I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

[josh98bird]

Well if read my earlier thread about windshield wipers being stuck in the up position then you know what I'm already tlaking about. For those that don't, keep reading. The windshield wipers will park in the up position when I turn them off. When they are on delay, they start from the bottom and work as normal. its just weird to see them go up after I turn them off. So I searched around and thought I will just take off the cowl and check out the pieces to see if anything is off track or not hitting.

Well first of all... I got the cowl off with only breaking one clip :D which is good for me because I hate those effin plastic clips... just use screws GM! It was a pain to get the cowl off because I had to take off the wipers, open and close the hood a hundred times, and pull the damn thing off. Finally I get it off and I have broken one clip, one of the wiper fluid things that are connected to the cowl, and a plastic cover that goes on the wiper itself. So finally I get to see the problem right? HELL NO, that damn motor and linkage is all the way up under the dash. I looks like its about a foot inside the dash and there is no getting my big as hands in there... hell I couldn't even see it. I'm not about to take everything apart at my apartment so I decide to just suck it up, put it back on and hope mom or dad can loan some money to me to take it to get fixed. DAMN DEALERSHIP WILL COST ME A NUT OR TWO! So I decide to put it back on and it was a ***** again. I ended up breaking another plastic cover on the other wiper and I'm so pissed now! I would hav ebeen better off to just sit here and watch some basketball. instead on my day off, I try to fix a few things and end up ready to fight somebody. Atleast I got the Crown Victoria to drive around for now. I did however get to drive down the road in the Firebird and I so wish she was in better shape... I love driving that car.

So now I'm gonna have a beer, root for my Wildcats to make the tourney, and watch a few basketball games. Hell, I'm off work tomorrow too and I'm forgetting any homework I have and I'm just gonna be a post whore the next two days.

[nimrod.sixty9]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

Idk about the whole up position thing, but my wipers are on some type of LSD...

Intermittent is the same as Low setting. So all I have is High and Low. And they take anywhere from 5 to 30 seconds to turn off (after Ive already turned them off). And sometimes they just stop mid wipe, and then continue. Is it common to have posessed wipers in the 98+ Birds?

[crushedout]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

Idk about the whole up position thing, but my wipers are on some type of LSD...

Intermittent is the same as Low setting. So all I have is High and Low. And they take anywhere from 5 to 30 seconds to turn off (after Ive already turned them off). And sometimes they just stop mid wipe, and then continue. Is it common to have posessed wipers in the 98+ Birds?

I have a similar problem and it because I have an intermitennant open on the fuse. If I push the fuse for wipers in they work like a champ but if not it will gradually lose its connection and then no wipers. Just need some time to really get in there and fix it.

[tkoforpresident]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

Ok buddy, i had the same problem you did, so grab a chair and listen up.

First off, it is a PITA to get the motor out but once you do it a couple times you get the hang of it. You need to pull your cowl apart again and then theres about 3 nuts that are holding the linkage together. Once you have that apart pull the motor out of its compartment (it's held in at the back by 2 rubber pieces that will come out when you wiggle it and pull on it.) Once you have the motor out, check the part that spins around, there should be a small metal stop piece that catches it when it spins around, this is what keeps it from going up when you turn it off. This is what was missing on my motor, it simply was not there. Perhaps if yours is bent that could also be the case. On top of that there are 2 tabs that need to line up, if they are out of place you can see it because they are spring loaded and there will be an empty hole on the outer edge for where it belongs.

If the metal tab is broken or missing, just do what i did and buy a new ww motor off ebay for around 20 dollars, replace said motor and put everything back in its' place.

You should be good to go.

Your problem may not be this exactly but there is a good chance since mine acted the same way.

No point spending 300 + dollars when you can do this yourself.

go tear it apart again.

Max

[josh98bird]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

Ok buddy, i had the same problem you did, so grab a chair and listen up.

