2nd Gen Intermittent Wipers and Washer pump

[Brain75]

Before a 2 month coma to paint it, I know the washer worked fine and think the wipers worked (note: I only tested them by flipping on and off - might not have been a good test).

After painting and putting all the front body back together the washer pump does not spray and the wipers only work on high, no worky on low or intermittent at all.
Sidenote, the only stuff I have done under the hood is unbolt the grill/lights etc - front trim components that had to come off for paint.

The washer pump made the sound of running for a second and I realized I got some buffing compound in the nozzle so I stopped and cleaned it up with a pick and solvent /water.

I figured the multifunction switch was dying (hence intermittent and low), and that the motors were both good... well "new" column, "new" multifunction switch (junkyard) and the behavior is still the same. But the washer pump quit making any noise.

Read through Haynes (very little to nothing- just how to remove the washer pump) and read through Chiltons kinda the same with the remove/replace of the wiper motor. Neither had any troubleshooting or where to look...

A search here on TRS yielded all 3rd gen stuff involving 2 relays and the GEM - I have a 2nd gen, no GEM... and nothing in haynes or chilton say where these relays would be... fuse boxes is all circuit breakers and fuses no relays in 2nd gen electrical boxes.

Since the wipers move on high, I assume the motor/linkage/etc are good, since 2 multifunction switches have the exact same behavior I assume it is not a problem in either switch. Where do I go from here? Is there a pair of relays hidden somewhere I'm not finding just in the harness somewhere?

 

[Curious Hound]

Ok. So, the pump doesn't go through a relay. It just gets power from the switch.

First thing to do is check your fuse. I suspect it's OK, since you have had some limited function. The one thing that is absolutely common to both pump and wider motor is the multifunction switch. So, check that again and make sure all connections to it are clean and tight.

The only relay involved is inside the "interval governor". That us the box that contains the timre for the delay interval and also makes the wipers pass a few times when you use the washer pump.

We always recommend checking ground connections. That's not a bad idea. But the pump and wiper motor are grounded in different places. Depending on how much body painting you did and what areas got painted, you may need to go back and scrape pain off the body where some ground connections are made. Most paint does not conduct ele trucity very well.

 

[Brain75]

Forgot to mention, it also is not swiping 3-4 times when you trigger pump....

Many thanks
While I was "waiting for help" I ran through some more of the basics, unplugged the washer pump connector and checked ohms resistance to ground and then power @ washer pump motor connector head when switch depressed - both checked out OK (0.1 ohm and 11.98v) tried tapping on the pump while cycling the switch and the motor body (on the underside of the reservoir where it is thin enough to feel) is getting hot, so I think the washer pump is dead.

I didn't invade the engine bay pretty much at all. I did change colors drastically so it was a jamb job as well, raised the hood and shot 1" wide strip all around the perimeter as well as the fenders under the hood. - the rest of the bay was tarped off. I did also take off the hood rubber @ cowl.

As far as the 'return to park', wash swipe, interval, and low not working I am still hunting. But at least knowing there are no hidden relays and it is most likely the interval govenor. Again thanks.

edit: 2nd quick test.
I found the 4 pin connector splice near the wiper motor under the hood, opened that up and checked voltage. I have 12v there on low and high on the red wire, and 12v on low only on the blue wire, the other 2 wires never show anything. Since the interval govenor is inside the cab, I assume I should be getting differrent/intermittent power at this side of the connection which pretty much points the finger squarely at the interval govenor.

I also found out that the interval govenor is as dead as the dodo bird, obsolete, no longer made aftermarket, gone... couple people on fleebay want $300 for one. So if I manage to dig it out of the dash and it is not just corroded contacts it looks like this will be a junkyard part or mouser electronics and a soldering iron.

 

[Brain75]

update and a question / double check.

I pulled the washer pump and it was covered in corrosion, looks like the tank leaked past the dry gasket and got into it. It does turn free, but applying power from a AGM directly does nothing when out of the truck.

I googled a bit for the interval govenor and found nothing to refer to as far as looks, a thread here on TRS indicated it was on the outboard side of the driver footwell in 1st gens (above the clutch) and inboard on 2nd gens (above the gas pedal). both are bolted directly to the dash supports.... so off to hunt for it. I see nothing on the outboard side as expected (though it is starting to get pretty crowded with my dealer add cruise control cruft), on the inboard I only see 2 things, both of which are oriented screws up (into the dash) and labels up (into the dash) making it about impossible to get out or see..

some more googling and I found this:

which ebay says is the right part for a 1990 ranger. none of my connectors look anything like that.

here's what I find that I think is in the right neighborhood.

As impossible as it is to dig that out of the dash I am thinking just go to the junkyard grab another (call it the 'wiper relay' and they will charge you $2 for a 'relay'), and then if that one isn't good fix it and zip tie it up next to the dead one....

Just to confirm before I grab the wrong part, is that what I am looking at?

it has 7 wires, and the wiring schematic shows 3 in (from multiswitch) 3 out (to wiper motor), no 7th...

 

[Brain75]

fwiw, unplugging that changes nothing at all, wiper high still works, heater, horn, lights etc - everything I can think of to test still works.

 

[Curious Hound]

Haven't had a chance to dig into this yet. But I will say it appears in your picture that one if thr pin positions on that connector is empty, indicating there are only 6 wires in that 7 pin plug. So, that's a step in the right direction toward identifying it.

 

[Brain75]

there is 7 wires

I'm gonna go lay upside down in the floorboard with an inspection mirror and hope it isn't something buried even deeper.... maybe I can find a part number or see something definite. radio is out, so easy to see down from above, ashtray is out so easy to see from side. kick plate is off so that's another easier - if you don't have it / know it no need for you to go tearing into yours just to help. I will dig and dig and if I can't get it I will trace the wiring on a junkyard one that someone has pulled the motor out of so I can sit on the crossmember and hang upside down in the engine bay tracing wires.

 

[bobbywalter]

should be the brown critter.

 

[bobbywalter]

Delay Switch for Two-Speed Wiper Motors - AM Equipment

Product Details: Switch for one motor or for paired motors available Two fixed speeds plus variable intermittent delay Push-to-wash with automatic three cycle wipe feature Die-cast switch housing Coast to park or dynamic park available Short-circuit-proof Microprocessor controlled Solid state...

www.amequipment.com

i use these and another on equipment. they work ok.

 

[Brain75]

I was about to say your suggestion was a little too short and to the point bobby, but it was exactly what I needed to dig for just 2 more minutes and find it.

So before I started paint I put in an explorer overhead console, routing wires back there I think I pulled some tension on a plug that wasn't properly seated... can you believe from the factory it wasn't fully seated and lasted 34 years before it came unplugged.

I blew the dust bunnies off the end, jabbed it back on and voila I have low and intermittent again.

for anyone trying to find it, in my post #4 it is just offscreen above the solid metal wrapped box (in the picture, in normal orientation that would be close to the steering column) , and is a grey plug going into a .... BROWN box.

 

[Brain75]

Many thanks to both you guys, I still need a washer pump, but that is a $9 rock auto / partsgeek item, not even worth the $20 in gas to run to the yard. Saved me don't know how much time driving and getting the wrong parts fooling around not knowing what I was doing.