71 wipers

[Boyan B.]

I'm helping a friend out with his 71 and I cant figure out whats wrong with the wipers. If you move the switch to on, the vacuum door opens, and the wipers start wiping. When you move the switch to off, after about 2-3 seconds, the vacuum wiper door closes while the wipers are still wiping. It looks like the wiper motor doenst know when to stop and park the wipers. The wiper door seems to be working fine. If anyone can help, I'm stumped.

Thanks,
Boyan.

[Jim T.]

Re: 71 wipers

There is a vacuum valve under the wiper door/wiper grill on the passenger side. This valve is operated by the wiper on the passenger side. When the wiper is at rest it uses the valve to allow the wiper door to come down. Reach below the steering column and pull down on the wiper door overide to keep the wiper door from closing. When the wipers are off and parked push the switch up and close the door until you get the problem fixed. You can raise the wiper door at any time and it will stay up with this manual vacuum control.

[Boyan B.]

Re: 71 wipers

Jim, I will look into that passenger side valve, but my problem is that the wipers never stop moving. I have the wiper door manually open, but even when the slide switch is off, the wiper motor is still moving the wipers. I have to go into the engine compartment and unplug the red wiper motor wire to get things to stop. Its all fine then until i have to turn them off again.

Thanks.

[Bernard S.]

Re: 71 wipers

Hi Boyan: Based on your description, I think there is a problem with your park mechanism either mechanical or electrical. The best reference about the park mechanism is the 71 service manual. If you don't have one, email me and I can try to attach the pages to a return email. Bernie

[Gary S.]

Re: 71 wipers

If you find that the motor needs to be rebuilt, you might try looking at any of the larger McParts auto stores. The one near me carries the correct wiper motor for a pretty decent price. Its only drawback is that it is painted blue. Some work with a paint stripper should yield a nice looking rebuilt wiper motor. Or you can have it rebuilt by those who advertise in the Restorer.
Gary

[Jack H.]

Did this once...

First, the blue paint is )(*&^ to remove and you wind up working paint remover into cracks/recesses with a tooth brush and splattering paint + solvent all over the place. Second, there's a reason why they shoot the rebuilt WSW motors with paint... When, you get all the paint off, expect to see it covering a TERRIBLY deteriorated surface.

If it's factory concours you're after, don't screw around with the el cheapo aftermarket rebuilt wiper motors. Pack your original off to one of those who advertizes wiper motor restoration and you're money ahead. The NAPA equivalent rebuilt motor is fine for a driver applcation though...

[Patrick H.]

Re: Did this once...

Jack,

I did it once too. It was easy, paint came off beautifully, and the surface underneath was pristine. I had zero problems whatsoever.

A lot cheaper than sending it to Corvette Specialties of MD, and it works well too. Since the motor was in the car when I bought it and I knew it worked well, I had little to lose.

Patrick

[Gary S.]

Re: Did this once...

I suspect that you just got the rotten apple in the bunch. Like Patrick, my results are positive.

Gary