Turn signal / wiper wiring

Thanks again. Will be digging in to this later today and (probably...) tomorrow. This information is golden.

One thing I found is this box which seems to be wired into the wiper wiring. Seriously. Think it might be from the CB radio I removed after I got the truck to make room for some gauges. Power antenna control maybe.

I bypassed the wiper intermittent module and just plugged the black wiper connector harness into a non-grounded, non-intermittent switch and at least I appear to have working wipers now. Turns out they weren't working plugged into the intermittent module after all. They would wipe once then struggle to go again.

All else remains the same....

Thought this would be a ten-minute job.......

If you want the absolute "end all" to most all of your issues........I have an entire under dash and under hood wiring harness from a 85 f250. I pulled it with the intentions of making my black 84 bronco a diesel, but then changed my mind.

Would it suck pulling the entire dash to install it? .....YES

Will it suck fixing all your current issues? ......YES

Either way, it is available.

Rupert8 said:

One thing I found is this box

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Like THIS ; it may have been for a C.B.Radio; but, it would be very unlikely as good C.B. reception/broadcast does not go along with retractable antennae.

Is/was there a retractable antenna when you got the truck ?

I went back and reread from the beginning.

I then went to Rock Auto and brought up side-by-side pictures of a plain non-intermittent switch and a Grounded intermittent switch and there are distinctive differences.

If Rock Auto has the intermittent module, I am not finding it.

So, to have intermittent function, you not only need the Grounded intermittent switch, but you also must have the intermittent module.

Under/behind the dash is a 6-blade wiper-motor connector that is same whether with or without intermittent and the motor remains the same either way, right ?

To achieve intermittent function, one must plug the motor plug into the male side of the module and then plug the female side of the module into the back of the Grounded switch.

If you have a new switch and an old module and you are not getting intermittent wiper function, I would be suspecting the module is bad.

I never had one of these trucks with intermittent wipers; is there a position on the switch itself that selects intermittent and then controls how frequent the intermittent wipes be ?

MIDNIGHT RIDER said:

I never had one of these trucks with intermittent wipers; is there a position on the switch itself that selects intermittent and then controls how frequent the intermittent wipes be ?

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Yes. One direction is high and low, the other direction is variable intermittent. Been a minute since I've driven mine so I don't remember which is which.

Dennis Carpenter sells that wiper delay module.

IF that slow turn signal issue was preexisting it's possible the flasher is just tired and you could try replacing it. If that's new since you were messing under the dash that's less likely to be the issue.

chillman88 said:

Dennis Carpenter sells that wiper delay module.

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So....., on my 1985, if I had an intermittent dash switch AND the intermittent module, I would have intermittent wipers, right ?

Several years ago, I played around with an idea to have a momentary push-button on my custom shifter, made to look like a range splitter on a big truck, such that when I wanted a swipe, I could just press my button; however, at that particular time, I never had any success in determining how I was going to be able to accomplish this electrically; as, depending on wiper switch position, motor wires could be either Hot or Ground, something to do with "Park" position.

Although I have not yet flew in on it again, my ever-churning mind came up with the solution that I could accomplish my momentary push-button by employing a momentary switch in conjunction with a toggle-switch bypass; AND, for my switch to work, the wiper switch would needs be ON one speed or the other.

With my toggle-switch OFF, my push-button would send power to the motor; to return to normal wiper function, I would just turn ON my toggle-switch.

I believe this would circumvent the problem I was having in my prior efforts of wires that were HOT at one switch position becoming Grounded at another.

chillman88 said:

IF that slow turn signal issue was preexisting it's possible the flasher is just tired and you could try replacing it.

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Yes, a bad flasher can cause some weird stuff.

To rupert8, is your turn signal flasher mechanical or electronic ?

If mechanical, it is possible that it is just too heavy-duty for the amount of current draw your system demands and the bi-metal strip is just too thick to get hot enough to work properly.

If that be the case, adding several more signal lights to the system just might make it behave more like you expect = a less heavy-duty flasher just might solve the issue.

Beware when buying electronic flashers; I got ahold of some a while back that I thought were just like what I had been using for years only to find out that their default condition was to leave the "pilot" powered when everything else was Off.

Check your two flashers and see if they are stamped identically; whether or no, put an X on the hazard flasher so you will know which is which and then swap them; if then your turn signals start working properly and your hazards quit, you will know the problem is the flasher.

