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intermittent wiper switch upgrade question

JohnJohn

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May 6, 2005
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I just installed an 80's intermittent wiper switch and harness. I think it came from an F150 truck. I switched the black wire with the white stripe so the windshield washer works.

I used the 80's switch and removed my stock one.

When I push the switch the washer works fine.
When I turn it to the left it turns on a low speed but when I adjust the knob the speed stays the same.
When I turn it to the first click to the right it stops. Next click to the right I get slow speed, then the next click to the right gives me high speed.

My question is should the left turn give me the ability to have variable wipers or even a slower speed than the first click to the right?
It seems that I still have two speeds.
 

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Viperwolf1

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When turned to the left it should have variable speed based on the position of the knob.
 
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JohnJohn

JohnJohn

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Thanks Viper.
I just went out and double checked. When I turned it to the left it has the same speed no matter where I turn it. It is also the same speed as the first click to the right.

Does it matter if I have the Centech harness?
 
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JohnJohn

JohnJohn

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I dont know if this is related but when I turn my wipers off they dont return to the top. Since it did this before I put the new switch in I assumed this is how the wipers worked on old broncos.
Are the wipers suposed to return to the top when I shut them off or when they are variable?
 

BronCowie

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Do you have a good solid ground? If its similar to the one I installed, you need to make sure of this.
 

markperry

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I dont know if this is related but when I turn my wipers off they dont return to the top. Since it did this before I put the new switch in I assumed this is how the wipers worked on old broncos.
Are the wipers suposed to return to the top when I shut them off or when they are variable?

Yes they are suppose to return!
 

rekoj71

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Apr 18, 2009
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Centech harnesses do have issues with the variable speed switches. A search of this forum should net some results on how to trick it to make it work.
 
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JohnJohn

JohnJohn

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thanks for the info. I will search some more.
I just double checked my ground and it is good.

It sounds like I have two problems that may be related. I will post if I find the answer.
 

rekoj71

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I knew I had read that article before but I couldn't find it right away. Thanks Justin.
 

markperry

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Centech harnesses do have issues with the variable speed switches. A search of this forum should net some results on how to trick it to make it work.

I have seen alot of posts about the intermittent wiper switch not working with the Centech harness....I must have gotten lucky with mine, because it works perfect....I wish I could tell you why it works but I can't help ya their.

I guess my point is, their is a way too make it work, because mine does!
 
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JohnJohn

JohnJohn

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Thanks guys.
I tested the wires going to the wiper motor and noticed the Red wire is hot all the time (good). The White wire is only hot when low speed is on and the Blue wire is hot when on hi speed (both good).

Only problem is the black wire(marked park on my centech) never got hot on, off, high or low. Parked or not parked. When I checked the black wire on the motor side with the wires disconnected I noticed it is a grounded wire.

According to factory wiring diagram I found, the black wire (marked park on my centech) is suposed to be hot when the motor is not parked. If it did get the black wire hot it would find a ground and that cant be good.
 

Viperwolf1

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Thanks guys.
I tested the wires going to the wiper motor and noticed the Red wire is hot all the time (good). The White wire is only hot when low speed is on and the Blue wire is hot when on hi speed (both good).

Only problem is the black wire(marked park on my centech) never got hot on, off, high or low. Parked or not parked. When I checked the black wire on the motor side with the wires disconnected I noticed it is a grounded wire.

According to factory wiring diagram I found, the black wire (marked park on my centech) is suposed to be hot when the motor is not parked. If it did get the black wire hot it would find a ground and that cant be good.

The motor has a switch in it that makes the black wire hot when unparked. Look for your problem there.
 

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JohnJohn

JohnJohn

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I FIXED IT!!!!!!! And it's my birthday to boot.

I took the wiper motor apart and checked the contact area that controls the park switch. It works by sending 12v down the black Centech "Park" wire from the motor, except when the rotation has the wipers at the top of the stoke. A small piston is pushed in when the wipers are at the top of its stoke and it breaks the 12v contact for the black wire then makes a ground connection. This is what keeps the wiper motor working until it gets to the top of the stroke then it gets a ground and stops the wipers even seconds after the wiper switch is turned off.

My problem was that the copper contact flap in the motor contact board needed to be bent down a bit to make the 12v connection.

My wipers now return by the selves when the switch is turned off and the new intermittent wipers now work great as well. So this was all related to the little flap not making the 12v contact.

Oh and it was a total pain in the but to put the motor back together because of the three brushes with springs that pop out when you pull the motor apart. I used a small piece of tape to hold two of them while I held the third in with a small screw driver. Once I got the motor started I was able to pull the tape off and work it in the rest of the way.

Hope I have helped others.
 

reamer

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I have teh same 80's switch, I have no put it in though.
What wires did you switch? do I "just plug the new switch into the existing harness" or are there mods to be done?
Reamer
 

RustyShackelfor

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Centerville, TN
you swap 1 wire, and shorten the shaft and extend the flat part. I the threaded part may be longer on the replacement. If so, I like to leave the nut on it most of the way back and install it so it fits where the other one did. Thats how I did mine anyways
 
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JohnJohn

JohnJohn

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I did exactly what Rusty said.

You disconnect the plug from the old switch in the dash. Remove the old switch then plug the old wire connector into the new harness and mount the new switch.

You only have to move the black wire with the white stripe if you are using the later style delay harness. This gets the washer working.

Here is a link to the thread that showed me how to do it.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131678

It would have been a 10 min install if I did not have a pre-existing problem where the park switch inside my wiper motor was not making contact. It needed to be bent down to make contact and had some dirt on it preventing the contact.

and this is the pic showing what to move. I just used a small pair of plyers to push this wire/pin out then popped it in the other open spot.
 

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regshawn

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Feb 23, 2006
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Portland
Getting ready to install mine and I don't have a spare slot I seem to have 7 wire's, do I need to still jump one? My brain hurts right now and can't seem to get through the write up in the tech section. Thanks
 
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