Wiper Motor Replacement

The Big Comets
JimsHot66
Posts: 176
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:48 pm
Location: Auburn, CA.

Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by JimsHot66 »

Happy Holidays!
I’m replacing the wiper motor in my 1966 Comet. The first reman motor I installed lasted about 10 minutes before it died (probably about 8 cycles of power on/off). Only one speed worked and it didn’t park when powered off. The reman motor does not come with any info on wiring. I want to verify that I have the wiring correct before I install another motor. I based the wiring info below on voltage/conductivity measurements I took before connecting and what little info I could find online.

Motor---Car
Blue---Black
White---Black/white (spade lug)
Red---Gray (light Blue?)
Black---Orange/Black

Also, is there an inline fuse under the dash for this (I figure it’s easier to ask here before I go digging under there)? :)
Thanks!
Jim
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popscomet
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Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:19 pm
Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by popscomet »

When I replaced the wiper motor on my 67fairlane,,,which I assume would be the same,,the fuse was in the fuse box,,,it did not have a seperate fuse in line,,,,,,,hope this helps,,good luck pop
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pop/glenda

tomb22
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Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by tomb22 »

Looking at your motor wire leads you have a single speed motor. I don't know what was original to your car but I think they were single speed.
The reman motor leads are colored coded as such.
Blue = high speed
white = park
red = +12 volts
black = external ground
green = low speed which you don't have

As far as your car colors go I'm not sure they are correct. Some colors may be faded. I don't know if this helps you but it's more information.
Tom
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tomb's 65

Caveman49
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:15 am
Location: South Alabama

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by Caveman49 »

I believe if you look at your fuse box, there will be a separate fuse for wipers if you have a two speed, if not it’ll be off your accessories fuse, I may be wrong, if not there it’s in the wiper switch.
You need to get a shop manual for 1966 Comet, Falcon, Fairlane, and Mustangs. You can find them on various sites, to include eBay (where I got mine). They are very helpful, and save you time on a lot of repairs you will be doing to your ride.

I’ll try to get some pics today of the wiring etc, also those wiper motors have a “park” position, it tells you how to adjust it in the manual.

Motor Safe,
Lee
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Motor Safe,
Lee

Caveman49
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Location: South Alabama

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by Caveman49 »

Hope this comes out and helps some.
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Motor Safe,
Lee

Caveman49
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:15 am
Location: South Alabama

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by Caveman49 »

Chart
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Motor Safe,
Lee

Caveman49
Posts: 470
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Location: South Alabama

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by Caveman49 »

Manual I was talking about. Haven’t figured out how to turn the pic, but you see the manual how it looks.
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Motor Safe,
Lee

JimsHot66
Posts: 176
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:48 pm
Location: Auburn, CA.

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by JimsHot66 »

Thanks for the quick responses! The pictures are helpful and I’ll definitely get a manual which should help me sort out the wiring mess that is in this car. The car originally must have had a 2 speed motor (based on the switch) and it makes sense what I have now is one speed, which is fine with me if I can get the wipers to run and park when turned off.

My concern now is that I don’t have power to the connector where I did before. All the fuses are good. There is a module (small rectangular shaped box) attached to the wiper switch that seems to be for the washer. I don’t have any of the washer stuff in this car (the tank is there but no wiring, or anything else). Is there a fuse in this module?

To clarify what I have coming out of the car that was connected to old wiper motor:

3 pin connector
Black
Blue (had 12 volts before, not now)
Orange-Black stripe (conductivity to ground before, and now)

Black-White stripe (separate wire with spade lug connector)

On the original motor the 3 pin connector wires came from the wiper motor casing, the spade lug connected to a lug on the assembly near the output shaft of the wiper motor.

Thanks for all your help!
Jim
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poboyjo65
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Location: Camden, Tenn.

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by poboyjo65 »

Not sure about 66's but you may have the wiper delay thing. these were junk from the get go,& act like a one speed when not working properly. does it have a little knob on the end of the wiper switch? another clue ; if the wiper switch has 2 little tubes on the back that vacuum lines hook to it is the delay type.

if the 66 washer is like 65's , it was a foot pump ,worked by pushing a pedal (that squeezes a rubber ball) with left foot above the dimmer switch which manually squirted the fluid. it did have wires on the foot pump that automatically swiped the wipers when you pressed the foot pump.

you can see the little brass tubes in this pic,& may be the little box you mentioned;
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Johno

Caveman49
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Location: South Alabama

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by Caveman49 »

It looks as if the switch has a circuit breaker (C.B) on the diagram. You may have a bad breaker or switch. Might check all the wires and grounds to, them rascals will surprise you.

