1987 2-speed to 3-speed wipers

[Daniel Black]

My '87 has the base 2-speed wiper switch but I have a spare column with the 3-speed delay switch. Most everywhere shows the wiper motors being the same so is it a matter of just changing the switch? I've had some first gens with delay wipers but it seems like there was a relay somewhere to make it work.

 

[RonD]

Yes, wiper motors just have high/low and Park

The intermittent needs a timer module along with the new switch, the "delay" can be changed, timer just turns on low speed then turns on Park, then the "delay" and it repeats, low on, then low off, and Park on, so it needs the timer part to work, not sure where that is located

 

[wildbill23c]

I believe the "timer" or delay module is on the left side under dash area around the steering column somewhere. I cannot recall for sure its been about 3 years since the one in my 88 Bronco 2 was bypassed due to a short in it somewhere sadly so mine is just low/hi which is annoying most of the time as you only need a swipe of the wipers once in a while but annoying to have to leave them on low in those cases where a delay would be great LOL...if I knew more about wiring and how it all worked in that delay stuff I'd love to fix mine as well.

 

[RonD]

I built a wiper delay for a friends '69 corvette, but that was years ago, I remember 555 timer chip, 2 relays and a variable resistor
But you had to turn wipers on low first to use them, it had a vacuum operated wiper door that had to open
Then the variable resistor took over Low, so 1 second delay to about 20 second delay

 

[JerryC]

I believe the "timer" or delay module is on the left side under dash area around the steering column somewhere. I cannot recall for sure its been about 3 years since the one in my 88 Bronco 2 was bypassed due to a short in it somewhere sadly so mine is just low/hi which is annoying most of the time as you only need a swipe of the wipers once in a while but annoying to have to leave them on low in those cases where a delay would be great LOL...if I knew more about wiring and how it all worked in that delay stuff I'd love to fix mine as well.

Hi Bill, it's called a wiper governor. I searched ebay and the rest of the internet for about 2 years before I found one NOS. But I think the module itself is shared with many ford/mercury modules and only the wiring harness is different as the part numbers differ only in the last couple of places, something like 123456-A0 123456-B0, etc...

If memory serves, it is on a bracket just to the right of the steering column under the dash. Once you contort yourself into position it's easy to take out.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

IIRC it is mounted on a black round brace for the dash. Looks like a roughly 1/2" diameter pipe.

 

[JerryC]

IIRC it is mounted on a black round brace for the dash. Looks like a roughly 1/2" diameter pipe.

Yeah, that rang a bell and I thought I might have a picture of it. Here it is at the top of the pic.

 

[wildbill23c]

Ok, thanks, now if i could figure out where it was all shorted out at it would be great LOL. Originally when you would turn the wipers on it would immediately trip the breaker, but after the shop bypassed the delay wiper function they work just fine, just sucks only having low/high and no interval.

 

[JerryC]

When I took my column apart to trace the wires, the original wire wrap was a mess and the wires were not protected well. I stripped all the old wrap off the harness and re-wrapped in electrical tape.
You might check that.

 

[wildbill23c]

When I took my column apart to trace the wires, the original wire wrap was a mess and the wires were not protected well. I stripped all the old wrap off the harness and re-wrapped in electrical tape.
You might check that.

The shop never checked for shorts or anything, they just bypassed it to save money in diagnostic fees. I'm ok with that, but I'm getting to the point where I'd like to see if I can properly fix it and get that function back...now that I have my 87 Ranger with the same interval wiper setup it may be of help to be able to see where things are supposed to be and how its hooked up...the PO of my Bronco 2 did a lot of very questionable things leaving stuff that don't work right, or don't work at all LOL.

 

[JerryC]

LO, I hear you, my BII had multiple wiring splices that consisted of twisted wire and dollar store electrical tape. Every connection for the radio was that way. I found that out when the radio smoked because most of the tape had fallen off

 

[wildbill23c]

LO, I hear you, my BII had multiple wiring splices that consisted of twisted wire and dollar store electrical tape. Every connection for the radio was that way. I found that out when the radio smoked because most of the tape had fallen off

I found the governor so I'll start digging into this further and hopefully come up with a repair.

With my cut down hours at work and the "stay at home" order its giving me time to do some stuff I normally don't have time to try to tackle so the wiper issue is one, then the radio in the Bronco 2 and the Ranger have to go, I think the issues are both head unit related but need to dig into it to be 100% sure...I'd rather try and keep the stock radios if possible even if I have to find replacements at the junk yard. Although I guess with my Bronco 2 and Ranger these single DIN radios would be much easier to replace with an aftermarket unit and look good where the one in my 84 Ranger had a gap above and below from the original radio's large height compared to newer radio head units.

 

[Daniel Black]

So would the 3-speed part work without having the governor, timer part? I can do without the delay part. One more speed would give me another option.

 

[JerryC]

So would the 3-speed part work without having the governor, timer part? I can do without the delay part. One more speed would give me another option.

I meant to answer this a couple weeks ago, I believe the third speed is the delay created by the governor.