Wipers working / washer always on?? anyone experience that?

[[JP]]

Hi all, little help here please...

the wipers on my truck were wired to a simple on/off switch, but I managed to get hold of an original wipers switch for my 65...
I have a 2 speed motor, with a built in washer pump. However, the washer pump is broken so I wired in a new universal washer pump.

I wired it this way:


ignore where it says washer motor, should be wiper motor.
I got the power for the new pump off tab number 4, not fuse box.
I have also disconnected the jumper cable from tab 4 to the washer motor as no need to activate the old washer motor as its broken.

After finding all the original wires still there, (cut) behind the dash I connected everything using test wires and all worked fine.
2 speeds on the wipers and washer when I pressed the button - as can be seen here on this video ---- https://youtu.be/Rl9BGHhrqUk



Done some proper wiring, all soldered and sleeved, put it all back in and now my washers come on as soon as i turn the ignition on and won't come off.

could this be the switch sticking? I've tried tapping the switch and pressing the button a few times, but no change.
has this happened to anyone? can the switch be opened if its something inside it?

thanks!

[PGSigns]

The contacts in my switch are stuck closed for the washer. I have another switch but have not installed it. Have you tested the switch to see if it is working as it should be? The wiring diagrams are here on the site to down load to help you straighten this truck out.
Jimmy

[ray_mcavoy]

Originally Posted by [JP]

could this be the switch sticking? I've tried tapping the switch and pressing the button a few times, but no change.
has this happened to anyone? can the switch be opened if its something inside it?

Yes, that does sound like the switch may be sticking. A couple things you might want to try:

(1) Remove the knob (or at least loosen the knob's set screw). That would rule out the possibility of the knob being a little bit crooked or distorted and preventing the washer button from releasing.

(2) Next, try applying a few drops of light oil to the washer button / stem area of the switch and working the button a few times. That might free it up and allow the washer contacts to open.

Opening up the switch would probably be a last resort. I've never tried opening one, but I have noticed that the rear edge of the case is "staked" in about 4 places around the perimeter to keep the rear terminal/contact plate in place. So you could probably open one up by carefully bending those "staked" areas back out a little and hopefully not cracking the metal in the process.

[[JP]]

Well... now I'm not sure if itS the switch....

If I disconnect the dark blue wire from the switch, then I have wipers working in one speed and the washer coming on when I press the button.
As soon as I introduce the dark blue back on the switch blade then I have washer on all the time

[ray_mcavoy]

Hmmm.... that kind of sounds like you might have a wire or two connected to the wrong terminal on the back of the switch.

I don't have a pic handy at the moment, but the 64-66 2-speed wiper switch terminals should be:

High terminal is off to one edge of the switch and tilted at an angle compared to the other 2.

Low terminal is over on the opposite side of the switch. And the plastic backing plate sort of sticks out a bit on that side.

Washer terminal is in toward the center of the switch, but still fairly close to the Low terminal.

[[JP]]

Sorry.. away from the truck till Monday now. And doing this on my phone but here's a photo of it done.... before I wire like this, all neat, I had it all working perfectly with the test wires and pretty sure I connected it all just as it was with the test wires.

[[JP]]

All sorted now... was the dark blue wire. for some reason if I have the dark blue connected (there's the green there from the new pump) the new pump works all the time..

sorted!

[ray_mcavoy]

Glad to hear you found & fixed the problem!

So if I understand correctly, you basically had both the old and new pumps hooked to the switch. If so, the old pump must have been providing a ground path for the new pump, keeping it running continuously.

[[JP]]

yep, thats it! I kept the old pump connected because my intention in the future is to get the old pump working....but as you say, it was creating a ground path somehow.