Whats the best way to wipe, if you have a square body. Delay wiper relay? Part number for that?

[78 GMC Jimmy]

My 78 has two wiper settings. Struggle and struggle. Not sure which setting is supposed to be faster. Tried replacing the wiper motor with a junk yard unit and I get the exact same result. I would like to have two settings: On, and maybe a 5 second delay per swipe setting..

Can this be accomplished? Can we teach an old dog new tricks?

 

[tarussell]

“Whats the best way to wipe”​

Front to back…

 

[dyeager535]

IIRC the delay "module" just plugs into the existing wiring under the dash. Need an adjustable wiper switch as well. All factory components.

And my experience is, the wipers generally suck. Even at 14V. Nothing like new vehicles. You can help by ensuring the pivot points in the wiper transmission mechanism are lubed.

 

[Polymath]

Get a bidet... oh you meant...

Well, if my experience with a 69 GTO is of any help, you can either have shitty old school wipers and just live with it because they are in fact good enough, or you can throw money at the problem, and it's a serious pain in the ass. We tried retrofitting all kinds of shit from other newer cars and the lesson we learned was that we should have left well enough alone.

 

[Barrman]

The delay module is about as weak and reliable as the stock wiper motor. I have 5 or maybe 6 of them I have removed in junk yards over the years and only 1 works. Some of the time it works at least. Other times I am just left with Nothing, struggle and struggle.

My point is by the time you replace the switch in the column to be a delay switch, get a delay blinker arm and then add the module. You might have no difference at all. I actually swapped columns to get the function because I have never been able to do the switch in the column successfully. I should have just left it alone.

Also, don’t think you are buying a delay module. In your head, you are lighting the money on fire needs to be the thought process. No return on electronic items applies to EBay sellers too.

 

[nvrenuf]

Iirc, the delay modules are discontinued and not manufactured in the aftermarket. Good used modules are somewhat valuable.

My 91 had delay wipers which just equaled multiple levels of struggle, no improvement on the higher speeds. When the module quit working I did like @dyeager535 described and removed it and plugged the harness together without it, works fine now.

 

[dyeager535]

Shady and I had talked a bit, Detroit Speed makes a kit, looks like it uses a 2018 Corvette wiper motor. But it's not a bolt in deal (edit: the 2018 wiper motor, not the kit)

It would be nice to be able to have a cost effective relatively simple swap that actually improves the wipers, but I'm not sure that is possible.

 

[78 GMC Jimmy]

IIRC the delay "module" just plugs into the existing wiring under the dash. Need an adjustable wiper switch as well. All factory components.

And my experience is, the wipers generally suck. Even at 14V. Nothing like new vehicles. You can help by ensuring the pivot points in the wiper transmission mechanism are lubed.

Ya, the wipers are weak. I even went to a salvage yard and got a replacement wiper motor. Same result....

Tried lubing the pivot point, which got rid of the super annoying squeak squeak squeak on every wiper stroke, and did help them function slightly better.

 

[6872xtc]

The delay module is about as weak and reliable as the stock wiper motor. I have 5 or maybe 6 of them I have removed in junk yards over the years and only 1 works. Some of the time it works at least. Other times I am just left with Nothing, struggle and struggle.

My point is by the time you replace the switch in the column to be a delay switch, get a delay blinker arm and then add the module. You might have no difference at all. I actually swapped columns to get the function because I have never been able to do the switch in the column successfully. I should have just left it alone.

Also, don’t think you are buying a delay module. In your head, you are lighting the money on fire needs to be the thought process. No return on electronic items applies to EBay sellers too.

I am guessing that you are talking about the '84 and up. If @78 GMC Jimmy is working on a '78, then the switch is in the dash, not the turn signal lever.
Those delay modules also plug in line, but they seem to be more difficult to find, in my experience. Slightly more reliable, but harder to find.

 

[cheavyk10]

Sure sounds like everyone is saying just be thankful your wipers work, if at all.
Anything is better than just Rain-X.

 

[78 GMC Jimmy]

I am guessing that you are talking about the '84 and up. If @78 GMC Jimmy is working on a '78, then the switch is in the dash, not the turn signal lever.
Those delay modules also plug in line, but they seem to be more difficult to find, in my experience. Slightly more reliable, but harder to find.

Ya, a 78. Link to a good part?

 

[6872xtc]

Sure sounds like everyone is saying just be thankful your wipers work, if at all.
Anything is better than just Rain-X.

I quit using Rain-x years ago because it seemed like a pain to apply, plus I didn't like the haze just behind the wipers as the moved across the glass.
I have been using Simple Reflections for a few years now. It's not just for glass and it helps keep everything from sticking so badly. Dust blows off like very well! It makes a huge difference in glass and my plastic lenses in my prescription eyewear. It is very surprising how well it works on mirrors!

Ya, a 78. Link to a good part?

Sorry, I haven't been messing with them since I got rid of my '79 a decade back. The only square I have is my '90.

Double check the motor connections and ground.

I honestly would suggest using Simple Reflections to help yourself though. It does make the glass more slick and let's the water blow off easier.
No, I am not sponsored by that company.