Slow Wipers

Technical Area Electrics & ICE
2

Had a problem with slow wipers on my 1990 Eunos roadster 1.6 v-special…

So thought i’d look into the problem and fix em!!

Grabbed some tools and removed the wiper arms using a wiper arm puller (the easy way to do it!)

Then removed the tray from the bottom of the windscreen by removing the small plastic covers. Underneath you will see 5 small screws and 2 large screws. Remove all of the screws and then remove the plastic tray from the car.

Next you will see 2 10mm bolts at each wiper spindle - remove the bolts and the linkage can be dropped into the tray below the windscreen. The next thing to do is to remove the socket from the ball joint on the wiper motor arm using a large screwdriver to prise it off.

The full linkage can then be removed from the car!

I tested the wiper spindles by twisting the black spindle body and found both were VERY stiff to turn by hand!

 

Looking closer you can see a very small circlip on the spindle that holds the washer in place against the spindle body - remove the circlip using a small flat head screwdriver. Then remove the silver washer (they are tight to remove but use a screwdriver to tease them over the splined part of the spindle. Once the washer is removed you can then pull the spindle out of the spindle body…

Circlip, washer and o ring seal from the spindle body

Here is the state of 1 of the spindles - it was dry with no lubrication with a build up of dirt and rust!

So i cleaned off any dirt and rust from the spindle using some emery cloth…

Gave the spindle body a good clean out too.

Once the spindle was nice and clean i lubricated the spindle with copper grease and refitted the spindle body.

Refitted the top o ring seal using a small screwdriver - replaced the silver washer and replaced the circlip into the groove on the spindle (i had to reform the circlip as it had bent out of shape removing it)

The spindle body was now really easy to twist and felt very smooth!!!

I did the other spindle body and now both feel as good as new !!!

 

Refitted the linkage back on to the car in the reverse sequence!!!

Hopefully they will now be good for another 24 years!!!

 

Daz

3

Nice one. 

I had the same problem with my 1992 Eunos but failed to get the spindle out of the body despite removing the circlip. Really put a lot of pressure on it and only succeeded in breaking the plastic body.

Wasn’t too fussed as I have a spare “bitza” shell in the garage with lots of goodies such as these still on it. So just bolted on the spares after giving them a darn good lubing.

Interestingly you seem to get the opposite problem with Mk2 spindles - they are all plastic and wear horribly, making them all sloppy instead of seizing up.

However you can put Mk1 spindles (they are better quality) on a Mk2 car.

4

Yep i found it was the washer that made it difficult to remove the spindle from the body - so teasing it over the splines with a screwdriver does the trick :wink:

All of the ball joints were very well lubricated and very easy to move - so the spindle bodies were the problem - now they are done - they’re better than new :slight_smile:

Daz

5

Ah! That’s saved me asking how to sort my non functioning on intermittewnt wipers. Cheers!

6

I had slow wiper, but it wasn’t due to this. The speed control on the 91-94 wiper motor can wear, leading to res slowness. Apparently it can be fixed weith a blob of solder. Intermittent speed wiper problems can also be due to problems with the stalk controls on later, post-1995 cars.