Windshield wipers parking in middle of windshield WTH?! Options

[DC_neun_vierzehn]

From day one when I bought my 914 a couple of years ago, when I turned the wipers on, they would park wherever they were on the windshield when I turned the wiper switch to the off position (they would NOT go back to the normal park position at 9:00).

Thus, I had to keep turning the switch on and off until I got them where they should park at the bottom of the windshield at 9:00.

I thought replacing the wiper switch would do the trick. I installed a NOS SWF wiper switch and now the wipers go to a park position after turning the switch off, but that park position is at about 1:00. I tried removing the wiper arms and adjusting them to see if I could solve the problem, but no dice.

With the wiper arms removed, and the wiper switch in the off position, I should be able to install the wiper arms at the 9:00 position and when I turn the switch on they should operate properly.

But when I do that and turn the switch on, they go down onto the hood. In order to avoid the wipers from going onto the hood I have install them at the 1:00 position and when I turn the switch on they clean the whole windshield but park at 1:00 when the switch is in the off position.

What the heck is going on here?

It's almost like the PO installed the wiper motor backwards. Is that even possible?

[mrholland2]

From day one when I bought my 914 a couple of years ago, when I turned the wipers on, they would park wherever they were on the windshield when I turned the wiper switch to the off position (they would NOT go back to the normal park position at 9:00).

Thus, I had to keep turning the switch on and off until I got them where they should park at the bottom of the windshield at 9:00.

I thought replacing the wiper switch would do the trick. I installed a NOS SWF wiper switch and now the wipers go to a park position after turning the switch off, but that park position is at about 1:00. I tried removing the wiper arms and adjusting them to see if I could solve the problem, but no dice.

With the wiper arms removed, and the wiper switch in the off position, I should be able to install the wiper arms at the 9:00 position and when I turn the switch on they should operate properly.

But when I do that and turn the switch on, they go down onto the hood. In order to avoid the wipers from going onto the hood I have install them at the 1:00 position and when I turn the switch on they clean the whole windshield but park at 1:00 when the switch is in the off position.

What the heck is going on here?

It's almost like the PO installed the wiper motor backwards. Is that even possible?

I'm not sure if this applies, but there is something built into the motor assemblies of most wipers that return to park position when the switch is off? A relay? Maybe it isn't built in on the 914, not sure. I know I had one car that the switch only sort of turned off the power and when the wipers "parked" they depressed a button that turned off all the power.

I'm rambling, but it makes sense in my head

[Root_Werks]

I thought there was something that controlled the park position. I know if I mist my wipers, they park up about an inch too high. If they are running and turned off, they park correctly. Sort of annoying.

[Superhawk996]

Controlled by a rotating, cam shaped switch in the headlight motor drive assembly.



More:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=304921&hl=

[ClayPerrine]

The arm that drives the wipers is installed in the wrong position on the wiper motor.

1. Take the arm off the wiper motor shaft.

2. Turn the wipers on and then off so the motor goes to the park position.

3. Position the arm so that the wipers are in the correct park position on the windshield.


4. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[DC_neun_vierzehn]

The arm that drives the wipers is installed in the wrong position on the wiper motor.

1. Take the arm off the wiper motor shaft.

2. Turn the wipers on and then off so the motor goes to the park position.

3. Position the arm so that the wipers are in the correct park position on the windshield.


4. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

I'm almost afraid to ask ... what do I need to remove to get to these places? Isn't the fresh air box and gas tank in the way? Or can I work around that stuff to do this?

[914_teener]

The arm that drives the wipers is installed in the wrong position on the wiper motor.

1. Take the arm off the wiper motor shaft.

2. Turn the wipers on and then off so the motor goes to the park position.

3. Position the arm so that the wipers are in the correct park position on the windshield.


4. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

Think Clay is right...Occum's Razor thing....but maybe also the cam contacts are worn or gunky. Try indexing them first as Clay says.

[ClayPerrine]

The arm that drives the wipers is installed in the wrong position on the wiper motor.

1. Take the arm off the wiper motor shaft.

2. Turn the wipers on and then off so the motor goes to the park position.

3. Position the arm so that the wipers are in the correct park position on the windshield.


4. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

I'm almost afraid to ask ... what do I need to remove to get to these places? Isn't the fresh air box and gas tank in the way? Or can I work around that stuff to do this?

If you are agile, you can get to the end of the shaft end of the wiper motor without removing the fresh air box.

Otherwise you have to pull the gas tank and the fresh air box to fix it.

Good luck.

[914_teener]

The arm that drives the wipers is installed in the wrong position on the wiper motor.

1. Take the arm off the wiper motor shaft.

2. Turn the wipers on and then off so the motor goes to the park position.

3. Position the arm so that the wipers are in the correct park position on the windshield.


4. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

I'm almost afraid to ask ... what do I need to remove to get to these places? Isn't the fresh air box and gas tank in the way? Or can I work around that stuff to do this?

Yep....one of the most cursed jobs in a 914.

If you are agile, you can get to the end of the shaft end of the wiper motor without removing the fresh air box.

Otherwise you have to pull the gas tank and the fresh air box to fix it.

Good luck.

[rgalla9146]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) with Clay
If you can get a long 10mm open end wrench in there to loosen the nut you're
half way there. Now you'll have to pry that first arm up off the splined shaft.
As I recall the correctly positioned arm will now intefere with tightening the
10mm nut.
I may have it wrong here. I have moved that arm at times in the past to park the wipers on the passenger side.
Good Luck
By the way, remove the wiper arms before doing any of this and disconnect the
battery too.

[bkrantz]

The arm that drives the wipers is installed in the wrong position on the wiper motor.

1. Take the arm off the wiper motor shaft.

2. Turn the wipers on and then off so the motor goes to the park position.

3. Position the arm so that the wipers are in the correct park position on the windshield.


4. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

Not sure about this. If the wiper arms currently swing in the correct arc, then moving the arms on the shafts will cause them to make contact with the windshield frame, and maybe beyond onto the paint.

Where the arms park when the switch goes to "off" is another issue.

[Dave_Darling]

He's not talking about the wiper arms. He's talking about the bellcrank that attaches the whole wiper mechanism to the motor. It's not moving where the wipers are in relation to the stopping point, it's moving the stopping point itself.

--DD

[fixer34]

As noted, that is also what you do if you want to park the wipers on the passenger side.