John, you may be on to something, but I’m thinking Jim has a two speed switch with a one speed motor. The washers are driven electronically through the switch.

Here’s a pic of our 66 Caliente wiper switch, it has a two position big turn knob, a center small knob for intermittent, and you pull it to make the washers work. Now ask me if they all work 😬, no, I have a single speed motor on it. The original gave up, and that’s the only thing I had available. I donno, maybe it was always a single speed from the factory, I’ve never pulled the switch out to look at it, but seems to me, it’s a two speed switch.

Motor Safe,
Lee
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Motor Safe,
Lee

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poboyjo65
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Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by poboyjo65 »

Caveman49 wrote:
Thu Dec 30, 2021 1:00 pm
It looks as if the switch has a circuit breaker (C.B) on the diagram. You may have a bad breaker or switch. Might check all the wires and grounds to, them rascals will surprise you.

John, you may be on to something, but I’m thinking Jim has a two speed switch with a one speed motor. The washers are driven electronically through the switch.

Here’s a pic of our 66 Caliente wiper switch, it has a two position big turn knob, a center small knob for intermittent, and you pull it to make the washers work. Now ask me if they all work 😬, no, I have a single speed motor on it. The original gave up, and that’s the only thing I had available. I donno, maybe it was always a single speed from the factory, I’ve never pulled the switch out to look at it, but seems to me, it’s a two speed switch.

Motor Safe,
Lee
that looks similar to my 65 knobs. the delay doesn't work ,if you turn the switch left comes on or turn it right but both are same speed. another clue if it was factory delay is there may be a vacuum governor on the firewall near the heater motor . I have seen 66 switches very similar to the pic I posted.
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Johno

Caveman49
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Location: South Alabama

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by Caveman49 »

My switch big knob only turns right, and I have to turn it to the second position for the wipers to work, one speed only. There are a bunch of wires going to the back of the switch, and it looks like a circuit breaker attached to it as well. No tubing or anything coming out of it, or any type of mechanism on engine side heater box area. I do have electrical wires under the hood going to where there used to be a washer pump, believe they’re coming from he wiper switch.

Too much wiring and to tight for me to get a good pic. I’m getting to old for contortions crawling under the dash.
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Motor Safe,
Lee

Caveman49
Posts: 470
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Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by Caveman49 »

Johno, you have a pic showing the electrical hook up on that switch you posted?
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Motor Safe,
Lee

JimsHot66
Posts: 176
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:48 pm
Location: Auburn, CA.

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by JimsHot66 »

The switch in my car is what John and Lee have pictured. It’s a 2 speed switch with the center knob to adjust intermittent (I assume). None of the components for the intermittent and washer “features” are in this car. My understanding is these came with a control box mounted to the firewall, with vacuum lines, for the intermittent operation. The washer stuff (pump, water lines) are also missing but the wiring is still connected to the back of the switch.

Having it single speed is fine with me. Having the blades park when powered off (they didn’t when I was checking things before replacement motor died) would be a bonus. My switch works like Lee’s, all the way to the right for wipers to work, all the way to the left turned them off, but not parked.

If there is a circuit breaker on the switch can it be reset in case it just tripped? I don’t see a button or anything on the back of the switch. Is the metal box attached to the switch the breaker (I assumed it was part of the washer system)? I’m beginning to think that whatever failed with the motor also took out the switch. I also wonder if the way I connected the wires is the root cause of all of this.

Also, I should have the shop manual Lee recommended in 3 to 9 days. And Lee...don't go contorting yourself on my account! :)

Jim
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Caveman49
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:15 am
Location: South Alabama

Re: Wiper Motor Replacement

Post by Caveman49 »

Hey Jim, I’m good, it’s just a bit tight under there for me. Don’t know how the switch looks like when it’s out, but I imagine the circuit breaker could be replaced, if not, probably have to replace the whole switch.

I’m going to see if a friend of mine might have a switch to look at, he has a bunch of Comet parts. He’s the one I got my wiper motor from, along with several other 66 parts.

You’ll be glad you got the shop manual, they are nice to have especially if you’re doing a lot of your own work on the car. I like paper copy, beats the digital version.
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Motor Safe,
Lee

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