The wipers on my car were starting to get a bit slow, so I pulled the system apart for maintenance. The grease in the motor was completely solidified, so much so that I had to literally chip it out in pieces with a small screwdriver. Got it all cleaned up, re-greased, and now it purrs and should be good to go for a long time.
The linkage also seemed to have some excess friction, although it looks to be in nearly-new condition. Question is, how to I lube this assembly properly? The multiple ball joints cannot be pulled apart, nor can the wiper arm spindles. I had som aerosol Teflon lube I sprayed around the ends of the spindles and ball joints, and while it soaked in well enough, it didn't seem to reduce friction significantly. None of the joints is binding, and each has a small amount of friction, but the overall friction of all the joints combined feels like too much to me. Am I crazy? Anything else I can do? When I performed this same task on my Alfa Spider's system, it was much looser and easier to move.
Dean
Lutz, FL '85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z
Thanks, Ralph. I searched first, and found Brucey's post about the wiper linkage, but what he's describing doesn't seem to apply to what my car has. I don't see any seals, or vent holes, and when he mentions using 1/2 pound of grease, I can't imagine where all that would go. Too bad his pictures are absent.
I just hate to bolt it all back together when someone else might have some better ideas about lubing this linkage which looks to be sealed.
Dean
Lutz, FL '85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z
Dean,
Reading Brucey write-up he stated he added a grease fitting which has to be to the hollow tube and then filled it with a 1/2lb of grease, this would allow each end of the tube to lub the fitting with the modification he made to them. Top off grease once a year.
Roger
89 635CSiA (11/88 build)
AlpineWeiss II (218)/Natur(0200)
87 L6 635CSI Sold
87 MB 560SL Sold
Somehow, adding a half pound of weight to moving parts subject to inertia cries out for a better solution. Maybe the tube can be filled with foam and just leave a small space for lube....
The black tube doesn't move at all - it's the mount for the motor assembly. But, assuming it's filled with grease for the spindles, how would one drill holes in the spindles without getting them apart? In any case, I measured the speed of the motor with and without the linkage connected, and there is no appreciable difference, so I'll have to assume the primary issue was with the motor itself.
Dean
Lutz, FL '85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z
Well, "Lapisblau" on mye28.com pointed ut that there is a tiny circlip at the top of each spindle, which I missed. Just had cataract surgery with new lens implants in both eyes, so I'll use that as an excuse and know better next time. I had a choice between near and distance vision, and maybe I made the wrong choice, but it's too soon to get Rx glasses to help with near vision. Thanks for the replies.
Dean
Lutz, FL '85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z
Yes it is shame that the pics went missing, they were on the bigcoupe server (as attachments to the original post) but mysteriously disappeared along with a load of others.
There are vent holes in the main tube of the linkage assy, you just need to look a bit more closely to find them ( I can see them in your pics...). They need to be welded up. The spindle bushings need to be cross-drilled in order to let the grease out in the right place.
I did that mod over ten years ago and the linkage has worked pretty well ever since.
Thanks, Brucey. I'll have another look next time I have that assembly out, but probably not until winter because it's too dam hot outside for that sort of work now. I don't even drive in the rain, but I like to have everything working nonetheless.
Dean
Lutz, FL '85 635 CSi Euro #9402254
'87 Spider Veloce
'92 Spider Veloce
'08 350Z
