Windshield wipers broke.... great

Bullet Ride · 11-05-2009, 08:31 AM

Driving home in the rain yesterday I hear a *bang from the front somewhere*, I look in my rear view expecting to see parts dancing on the road behind me. When I look back at the road ahead of me my driver side wiper is over top of the passenger side wiper lol.

Get the car home and take a look at it. The splines on the passenger side wiper arm were worn out so I thought ok that's an easy fix I'll just drive with one wiper for now. Go to test the wipers and I see the mounting points flexing... ugh-oh. I pulled the grill off on the cowl and see that one of the arms snapped. The design is a steel tube that has a cast aluminum piece riveted into the end. The aluminum piece broke obviously.

So I took off the cover on the firewall to pull the wiper assembly out. I took one look at it and said... not tonight lol.

So that brings me to today. I'm planning on taking it out tongight (or at least trying to lol). Anyone who's done it before have any tips/tricks/suggestions?
I know I'll have to pull the blower motor and that it's easier to remove the wiper motor and linkage separately than as a whole unit. One thing I can say is that the guys who had to install these units on the assembly line definiety did it before the engine was in the car because it would be much easier if I could crouch in the middle rather than leaning over upside down with my head smashing into the throttle linkage.

This should be fun....

BigD · 11-05-2009, 08:36 AM

I feel for you dude. This is going to be every bit as much fun as you think. I've heard fables of people managing it without removing the blower but I don't see how. The most deliciously impossible part of the job is the clips that hold it in. Removing them is fun enough, but putting them back in almost made me lose my ****ing mind. Piece of cake, otherwise.

Bullet Ride · 11-05-2009, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigD

The most deliciously impossible part of the job is the clips that hold it in. Removing them is fun enough, but putting them back in almost made me lose my ****ing mind.

Are they visible or do I have to find them blindly lol?
I'm considering pulling off the whole intake manifold just so I can get more head room to look up in there

BigD · 11-05-2009, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullet Ride

Are they visible or do I have to find them blindly lol?

Both

It's hard to see what you're doing and the clips are really tight, and there's no leverage to snap in the ends behind the blower.

E30 Girl · 11-05-2009, 10:02 AM

Do you have a new unit cause if not I do.

**Mystikal** · 11-05-2009, 10:08 AM

God that job sucks. I feel for you man.

Eurostyle · 11-05-2009, 10:56 AM

Look at the bright side, you dont have an M50 in there! The larger intake/valve cover makes things that much more fun!

Dont take off the manifold, it would take just as long! Let me know if you need a new one...Will be passing by your area in the afternoon.

everlast · 11-05-2009, 11:35 AM

I have never, ever got the clips for the blower motor back on. I've tried a few times and gave up each time, resorting to various straps / clamps to keep it in place.

What is the trick to getting then on? It seems to defy logic since they are impossibly tight, and need to be tighter to get them to snap into place.

Bullet Ride · 11-05-2009, 12:32 PM

This is sounding better and better by the post...

Eurostyle -> PM

Dado 540 · 11-05-2009, 06:11 PM

Pics

Bullet Ride · 11-05-2009, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dado 540

Pics

Pics?
What do you want pics of? Pics of how to do it?

I got the new wiper assembly in. What a bitch the hvac stuff is. Overall it's not too bad of a job except for the fact that it's literally impossible to remove the links from those air recirculation flaps I just broke them off in frustration after trying to get one off for half an hour (I don't really need them because my a/c doesn't work). The other shitty thing was that when I went to fit the assembly the mount for the driver's side wiper looked crooked. I came to the conclusion that the sheet metal bent when the linkage snapped (after inspecting the old linkage the pivot on the passenger side wiper seized up). So I ghetto rigged up a slide hammer to pull the sheet metal somewhat to where it should be.

I still haven't put the blower motor back in so I can take pics of stuff if you want.

Dado 540 · 11-06-2009, 12:12 AM

Pics of the damage and progress

Bullet Ride · 11-06-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dado 540

Pics of the damage and progress

Sure I'll snap a few tonight.

iignite · 11-06-2009, 09:10 AM

lol i had the exact same problem where my linkage snapped and the sheet metal around the wipers were starting to warp. I had to take out the blower motor as well.

and those recirc clips also broke on mee

SamE30e · 11-06-2009, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eurostyle

Look at the bright side, you dont have an M50 in there! The larger intake/valve cover makes things that much more fun!

Dont take off the manifold, it would take just as long! Let me know if you need a new one...Will be passing by your area in the afternoon.

I look at my car and wonder if I ever need to take that panel off:
1 I would need to take my intake manifold off
2 I would need to take the valve cover off
3 If I ever need to get the blower out, the head needs to come off.