Windshield Wiper Problems

I have a 70 Skylark convertible with a windshield wiper problem I need some help with. I bought the car 2 yrs ago and had it cloned into a GS last winter but the wipers never will go down all the way. When I bought the car it had a relatively new wiper motor. I removed the screen and disconnected the motor but the wipers still will not go down all the way! There is a adjustment on the bar that connects to the wiper motor but I can't get the bar to the motor. I think maybe someone forced them down at some point and bent something. Even with the bar to the motor disconnected the piece that the wiper arm goes onto on the drivers side will not let the wiper arm sit down all the way. The little tab on the drivers side where the arm connects will not go down all the way. I removed the pieces that attach to the bottom of the windshield and looked at all the wiper bars and I can't see anything wrong. Maybe somebody has pictures that I could see so I could tell if something of mine is bent. I'm pretty sure someone in the metal shop or paint shop forced them down and bent something. At least that's what I tell my wife. Any help would be appreciated. Glenn

 

What general shape is the wiper motor? Rectangular motor is "non-hidden park" set-up. The blades stop & stay up on the glass. A round motor pointing down indicated the "hidden park" set-up.
Set up can be converted from one to the other but many parts involved. Motor, wiring harness, linkage, wiper arms, stainless trim at windshield base.

 

Steve thanks but the car is covered in the garage now. I'm pretty sure its the hidden park motor because when you look at the wiper motor assembly under the hood the motor is a round cylinder pointing down at a angle. The wiper's went down all the way I believe when I 1st bought the car. Also when I look inside the cowl area and cycle the wipers on and off the bar that attaches to the motor moves and the turns around in a circle and then moves again when you shut off the wipers. You also mention the stainless trim over the bottom of the windshield. Mine has raised ridges where i believe the wiper blades are supposed to stop at and rest on. I noticed all this because all I wanted to do was detail the car and take it 4 a ride yesterday and fill the tank with gas and stabilizer but I got involved with playing with the damn wipers. We all know how it goes! By the way my car is a custom with all power options and custom trim so I'm sure it is a hidden park system. Any other help is appreciated. Glenn

 

By the way I bought this off the original owners so I don't think they changed anything from original. The husband bought it new 4 her in 1970 as a 50th bday present. My car has a power split bench seat and the original owner said he wanted to buy a GS but all of the GS's in stock had buckets. This was in the showroom and the oldman was in a rush so he bought this car. At least thats what he told me. I wish he would have waited 4 a real GS convertible. Oh well. I made it into one but it still has a wiper problem.LOL

 

Hi Glenn,

Did the shop take apart your wipers when they were working on it? Is it possible that the bar that connects the wiper motor to the wipers is on backwards? I accidentally made this mistake with Jason was helping me with my wiper problem a while back. My wipers were fixed and worked (they were grounded wrong at a shop) but didn't go all the way down - then Jason switched the bar the right way and the wipers worked with no problems and went down.

 

I believe the only thing they did was 2 disconnect the bar from the wiper motor so they would go down all the way. Unless someone forced them down and bent something. I'm not sure. Even when they're disconnected from the motor they still won't go down all the way. Chris are we still on 4 me to pick up that rear this weekend?

 

My car was "non-hidden park" when I bought it. First conversion/upgrade I did was to install the "hidden park" set-up. Simple job.

 

>>Hi Glenn,
If they disconnected the bar from the wiper motor to the wipers try installing it reverse, it may simply be the bar is on wrong.

Yes, we are definitely on for this weekend - Saturday morning before noon is the best to come and pick up the posi rear. I'll give you a call tomorrow to confirm.

 

Thanks Larry but I believe the wiper motor parks when the wiper bar isn't hooked up. I believe something is bent because I can't get the drivers wiper to the parked position even when the arm isn't hooked up 2 the wiper motor. Am I making any sense?

 

Thanks Chris but from what I see it can't be hooked up backwards. Ok 4 Saturday.

 

There is an easy way to fix these. It is in the Fisher body manual. If you do not do it this way it will never be right. You need to open the hood. Take off the cowl screen and remove the entire wiper right arm assembly only. Loosen but do not remove the 4 nuts to the drive link....Now rotate the left arm assembly down until it is one inch below the wiper stop on the lower stainless trim...Now tighten the 4 nuts you loosened.....Now install the right wiper arm so it is 1 inch below the stop.... Now lift both assemblies just above and so they rest on the stops. Put the screen back on and you are done. Works everytime. This is for A body. Big cars are a bit different. Make sure the wiper switch is off before you start this.

 

Thanks Dave. Curiosity got the best of me so between the Jet game and the kids I decided to go to the garage and uncover the car. The long bar that connects the 2 sides is bent/bowed in the middle and it looks like its preventing the drivers side from coming down all the way. If that bar was straight it looks 2 me like the drivers side would come down all the way enabling a connection at the wiper motor. If you were 2 force the drivers side down it would bend that long bar down in the middle like mine is. I pushed up on the long bar to try and straighten it out and the drivers side came down more and the connection to the wiper motor is closer now. I guess my question now is is that bar supposed 2 be straight. There are no adjustments on the 2 pieces that are bolted 2 the bottom of the windshield that the wipers are pressed on 2.Back 2 the Jet game 4 now.

 

I also checked under the cowl and there are no obstructions in the way of either assembly. Both wiper arms have been off the car since I got it back from the paint shop in May. U can see this is not a priority but it makes the time pass in the winter.

 

Well you probably like the outcome of the game. I didnt. Those OT's are usually decided by the coin flip. Good comeback but juts fell short. If Pats could have stopped Jets on 3rd and long maybe different outcome. I will have to check my arm later but I think it may have a bend. These bars should be pretty easy to find if needs replacing.

 

I loved the outcome. Lets go jets. I saw a wiper transmission assembly(thats what they call it on ebay) 4 a 68-72 Chevelle and the long bar that connects the driver and passenger side looked 2 be straight in the pictures. It looked almost identical 2 what I have. I'm contemplating removing the whole assembly and bending it straight because it seems like that would solve the problem of the drivers side not going 2 the park position. Any suggestions?

 

Dave thanks 4 the info from the Fischer body manual.

 

Glenn,
When you stop by my house tomorrow for the posi rear I have a couple of original manuals for Buicks so you can look up the wiper assembly set up if you don't have the books at home.

 

And if you need a new arm,just give me a call.BrunoD.