windscreen wiper

[peter390se]

does anyone know what the windscreen wiper motor and arm is from on a 1984 350I?
The splines are worn on mine, so although the motor turns, the arm remains in the one position.
How difficult is the motor to replace? Will the dash need to come out?
Any comments/suggestions appreciated.

[shpub]

The motor is behind/under the glove box and not to bad to get to. Lucas unit and easy ish to get replaced. Quote the Lucas number on the body. Might simply be a rod failure where it has snapped or a problem inside the motor drive mechanism. Take the cover off to see.

Pray it is not the control box as it is a bastard to get to. Had one go with the 520 and ended up cutting a hole through the front bulkhead to get access as this was easier/quicker than removing the whole interior.

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

[petercam]

Thanks for the reply Steve. Is the motor directly below the bulkhead where the wiper arm is, or is there some linkage, because you say the motor is behind the glovebox (ie not centrally below the arm). If there is linkage, then my problem must lie with the spindle that joins to the wiper arm. The motor and gubbins below must be OK because I can see the spindle rotate, but because the splines on it and the wiper arm are worn the arm remains stationary.
I was thinking of drilling through the arm and spindle and fitting a split pin to engage them together. Do you think this would work, or should I just replace the arm and spindle?

[mikeb]

You might have a hard time getting to / undoing and replacing the spindle and associated gubbins.

The split pin idea could work I would also get yourself some Rain-X to compliment the job. - Just in case the wiper fails altogether.

Mike

www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk

[shpub]

quote:
Thanks for the reply Steve. Is the motor directly below the bulkhead where the wiper arm is, or is there some linkage, because you say the motor is behind the glovebox (ie not centrally below the arm). If there is linkage, then my problem must lie with the spindle that joins to the wiper arm. The motor and gubbins below must be OK because I can see the spindle rotate, but because the splines on it and the wiper arm are worn the arm remains stationary.
I was thinking of drilling through the arm and spindle and fitting a split pin to engage them together. Do you think this would work, or should I just replace the arm and spindle?

There is a spiral rod that moves in a tube that drives the spindle. If the spindle is moving then this bit along with the motor is OK. A split pin is not ideal as the torque is huge and I can see it bending and coming off. It could be that the arm which is normally softer is the real culprit and by replacing it normality will be resumed. If the spindle is worn then replacement is difficult both in getting access and in getting a new one becuase of the wide sweep.

In this case in might be worth using some epoxy to pad out the spline (oil one so tha you can remove the arm) and drill and bolt through rather than use a split pin.

In the mean time Rain-X is a good substitute as MIke says.

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

[malc]

I had just collected my newly purchased 280i from North of Chicago, then proceeded to drive it back home(2,000 plus miles)to South Florida, and half way back the wiper packed up working in torrential rain. I managed to drill out the spline and fitted a tight split pin,which has been in place now for about seven months, and works perfectly.Hey,if it doesn't last you've lost nothing,and it takes five minutes to do it.

[malc]

I had just collected my newly purchased 280i from North of Chicago, then proceeded to drive it back home(2,000 plus miles)to South Florida, and half way back the wiper packed up working in torrential rain. I managed to drill out the spline and fitted a tight split pin,which has been in place now for about seven months, and works perfectly.Hey,if it doesn't last you've lost nothing,and it takes five minutes to do it.

[petercam]

Thanks for your input folks. I got a replacement arm from a scrappy at the weekend, which was similar in length, but the end was a slightly different angle. It works, but doesnt sweep all the way over to the passenger side. I might try the drilling thing, with the original arm.
If it worked for you Malc, it might give a better sweep of the window.
Cheers

[SEVANS]

How far over the windscreen is the arm supposed to sweep?
On my 200 the wiper stops about 5-7inches from the bottom of the screen.
Regards SteveE

[petercam]

Steve - the new wiper arm I put on was stopping about 7ins above the base of the screen too, on the passenger side. The old one didn't work when I got the car, so I don't know if the sweep is any different.
It is the park position of the new arm I am not happy with - it restricts vision a bit as it sticks up, hence why I am going to put the old one back on with a bolt.

[sevans]

I suspect this may be normal. Anyone else care to comment????
The motor is from a TR7 but the gearbox and position of the park switch is different to give it the extra sweep. I had a problem with the park switch a couple of years back and could not source a replacement. I ended up repairing the switch.
Regards SteveE