MIDNIGHT RIDER said:

So....., on my 1985, if I had an intermittent dash switch AND the intermittent module, I would have intermittent wipers, right ?

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From what I have seen yes, if you get the module and the switch that goes with it everything should be plug and play although I haven't tried it myself.

I found THIS that may help your signal issue and also answer some of your Ground questions.

Sorry for the delay, all - had a family issue come up then got sick, possibly linked! Fun times. But back at it.

Well.... I checked all the grounds that I could get to/find and they seemed fine. I read everything above multiple times - it is really appreciated. Then I did two things. I checked under the back of the truck and found a cable spaghetti to rival the one at the front. Someone just loved using butt connectors for unknown reasons. There were a ton of wires just dangling so I simply removed those from their splices and in some cases remade them. Just to try to tidy things up.

I also checked the bulb holders (front and rear) and, yes indeed - all had lots of 'gunk' inside and very rusted connections. (Even though the bulbs were less than a year old, which is weird.) I cleaned out each and every one following instructions above, with a wire brush and electrical cleaner, and put in new bulbs.

And: The blinkers work.

So I acknowledge that I changed two variables at once. Not sure which was the cause of the sudden issue and why it would rear its head when I simply replaced the wiper switch. But I can (safely) drive the truck.....

Regarding the wiper control, the wipers do have the black factory intermittent box. But the intermittent wasn't working at all and the regular wipers barely. So right now I only have the high/low wipers - no intermittent - since I unplugged the black box but I'm loathe to touch it again in case it opens a whole new can of worms.

I hate not knowing what actually caused this or how the wiper switch may have started something, but guess I'll have to live with that for a while.

I'd like to reiterate - all the advice above has been invaluable. And a big thanks to @MIDNIGHT RIDER who provided so much information. I can honestly say I have a much, much better understanding of the truck and grounding/electrical systems in general. I now believe everyone who said how much ground problems suck....

Now on to the tie rods........ Thanks again.

One thing to check on your wipers is to make sure the park wiper is making contact. Do the wipers park correctly now when using Hi-Low? If not or they continue to run that is a pretty good indication that the park switch is not making good contact. Couple of ways to approach that issue, replace the wiper motor or pull motor apart and see if you can clean things up and bend the contact some. Fresh grease will help things too.

Oh, this is interesting. No, my wipers just stop whenever I turn the switch off, I presumed these old trucks didn't have the wiper park feature. I'll look into this, I thought that would be part of the wiper switch if it were present, so, while disappointed, I thought it was a newer vehicle thing. I bet it is related to the intermittent not working as well. Thanks.

Many many many years ago, my wiper motor got to the point that I had to give it a good whack to get it to going; once they started wiping, they would keep it up until I switched them off, at which it would require another whack to get them going again.

I removed the wiper motor, drilled out the rivets that hold the cover on it; and, once inside, I carefully and thoroughly cleaned and lubricated everything.

In my situation, the brushes were binding in their ways, hence the whack jarring them loose so they could function.

I had to replace the drilled-out rivets with little machine screws and nuts.

That was years and years ago and I am sure my free fix has outlasted several replacement wiper motors and it didn't cost me one brownie.

This was so many years ago that I forget details; but, I do remember that the motor was ridiculously simple inside.

MIDNIGHT RIDER said:

my ever-churning mind came up with the solution that I could accomplish my momentary push-button by employing a momentary switch in conjunction with a toggle-switch bypass; AND, for my switch to work, the wiper switch would needs be ON one speed or the other.

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Freaking brilliant !!

Thank you for the insight of the workings of the wipers and wiper switch...this is super good to know...I am sure that I will use this in the future...one way or another.

Just goes to show you that there are lots of ways to skin a cat !!

I gotta hand it to you...@MIDNIGHT RIDER you must have a lot of activity going on up in there...

I was wondering how I could rig up some kind of momentary wiper action without having to go to a boneyard...

You see...it is hard for me to shop at a wrecking yard...if I see something that looks like nothing is wrong with it other than a wounded engine or transmission...I get the urge to save it...

Can't get anything done like that...too distracting...

Anyway...I am thankful to be able to tap into your insight and others...

...keeps the creative juices flowing...

Thanks, y'all....

XOLATEM said:

Just goes to show you that there are lots of ways to skin a cat !!

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WHAT?!?!

IDIBRONCO said:

WHAT?!?!

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Well...in retrospect...it WAS my 666th post, you know....