Intermittent Wiper does not work

[MrClancy]

Hello: Has anyone run across this issue before? Wipers work fine on slow speed and fast speed. But when the intermittent position is selected, the wipers move halfway up the windscreen and then stop. And that's it. They don't move again until I move the steering column stalk to the lowest position; always on. I replaced the intermittent switch relay which did not help. Fuses are all new. Not sure where the gremlin is. Thoughts anyone? Thanks!

[fiat218]

I have a 69 and 79 and 80 and had a 72 till last winter
Anyways I have got caught in the rain with them, wipers work all to good
Last nite I had the 80 out, caught in the rain,no top on it (yet) , anyways I just laugh, I put the wipers on and they work just fine, all of a sudden they stop! Then they go , then stop
I'm like dam the intermittent. Works. Lol
Never had them work on the others. Lol.
Sorry I thought I'd share

[fiat218]

Sorry,I can't help you

[seabeelt]

double check and clean all of the grounds associated wit the circuit(s). the relay works on current draw. so if you are drawing alot of current the realy bimetal spring times out reallly fast and the wipers stop . also may need to disassemble the wiper motor and check all of the contacts in there. last is the steering column switch, but i would lean mor toward the grounds and then the motor itself. Do you have a motor you can substitute just to check that option?

[spider2081]

Do your wipers "park" properly when you turn them off?
My understanding of the wiper delay is this.
Power from fuse 2 is present at the wiper motor blue/black wire in "start and run" position of ignition switch. This is power to the park switch in the wiper motor. A cam in the motor closes the park switch whenever the wiper arms are not in the park position. That power is then fed to the slow/fast switch and then to the wiper motor.
The delay timer provides a short duration pulse to the motor to drive the motor out of "park", causing the park switch contacts to close and power the motor until the cam opens the park switch contacts again. In other words the voltage driving the wiper motor when "delay" is selected comes directly from fuse 2. The motor current does not pass through the wiper delay timer. The timer simply produces evenly spaced pulses of voltage that if the wiper motor is in the park position will bump the motor enough to make the park switch contacts close driving the wipers one sweep back to park.
If the wipers are stuck 1/2 sweep the timers pulse is not seen because the motor is already being powered by the park switch.
I think a weak wiper motor, or a poor connection on the blue/black wire at fuse 2 or at the wiper motor connector is most likely you fault. Also the mechanical linkage being too stiff could be a part of the problem.

[81SPIDERMATT]

slow AND a fast speed ... mine have intermittent or on... there is a fast speed ???

[spider2081]

I did not just check my car but from the schematic I would say yes the delay function would work with the speed switch in either position. I am not sure if the time between the sweeps and the speed of the blades changes with the fast/slow switch or if the time between the sweeps stays the same and only the speed of the blade changes. The timer pulse determines the time between sweeps and it doesn't know what position the fast/slow switch is in. The fast/slow switch determines how fast the blades make the sweep.

[MrClancy]

Thanks, everyone! I will check out all these suggestions!

[wizard124]

Go here to check the circuitry: http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... er#p170743

[highdesertexplorer]

I opened the gear box on my '78. There is a switch in there, like a set of points. I believe it is for the park. But, after cleaning them up real good, the intermittent now works. So I think they pull double duty. But I didn't really take the time to figure out exactly how it all works. I also took the motor apart and gave it a good cleaning and it runs much faster now. Every electrical connection on my car has some corrosion, inside that gear box is no exception.

Good luck!