincs]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfqExxuwqyA

A different issue with this guy but the inside track is similar enough, the white plastic wheel with the brass tracks will have hardenned grease and the prongs/contacts will need a clean and bending a little to give them more tension to sit against the tracks.

[flatfourontour]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfqExxuwqyA

A different issue with this guy but the inside track is similar enough, the white plastic wheel with the brass tracks will have hardenned grease and the prongs/contacts will need a clean and bending a little to give them more tension to sit against the tracks.

cool, many thanks, I will take a look.

[flatfourontour]

Actually the wiper motor is a right pita on the Prisma.

The plastic cog and contacts is underneath, and the spindle shaft has to be removed to release the motor from the metal cage...

I managed to pull the shaft out, but relocating the spindle is pretty much impossible as the plastic cogs just give way inside the casing. Anyway, so now I have no wipers...I may need to take the car to my usual rescuers, Autobritalia at Dunkirk.
In the meantime I will try to have a second go at a, "repair" before attempting to refit, because my first effort didn't work...still nothing at position one.
Position two and three all good, except of course the spindle isn't located. Bah!

[flatfourontour]

Final update.

I ordered a new motor.

I could hear the switching to the original motor on pos.1, but no response.

A mistake I made was to remove the spindle in order to extract the motor from the cage. This is not necessary. The cage can be loosened (2 x 10mm nuts)away from the bulkhead and this is enough to remove and refit the wiper motor with the spindle intact.

Anyhow, new motor from AEC parts in Sussex. Fast dispatch. Fitted and all good. I was just glad this part was still available. It is not widely available though. It is the same motor for all the Delta and Prisma variants, lhd and rhd.

I have kept the original motor in case somebody more knowledgeable than me can fix it in the future. I suspect there is some kind of internal relay or something, because the pins all seemed to be making contact and the grease in the gear was still soft.