First off, it is a PITA to get the motor out but once you do it a couple times you get the hang of it. You need to pull your cowl apart again and then theres about 3 nuts that are holding the linkage together. Once you have that apart pull the motor out of its compartment (it's held in at the back by 2 rubber pieces that will come out when you wiggle it and pull on it.) Once you have the motor out, check the part that spins around, there should be a small metal stop piece that catches it when it spins around, this is what keeps it from going up when you turn it off. This is what was missing on my motor, it simply was not there. Perhaps if yours is bent that could also be the case. On top of that there are 2 tabs that need to line up, if they are out of place you can see it because they are spring loaded and there will be an empty hole on the outer edge for where it belongs.

If the metal tab is broken or missing, just do what i did and buy a new ww motor off ebay for around 20 dollars, replace said motor and put everything back in its' place.

You should be good to go.

Your problem may not be this exactly but there is a good chance since mine acted the same way.

No point spending 300 + dollars when you can do this yourself.

go tear it apart again.

Max

So if I unbolt the linkage holding the wipers together, then I should be able to pull the motor out? If so then that should be alot simpler. I think it will be easier getting the cowl off this time since I've done it once already now.Thanks alot!

[nascar24jd]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

It's amazing how easy things are when you have done it already. When I had my windshield replaced the two guys that did it pulled the wipers, cowl, and everything else in about 5 minutes.

Now that you know how it comes off hopefully it will go smoother.

[tkoforpresident]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

So if I unbolt the linkage holding the wipers together, then I should be able to pull the motor out? If so then that should be alot simpler. I think it will be easier getting the cowl off this time since I've done it once already now.Thanks alot!

yeah theres like 2 nuts (or bolts) in plain view, and one small nut hidden that u will have to get at. Oh i did forget, that yellow ball you have to disconnect first, but simply get a screw driver and twist on it, it should pop off easily. then pull it out, and to be honest i would just replace the whole thing if u can find one on ebay for like 20 dollars, it is an exact fit, just plug the new one in to the electrical connector, slide it into the rubber ports in the back and the bolt her back up and go!

from trial and error i think i dissassembled my cow about 4 times, got easier every time.

good luck.

max

[josh98bird]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

what yellow ball?

[nimrod.sixty9]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

I have a similar problem and it because I have an intermitennant open on the fuse. If I push the fuse for wipers in they work like a champ but if not it will gradually lose its connection and then no wipers. Just need some time to really get in there and fix it.

Im confused. Are you saying the wire in back of your fuse panel is loose?

My wipers do work like champs, just no intermitent and delayed off. And its never changed pace or anything, same ol crap.

Do I have the same problem as you?

[lookout4theyeti]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

My wipers on kinda weird too. You know how when their on, they don't go down as far as they do when their turned off? Its like an extra 2" or something? Well, I'll have mine off, and they'll move to the on position randomly, where they sit 2" higher, and then it goes back to normal. I haven't figured out why yet... :(

[tkoforpresident]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

what yellow ball?

it's the pivot ball that connects the wiper arm to the motor linkage, its under the dash there a ways but you can't miss it. It might stick on there but it should just pop off with screwdriver.

[crushedout]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

Im confused. Are you saying the wire in back of your fuse panel is loose?

My wipers do work like champs, just no intermitent and delayed off. And its never changed pace or anything, same ol crap.

Do I have the same problem as you?

no i was referring to you saying they stop in mid wipe and then continue

[josh98bird]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

it's the pivot ball that connects the wiper arm to the motor linkage, its under the dash there a ways but you can't miss it. It might stick on there but it should just pop off with screwdriver.

awsome... well spring break is over so I'll have to look at this either this weekend or later on this month. Thanks. I might take pics for everyone incase this happens to someone else.

[nimrod.sixty9]

Re: I hate the long dash rant!!!!!

no i was referring to you saying they stop in mid wipe and then continue

Damn, I was hoping it would be explained :(

Actually I think the stopping is the intermitent trying to work