Wiper Switch Conversion, Different for Early Cars? What am I missing? Options

[BeatNavy]

So today was going to be a good day to do the wiper switch upgrade as my car's up on jackstands for brake issues and probably will be there for a few days. I was following the Pelican Article which describes itself pertaining to '74 (I've got a '72). But I've read through a lot articles on this, and I don't recall seeing any distinction between early/late cars. I ordered this 924 switch (part number 111953519G as per the article).

Anyway, once I started the process I ran into several issues which have me stumped. First of all, the quality overall seems sketchy. I had seen the caveats on the quality of this one, but even then the quality seemed suspect to the point that I'm not sure it would work at all. Then I ran into the following additional issues as annotated in the picture below:

1. The layout is different than what I had seen in other pictures, and the wire colors did not match the old switch. There's a contact anchored to the outside of the switch that I have seen in other pictures on the inside....which wouldn't bother me except...

2. ...it's held in place by a bolt and nut going through one of the holes that should hold one of the four metal sleeves that hold the turn signal and wiper assemblies together. WTF? I assume that this contact is necessary, but it will fall out without that bolt in place.

3. The actual holes in the metal piece through which the sleeves should slide were too small. I took a drill bit and by hand worked them wide enough so I could get the sleeves in, but it still makes me question if I have the right part.

4. Dog, recovering from ACL surgery, is no help at all.



Has anyone else been successful doing this on an early car with this specific part (from this vendor) and do you recommend a different part/vendor?

Thanks for your help. Winter's coming. I'd like to be able to clean the windshield.

[BeatNavy]

Alright, Dave, I'm not sure if this is progress or not, but I tried to make it work with that POS switch from CIP1. I managed to put the new switch in and get everything hooked up. When I put it back on the steering column, wipers worked, turn signals worked, and no fuses blew at any point including when I pulled back on the wiper switch as if to activate the pump. I think the difference is illustrated in the picture of my switch below:



In his switch (and maybe on yours?) the black wire is connected to the ground contact (where the blue arrow is). On mine, that is not connected to ground so it doesn't short. Why the difference in parts? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

The red arrow in the picture is pointing to a lead behind the black wire (it's difficult to see in the picture) that I assume is providing the power out to the electric pump once I install it. I can't tell on the switch how that lead would get power. It's pretty obvious to me now that the black wire sticking straight up on the top of the switch does close a circuit when you pull back on the switch, but I already cut and capped that one according the EV Hack guy's instructions. I may have to undo/redo that if I find I cut/capped the wrong one.

Also, according to the guy on the EV Hack thread:

Conveniently, the mate to that pin on the female side of the J-connector under the column houses an inactive wire that travels nearly perfectly to the washer reservoir in the front trunk. This was probably a provision for a washer pump option that wasn’t implemented in my 914 model.

The wire he's talking about appears to be brown/black or something like that best I can tell looking at it. I'll pull out a wiring diagram, but I don't see a wire like what he's talking about near the fluid reservoir. It sounds like you've been in and all around that wiper motor, Dave, so do you know where I would find that wire? I want to see if it's getting any power when I pull the switch.

[HalfMoon]

Alright, Dave, I'm not sure if this is progress or not, but I tried to make it work with that POS switch from CIP1. I managed to put the new switch in and get everything hooked up. When I put it back on the steering column, wipers worked, turn signals worked, and no fuses blew at any point including when I pulled back on the wiper switch as if to activate the pump. I think the difference is illustrated in the picture of my switch below:



In his switch (and maybe on yours?) the black wire is connected to the ground contact (where the blue arrow is). On mine, that is not connected to ground so it doesn't short. Why the difference in parts? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

The red arrow in the picture is pointing to a lead behind the black wire (it's difficult to see in the picture) that I assume is providing the power out to the electric pump once I install it. I can't tell on the switch how that lead would get power. It's pretty obvious to me now that the black wire sticking straight up on the top of the switch does close a circuit when you pull back on the switch, but I already cut and capped that one according the EV Hack guy's instructions. I may have to undo/redo that if I find I cut/capped the wrong one.

Also, according to the guy on the EV Hack thread:

Conveniently, the mate to that pin on the female side of the J-connector under the column houses an inactive wire that travels nearly perfectly to the washer reservoir in the front trunk. This was probably a provision for a washer pump option that wasn’t implemented in my 914 model.

The wire he's talking about appears to be brown/black or something like that best I can tell looking at it. I'll pull out a wiring diagram, but I don't see a wire like what he's talking about near the fluid reservoir. It sounds like you've been in and all around that wiper motor, Dave, so do you know where I would find that wire? I want to see if it's getting any power when I pull the switch.

Should be 91 on your schematic. That wire should show up somewhere in the forward trunk cowl area. You can trace it from the fan/horn relay behind the fuse panel.
Btw, I found when I removed the plastic nozzles that without the underlying plates then being secured, the screw eyes for the nozzles eventually slid down touch the inner metal tabs and making contact with the leaves...essentially energizing those outer screw eyes. I left my nozzle flange in place to prevent this from happening but used a pair of dykes to cut off the actual nozzles. Just an fyi. Look at it and you'll see what I'm talking about.
See the enclosed picture/s to see how that wire gets energized. It's really quite ingenius.