Panhead59

I also read somewhere that you should hear the solenoid when you turn the key to power. Like a clicking sound. I have none of that noise that a clicking solenoid might make. just a thought/clue.

DUB

DID YOU DO THIS??????

Engine is running during this.

SO...if you have vacuum on the small hose going to the actuator relay...and then remove it...the wiper door ...in theory...it has to change its position.

IF you apply vacuum to the small hose going to your actuator relay (engine running) and remove it...the plunger in the relay moves and changes the routing of vacuum to the actuator pod itself...thus..closes the door.

Your headlights are the SAME way...as I wrote...so if you have vacuum going to the small hose for your headlight actuators...and remove the small hoses...the door(s) should open or vice-versa. KNOWING that the headlight actuators are the same...then if you have vacuum going to them when the engine is running to keep them shut...then the wiper door actuator relay will be the same. The small hose ( either having vacuum on it or not vacuum on it will be the SAME for both the headlights and wiper door.

IF you remove the small hose from the wiper door actuator relay and NOTHING happens...because you stopped vacuum getting to it (beacsue as you wrote..there is vacuum going to it)...then either you have a bad actuator relay...regardless if it is NEW...or your wiper door actuator is bad. You can switch the two hoses that go to your wiper actuator relay that come from the wiper actuator and if the actuator is GOOD...then the door should close.

You are trying to get the vacuum to switch (when the engine is running) on the small hose going to the actuator relays. Either by pulling down on the black override switches...or by using the wiper/headlight switch..depending on which system you are testing.

The wiper system has 2 extra parts that can effect you being able to change the vacuum operation when using the wiper switch. One is the solenoid switch below the tach...which will shut off the vacuum and allow ti to flow when the switch is turned on and off. The other part is the vacuum switch under your right wiper arm...which has to be adjusted to do its job...so removing the supply vacuum hose going to it during testing will confirm if your electric solenoid switch is working or not...and when you get that right...then adjust the vacuum switch at the right wiper arm.

DUB

DUB

You are making this HARDER than needed. This system is simple to diagnose.

I do not know how much more of this I can help you on if you are not following instructions so your feedback applies to what was asked of you to check.

I can diagnose the wiper system completely in half an hour...if not less.

DUB

Panhead59

Sorry about over thinking this. I'll just stick to what u say without any further comments or questions. 1- I just switched the hoses on the relay, coming from the actuator, like u said to do, and the door went down!! So the actuator is good. Replaced hoses to proper location on relay. 2- removed supply hose (black w/red stripe) at safety switch by right wiper blade arm. Door raised up. Checked for vacuum and it did change from having it to not having it by turning wiper switch on and off. 3- Since both of those (actuator and solenoid) seem to be working, (correct ?) I then tried to adjust safety switch by right wiper arm but could not get door to move by just using wiper switch. Door only moves by removing and/or replacing supply line to safety switch by right wiper arm. Hope all that makes sense and thank you again for hanging in there with me on this.

DUB

Ok.

I want you to try this.

The vacuum supply line that you confirmed that can switch from vacuum being on it to NO vacuum when you use the wiper switch. I want you to disconnect it from the safety vacuum switch at the right wiper arm....and run it to the actuator relay and see what happens then. What this is doing (obviously) is taking teh safety vacuum switch out of the equation.

NOW..when you test and see if the wiper door operates as designed...MAKE SURE that you have the 3 wire connector going to your wiper motor disconnected...so your wiper arms do not move. BECAUSE if you do not have the wiper arm linkage attached to the back of the wiper motor...and the arms are in the PARK position...there is no way that the safety vacuum switch will work due to a lack of tension required to make the safety switch move position.

Get back to me after you by-pass the safety switch.

IF it works...door goes up and down...with the wiper switch and also eh override switch...then your problems is either the safety vacuum switch is bad, not adjusted correctly or the hoses are not connected correctly.

DUB

Panhead59

OK- just to be clear, the wiper motor is installed and linkage hooked up, so it is pushing down on switch.
I just by passed the safety switch by the right wiper arm as instructed with 3-prong wire connection unplugged. The wiper door goes up great and will go down with just a little nudge, ONLY by pulling down the over ride switch by steering column. Door does not move using wiper switch.

DUB

OK...So by by-passing the safety vacuum switch...your wiper door will work as designed...but will only work with the override switch...CORRECT?

Leave the safety switch out of the "loop" right now.

DO not worry about what happens to the wiper door at this time.

ENGINE RUNNING

OK...now...remove the vacuum hose that goes to the actuator relay. KNOWING that the system works with the override switch. CHECK the vacuum at the end of the hose that goes to the actuator. SO when the override switch is UP...see if it has vacuum or no vacuum...then pull the override switch down...and the condition should reverse. So if the override switch is UP and it has vacuum on it...then when you pull the switch...there should be NO vacuum.

NOTE how the vacuum switches when you move the override switch.

NOW push the override switch UP so it is OFF.

TURN OFF ENGINE and ignition

Reconnect the 3 wire connector to your wiper motor.

