Need to know......

[Bad260Z]

I have an early 71' 240Z, and the windshield(or windscreen, depending where you live) wipers will not work. I s this a common thing? What should I look for, Im not too good with wiring, im a drivetrain and suspension guy, i usually steer clear of wiring so I am not to knowledgable with it. I dont want to have to buy a new motor, unless I have to, so i just need to know what all could go wrong with the whole system. Thanks in advance.

[seerex]

there have been several very good threads about this , many showing how to test and fix existing issues , also I think there is a article on the internet z club as well reguarding it, good luck and yea not too uncommon

[Bambikiller240]

Is the motor operating at all, or trying to operate? Or is it simply DEAD?

There are several things that could cause the wipers to not function:

1. Mechanical issues with the Wiper Pivots (seized), Operating Rods (disconnected or broken)

2. Lack of power to the motor (switch on the steering collumn), wiring damaged, fuse

3. Defective motor (least likely IMO)

EScanlon has posted some good info on rebuilding the Wiper Pivots amd Operating rods. Try a search for these threads.

Using Enriques info, I was able to rebuild the mechanical part of my Wiper System last summer. I started to prepare a very detailed, illustrated Tech Article on the project, but after it was about 2/3 complete, changes to the website rendered most of my work un-usable here. Maybe someday I'll find an alternate place to publish it, and will regain interest in completing the article.

[gnosez]

The problems are many but the most common are:

1) nut/bolt attaching arms to motor loose or off

2) pivot points need to be cleaned and greased

3) wiper motor needs brushes or is shot

4) nut holding arms loose

5) electrical connections loose, blown fuse, combo switch issue

The motor can be rebuild. The pivots can be regreased and the electrical stuff can be tracked down it just takes time. And don't use dual wiper blades as they put more pressure (more resistance) on the motor.

[tccoven]

I've recently experienced a similar problem on my '76 280z, but not always. Lately, only the high speed wiper function is constantly reliable, while the low and intermittent functions sometimes work, sometimes not.

I saw the old "repairing the 240z combo switch" pdf, and was wondering if anyone had done the same operation successfully to the wiper contact points. It seems like it would be plausable, but I wonder if should look elsewhere for a cure before tearing the switch apart and forcing myself to part with the ungodly amount of money they want for a replacement.

Thanks, you guys have been a great help over the years. This is actually the first time I didn't find my question answered before I even had to ask.