Slooooow wipers

[Phuloi68]

In doing a search, I see several posts about slow wipers (on an 85 truck) but nothing about cause and remedy for them. I have put 3 used units on and they all go slow. I took wiper linkage out and lubricated it as best as I could and they still go slow. I hesitate putting a new unit in cause I don't know if that will fix situation.
Anyone have any ideas how to make wipers work properly? It's hard to drive in rain (and snow) when darn things take forever going back and forth...

[N2TRUX]

Do you see a difference between high and low? You may have a bad switch ....

[CAP11]

Sorry I don't have the answer but I do have the exact same problem. Hope someone here can help.

[Palf70Step]

Mine were slow on the 82 (not much difference between low and high) Thought maybe it was the switch, but ended up replacing the wiper motor and they are good now.

[Phuloi68]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Mine were slow on the 82 (not much difference between low and high) Thought maybe it was the switch, but ended up replacing the wiper motor and they are good now.

I don't have a problem with putting a new motor on but I am trying to troubleshoot problem to make sure that's it. I realize the ones I already tried were USED, but each one did the same thing. They could all have the same thing wrong. But I am guessing that's not the problem.
I took the wiper linkage out, sprayed them good with wd40, then, with white litheum grease. They operate freely.
I don't want to be changing something just to find out that's not the problem.
Seems like only a couple things it could be: linkage, motor, lever switch. ?????

[Palf70Step]

One point, if you are comparing the speed of your wipers to something newer, like my 82 to my 96, the 82's are much slower by default. They were just notsuper fast to begin with. If your's just started getting slow then it's probably the switch or motor. I think you covered the other areas for lube and all as well as you can. In my area the switch is around $25 and the motor assemble is around $50, so yeah it is an expensive trial and error. Since you have swapped motors, even though they were used, I would tend to think the switch might be the thing to change. I wish I knew more about the test setting for the different points within the switch, so you could check that first before buying one, unfortunately I don't.

[marvxyz]

My two speed wipers have started being one speed wipers. I suspect that my wiper switch is at fault.(80 GMC) Have some real small blades.
marvxyz Pgh. Pa.

[benoit454]

We got the same problem on our 86, you can tell a difference in the high and low speed I'm pretty sure. But compared to our old 76 they are alot slower, like the high speed on the 86 is the same as the 76's slow or maybe just a tad faster.

[gchemist]

A bigger amp alternator will help some. You can bolt on a 94 or 100 amp alternator from a 84-86 Camaro!! I have a upgraded Camaro alternator in my truck. 120 amps do wonders to power windows and the ignition system.

[Phuloi68]

Wipers are going as good as they are going to be. Lubricated wiper transmission arms, changed wiperarms and blades and they seem to be better.
But have another problem. can't get washer pump working. Put in new pump-nothing. have not changed lever. Don't know if there is fuse or something else that would keep them from working. Very frustrating.
Having to drive a F##d during bad weather.
Anyone have similar problems getting pump to work?

[OG lil E]

Can you hear your washer pump running when you hit the switch? If you can hear it running and your not getting any fluid up to the window, you might check to make sure the little plastic part in the wiper motor for the washer motor isn't cracked. The nozzles hook up to it and that's where the fliud is pumped from. Also, there are some little rubber seals in there that might not be sealing like they should. Another thing to check is to make sure that the strainer in the pickup tube in the washer bottle itself isn't blocked up. The little strainer can get covered and make your washer not work right.

If your problem seems to be electrical, I'd start at the switch. E

[Phuloi68]

The washer pump does nothing. it has to be an electrical problem. The switch may be what's wrong. But I am trying to figure out what the wires from the switch plug into.
There is 2 wires that plug into the pump, a red one and a white one. with the ignition switch on, the red one is hot. But nothing happens to the white one. I push the washer lever and nothing happens. Does the lever switch activate the pump or does whatever it plugs into at bottom of steering column activate pump?
I hate to just replace things and find out that wasn't the problem. It's a waste of money. Also, I like to know how to troubleshoot the problem so, in the future, I can help someone else.

[Palf70Step]

Phuloi68 - Yes I beklive they just run the pum and it sends a sinmgla through another wiper to start it. I torn my head up on this on the 82 and I just replaced the wiper and pump assembly with one from advanced auto parts. It was $50 and solved both my problems. I had a seperate generivc pump for a while and I'd show you the wires, but I can't find the picture any longer and the earlier thread with them in lost the pictures during board transfer. The motor and pump are tied together on these guys and it seems when certain things go wrong with the pump it messes up the wiper motor operation also. The 82's wiper motor gave out a few months after I bypassed the pump. Your descriptions sound like everything I went trough and did.

[apstguy]

I've found the wiper module on trucks with intermitant wipers (85-87) can be boogers. My wipers worked just fine until one day my wipers turned on everytime I started my truck then the washer pump would no longer work. When these wiper control modules go bad they can mess up alot of other things. If you have a control module, it might be messing stuff up.

[Phuloi68]

Is the module part of the wiper motor or is it a seperate part under the dash or steering column?
From what I am learning, a lot of people seem to have the same problems, but no one seems to be able to advise how to troubleshoot where the problems really are. The advice seems to be just start changing parts and it will get corrected. If this is what I have to do I will but I wonder how many unnecessary parts have been changed by others. So far I put a new pump on it and did not correct the problem. There are only a couple more things to change, but if I change the wiper unit and it still don't work then it probably is the switch, or vise-versa.
Once these parts are put on, i can't take them back to the parts store and I hate replacing a good operating part with a new part only to find out that is not the problem.
I am sure I am not the first person to have done this and I won't be the last.
Thanks to those who have responded to these questions.