I do not know if you have that large electrical switch that is in between the 2 override switches under your steering column. If you do...this switch has a **** on it that is round, black and about the size of a radio ****. This switch allows you to cut off power to your wiper motor so you can stop the wipers when that are at full sweep...so you can change out the blades. IF you have this switch...when the ignition key is ON...and the engine NOT running...you can check to see if you have power going through this switch by testing it from the backside. You want to stop the power at this switch....or disconnect the small wire that you were missing on your old wiper motor...that you new one has...that attaches to that large red wire.

Get the engine running again.

NOW...with the hose still off of the actuator...turn on your wipers. Knowing that they will not move due to you stopping the power to them as needed...

Now see if the vacuum at the actuator hose is the same as when you tested the override switch. So if the wipers are off...the vacuum on the hose should be the same as that of when the override switch is off...and it should reverse as like the override switch..when you turn on the wiper switch.

If it is the same...then the wiper door should work....if not..then you more than likely have a problem in the electrical solenoid under your tachometer. Because that switch is what is changing the supply of the vacuum to the hose going to the relay.

If it works...then it is now to re-connecting the hoses to the safety vacuum switch and actuator relay and adjusting it so the vacuum will do the same when you use the override switch. The door will raise and lower as designed....then using the wiper switch should achieve the same result...as long as it worked as mentioned above.

DUB

Panhead59

Correct. Wiper door only works with override sw.
Completed the latest test. With override sw. up I have vac. With it pulled down- no vac. Wiper door works. With wiper sw. I have vac. with it off and no vac. with it on. So it does switch as advertised, and the same as with the override sw. So in theory, wiper door should work with both override sw. and wiper switch. It does not. Still only moves with override. Note- electric sw. in between override switches works as well. Stops arms wherever you want. So now it seems like the only thing left is to adjust the safety sw by the right arm. Correct? I have tried that but no change. Wiper door still works only with over ride sw.

DUB

I am suspect to hose routing. I KNOW....I KNOW...you wrote that it is correct...NUT THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE!!!

You still have the safety vacuum override switch still out and the hose connected to the actuator relay...right??? Once you get the wiper switch to work the door correctly...then install and adjust the vacuum switch

I believe your problem is in the electrical solenoid switch under your tach. Either the way the hoses connect or the solenoid itself

As you more than likely know by now:
Vacuum comes into the solenoid on the end that ONLY has ONE PORT...and the electrical connector is on that side also...then the other side of the solenoid it has two black ends on it. The hose HAS TO connect to the end that comes off 90 degrees to the side...and the end that goes straight is the vent. I have had these solenoids not work correctly in regards to the vent and threw everything off.

What does not make sense is that vacuum is flowing through the electric solenoid and goes to the override switch under the column. When either switch is pulled or turned on...it stops vacuum.

And with you testing the wiper switch when you turn the wipers on and off...and it is the same as the override switch...as it should....I am at a loss. THIS MAKES NO SENSE.

DUB

Panhead59

I agree. It seems by all your tests that everything should work. I am going to change the solenoid after double, triple , quadruple checking the hoses. I want to thank you VERY MUCH for all of your hard work for me on this problem. Most people, I would imagine, wouldn't have hung in there this long and with such determination. One thing this vette (my first vette) has taught me is that it demands that determination and patience. Thanks again and I will post on this again when it is resolved.

DUB

PLEASE DO SO!!! I DO NOT LIKE it when a problem can not be resolved. I am really curious to hear what you have to "say".

DUB

Panhead59

Will do but it looks like it may be awhile. A long while. Wiper door vacuum solenoid not available for months from anywhere I have checked. I checked 4 places. Thanks again.

DUB

You do know you can test your solenoid switch...don't you???

It does NOT make sense that you have NO vacuum when the wiper switch is ON...which is telling me the solenoid is working.

This is baffling.

DUB

Aussie Roger

Hi, I had the exact same problem on my 70, change out the vacuum control valve, or borrow one to see if that fixes it. It cured mine straight away.

Panhead59

It'll be the weekend before I can get back to it. Car is in shop for carb. rebuild and a couple other small nagging things. Front end parts ordered, appointment for next wed. for front end rebuild and alignment. Then car will be up for sale.

Panhead59

We have a winner!!!! I was doing the last check on the wiper solenoid when I finally found the problem!!! I had mentioned in one of the first posts that I had an extra hose that I didn't know where it attached . It was coming off the port of the solenoid that vents vacuum. I guess it was put on there as a method to slow down the vent like the original "dab of material" that is stuck/glued onto the end of this port. (Hope that makes sense) So at this point I knew just to leave it "open". Anyway, as I was checking for air being vented out of the solenoid, I said, Heck with this hose, it's easier to check without it. Well don't you know, the hose was kinked and was blocking the air from escaping!!! I never saw it because it was pushed up under the dash outta the way. So Dub your suspicions were correct. It was hose related, just not hoses being hooked up wrong. I thought that also because everything else checked out OK and the biggest hint to me was the slow moving wiper door using the override. Slow door meant everything was working but I had an air flow issue.
So THANK YOU to everyone for their help!!! Now on to the next Gremlin!!

DUB

Glad you got it..I knew something was wrong somewhere...it did not make sense.

DUB