Revitalised Wiper Delay

Definitely worthwhile, and worthwhile doing it before the wipers need to be in more regular use :shock: which is one reason I did it now rather than later.


Thanks:- hope it helps.


Fortunately a fairly straightforward job, just a little bit messy with all the grease around :(


Legend??? Now you're just embarrassing me. There are plenty of others on this forum who, IMHO, have and deserve legendary status, but I don't count myself as one of them, and I will be sure not to use any black and white photos since you like the coloured ones so much :p


Think yourself lucky, 112 pictures in all were taken, I just spared you from them all :shock: iPhones are so useful for capturing step-by-step procedures like this :p

Great job and thanks for that!
One humble question: My delay isnt working neither, so could it maybe be only the delay governor or is it very likely to do all the work you have so fabulously done?! Thanks a lot!
 
If your normal slow and fast speed wipers work, and they park correctly, then you probably don't need to do the complete strip-down.

When you switch to delay what happens? Do the wipers not even start or do they stop midway, or just don't stop?

If they don't start then it's likely to be the electrical connections on the delay governor switch.

If they stop midway then the governor switch is not changing state, which could again be the electrical connections or that the governor switch has not been activated mechanically.

If they start, do a single sweep and then stop forever, then the governor switch is getting stuck, and if they start and never stop then either the governor switch is not being activated, or the foam in the top of the governor has perished, giving the effect of zero delay.

Hope this helps.
 
If your normal slow and fast speed wipers work, and they park correctly, then you probably don't need to do the complete strip-down.

When you switch to delay what happens? Do the wipers not even start or do they stop midway, or just don't stop?

If they don't start then it's likely to be the electrical connections on the delay governor switch.

If they stop midway then the governor switch is not changing state, which could again be the electrical connections or that the governor switch has not been activated mechanically.

If they start, do a single sweep and then stop forever, then the governor switch is getting stuck, and if they start and never stop then either the governor switch is not being activated, or the foam in the top of the governor has perished, giving the effect of zero delay.

Hope this helps.

Nothing happens when I start the delay and no difference between slow and fast speed.
 
If your normal slow and fast speed don't work correctly as well as the delay, then I would suspect either the main wiper switch in the car, the electrical connections on the wiper motor, or the wiper motor winding.

Before even looking at the delay, I think you need to get the normal slow and fast speeds working first.
You need to get a voltmeter on the wiper connections and see what reading you get for slow and fast speed before further diagnosis.
 
If your normal slow and fast speed don't work correctly as well as the delay, then I would suspect either the main wiper switch in the car, the electrical connections on the wiper motor, or the wiper motor winding.

Before even looking at the delay, I think you need to get the normal slow and fast speeds working first.
You need to get a voltmeter on the wiper connections and see what reading you get for slow and fast speed before further diagnosis.

Thanks a lot!!
 
Today I followed this excellent article and sorted out the wipers on my 3500s 1972. Thanks for very good descriptions and pictures!
Regards, Barten
 
this is one of the mightiest threads on this site, well Post 1 is sheer magic, should get an Award!!! Fantastic reading Phil :) fabulous

I had the delay windscreen wipers working on both of my early P6s , never a problem with them, I have just bought another P6 but sadly the delay is not working :( looks like all the info is right here on this thread :D
 
this is one of the mightiest threads on this site, well Post 1 is sheer magic, should get an Award!!! Fantastic reading Phil :) fabulous

I had the delay windscreen wipers working on both of my early P6s , never a problem with them, I have just bought another P6 but sadly the delay is not working :( looks like all the info is right here on this thread :D
Still good to know it is helping others on here nearly six years on!!!

I see in other posts it looks like you have a workshop manual coming? I wrote this article in the same order as the genuine Rover workshop manual, (and not the HBOL). Reason being, you would like to think that Rover knew what they were doing, and also that my pictures would tie in for anyone who is following the procedure by reading the genuine manual as well.

Good luck in getting the delay repaired.
 
To revive this excellent thread… where does the delay system get its vacuum from? Mine doesn't work (1972 2000 TC) and I can't see any take-off from the inlet manifold, carbs, brake servo etc. Is there supposed to be a pipe from engine to control knob, then another to the unit on the wiper motor? All pointers gratefully received.

Thanks

John
 
The delay is self contained. the piston on the capsule is pushed by the motor, the air in the capsule is exhausted through the sponge valve, the diaphragm then stops the piston returning until air bleeds out of the capsule either by the dash knob bleed ( white knob ) or a leak, probably at the sponge.
Turn the wipers on and watch what happens, then it will make sense.

PS The only pipe is a straight run from capsule to knob.
 
I've been meaning to do this repair to my car since, well, yeah, when I bought it. :mad: Every time I think I'll get around to it, something else on the car goes wrong and needs attention and money. Recently I resolved to finally do it, knowing this useful how-to had been posted some years back. I used the search function, but to no avail, I just couldn't find it. !?!?!? John Simister, good on you for unearthing and reviving this. Hope you get yours fixed.
Attention new webmaster Meester Quattro! Can we somehow 'stickie' these useful threads so they stay at the top of the respective headings. Didn't that used to be a thing? Also sdibbers SU tuning piece from the other day, as an example of stuff that gets lost as time goes by, but we'll all need (eventually!).
 
Attention new webmaster Meester Quattro!

Thought I had been promoted there :) - Rockdemon is still the webmaster, I am just doing some of the Admin and emoji hunting :hmm:

Stickies are still here, alive and well, here's one wot I rit.

rear caliper overhaul

Let me know if you want anything made into one, and I'll have a look at it.

Richard

PS this thread is already a stickie :hmm:
 
Perhaps they're in a civil partnership ?

I mean they've always been civil to me....... just sayin :cuppa:
 
Apologies Rockdemon, thanks Quattro. Weird how I couldn't find this thread. :hmm: I like this new Emoji.
 
Sadly all the pictures have now gone. However I think I understand how the delay works now. I took the delay governor apart and there's no sign of any sponge. What sort of sponge is it (closed cell, open cell) and where does it go?

Also, before I removed the governor and took it to bits, with the wipers running normally I saw an occasional spark where the governor plunger rod is pushed and wiped by the plate on the wiper linkage. Then, as I was trying different switch positions, the wiper fuse blew and the wipers stopped mid-sweep. I disconnected the wires to the governor, replaced the fuse and the wipers work fine again, apart from the delay obviously. Why did the fuse blow? And is the sparking normal? I'm wondering if there's something amiss with the points inside the governor. It does look like there are times when the governor's power feed is connected to the plunger rod, and through that to the wiper linkage. Is that right?

I am baffled… guidance appreciated!

John
 
Can't answer your sparky fuse thing, perhaps spraying some contact cleaner around ?
The delay capsule is a contact switch, the plunger is not an electrical contact onto the sliding breech block.
The capsule has a 'pointy' face, in the middle is a recess with a little spring steel tab pressed in the hole, under this tab should live a sponge pad, the pad acts as a spring that pushes on a little rubber disc that seals against a mating face.
By gently prying against one end of the spring tab it will come out.
You have to experiment with size and type of foam, too stiff and it won't exhaust, too weak and it won't hold vacuum. I used a piece cut from one of those green washing up scourers, playing with the thickness.
 
Brilliant, thank you. I can now visualise what sponge is needed where. Spring steel tab is present, little rubber disc is present, sponge not. I shall also investigate contacts – perhaps there's a short-circuit somewhere. The rubber diaphragm is intact so I'm hoping there's a chance I can get it all working.

John
 
Back
Top