Morris Minor Owners Club

Well, now that my car moves, I'm free to move onto less important issues, where I think my lack of prowess has been detrimental to performance... The first of these is the wiper unit. It only moves very slowly on the up stroke, and accelerates slightly (though not much) on the downstroke. Also, the wipers, never very good at it before, now refuse to sit properly when the button is pushed, but instead stop dead where they are. This, I think, is a problem with the limit switch earth or something like that. Anybody got any tips on either point? I think maybe I should replace the motor brushes for faster movement, the grease hasn't set so that's not it. I can't find any visible faults through removing the motor case top.

Check all the connections are clean and the terminals are crimped securely.

Try turning the top round bit to adjust the stopping point. But that only works if the little contact on the end of the gearwheel is intact.

If you have a test meter you can check the 12v on the Green wire, which is there whenever the ignition is on. The wiper switch supplies an earth when you operate it but this earth is connected to terminal 'E' on the control box (on the bulkhead). This terminal 'E' is earthed under a bolthead about eight inches lower down behind the vertical wiring loom which is going down to the coil/dynamo etc. I can see that this connection on your pic looks clean and bright but is the bulkhead metal
to which it clamps also clean? i.e. is the voltage across the wiper leads the same as it is across the battery in case you have poor connections.

Jack,

I thionk you'll love this suggestion

Assuming that the electrics to the motor are ok (and you have 12v - or so):-

The wipers are actuated by a long rack which engages in the pinions under the scuttle.
The rack is flexible and was originally well greased inside the guides.

If you remove the wipers, then open the electic motor it is possible to renove the rack, clean out the old gunk (and I bet it is old gunk), re-grease (any mineral grease) and replace it. If you turn the rack 180 degrees it will remove some of the slop (same for the spindles - mark "up" before removing the rack).

You may be suprised at the difference.

I have omitted all the interesting dismantling bits - in the manner of the H****s manual - "it is easily dismantled then re-assembeld in revers order".

Cheers,

Colin

Also check that the earth wire has been attached properly.
It should be onto one of the fuel pump mounting bolts and in contact with the battery tray.
Otherwise the wiper motor is insulated because of its rubber mounting.
bye
Mark

Just remembered this discussion! Thanks everyone, I'll have a look at these things. I'll have some fun with the **** rack- I've removed one before, on my other Morris (now sadly separated from me by 3000 miles) and it was not a nice experience... One thing is, the wipers now partially park- that is, if they're anywhere within the last 45 degrees of the downstroke, they self-park quite nicely.

In that case mark the 'domes' position with a pencil and then slacken the
top plate screws enough to enable you to move the dome round. Each movement should alter the parking position until it is where you want it.

I did that, and I've got the wipers parking properly... Thanks, people. Another problem down, another simple answer...