Wiper delay

R

richarduk

Guest
Anyone got any pictures of one dismantled? Mine is not doing the delay thing. Must be a vacuum type as there is a pipe that runs from it into the wiring loom.
 
Hello Richard,

It has been over 20 years since I last had to dismantle one, but from memory there is very little in them. A rubber diaphragm, a coil spring and a little cylinder of foam is about it. I have yet to hear of the diaphram being the problem, although at some point I expect it will perish. Assuming your diaphragm is ok replacing the foam will see it working again. Cut into the right size and shape and away you go.. :wink:

Ron.
 
Yes, as suggested cut a small piece of foam from a fine car sponge. I am sure it will do the trick. It did for my 2.2TC which had been off the road for 25 years!

Regards.

Norman
 
The rubber hose into the loom perished on my one and ever since I've had a piece of washer hose with a strategic knot at a given tightness (tighter the knot, longer the delay) tied into the pipe and although not a permanent fix it does give you at least some delay.
 
I could not fine any 'foam'. Just a small rubber washer. Maybe that is the issue, I'll take a picture at the weekend and post it.
 
Hi Richard

I had my delay unit apart a while ago and cleaned it all up. Mine has a big rubber diaphragm and works quite well. Biggest problem I have is that it needs cleaning every few months. It'll work well for a while then all of a sudden the wipers will stop mid sweep. A good clean of the contacts will sort it out for a few more months before it starts playing up again. Here are some pics of mine:

CIMG2823.jpg


You can see the big black rubber diaphragm in this one.

CIMG2825.jpg


This one shows the contacts that need cleaning every now and again.

It's currently playing up so needs to come out again.

Dave
 
Yer mine looks just like that, where your thumb is in the first pic is a metal clip holding a small rubber washer in that acts like a one way valve. Seems if I give this a tap the delay works for a few swipes then stays on all the time. Looks to me as if there is a small spring missing. The big spring on the big diphram is there.
 
Hi Richard,

Between the metal clip and the small rubber diaphragm (you called it a washer?) should be the infamous bit of sponge - the sponge acts as a spring to keep the little rubber diaphragm closed ..... IIRC.

Bri.
 
Where is the wiper delay unit?

Can anyone tell me where in the engine bay I would find the wiper delay unit? My Haynes manual lists it in the index but when I turn to the page it's mysteriously not there. Thank you.
 
Hello Clive
Looking at your motor - top right corner under the windscreen valance .Next to the wiper motor . White plastic disk as shown in earlier photos from Dave3066
Steering wheel binacle has a white toggle left side .This will rotate and In/de creases the air flow via a plastic hose to the wiper motor [ this pipe can fail as it ages ]
Gerald
 
I have my wiper delay on the bench and am confused about the location of this piece of foam.
Referring to the photos, which are excellent thankyou, surely the large coil spring keeps the diaphragm pushed down and the contacts closed.
Mine delay has no trace of foam at all.
 
6Bcygnet said:
I have my wiper delay on the bench and am confused about the location of this piece of foam.
Referring to the photos, which are excellent thankyou, surely the large coil spring keeps the diaphragm pushed down and the contacts closed.
Mine delay has no trace of foam at all.
Click to expand...

In my first photo, above, the part that my thumb is covering has a small metal clip that holds a sponge underneath. The sponge regulates the intake of air preventing the spring from simply returning the diaphragm instantly.

Dave
 
it is also worth checking that the clips are all there if one is missing then it does seal properly.

DAVE3066, is it worth tinning the contacts. It might save you needing to clean them. Worth a try.

Colin
 
Is the sponge really there to act as a spring? :shock: I always thought it was there to provide base-level restriction to air flow into the unit through the pipe, and that you could "tune" it - a more dense sponge would make a greater delay available at maximum setting at the steering column knob... :|
 
That's exactly how it works Tor, but the spring doesn't restrict the airflow directly, there is a small circle of rubber under the sponge which seals a hole in the vacuum chamber. Stiffer sponge/foam keeps it sealed for longer - I used a piece of foam pipe lagging in mine.
 
testrider said:
Stiffer sponge/foam keeps it sealed for longer
Click to expand...
Yes
Tor said:
I thought the air passed through the sponge... :roll:
Click to expand...
And yes.

It acts as the springing medium to keep the rubber disc sealed tight as a non-return valve, but also allows air to pass through itself when exiting on the inward stroke of the plunger.
A bit more sponge stuffed in there, and a bit of rubber nourisher on the disc, and it should work a treat. Cleaning the internal contacts, inspecting the diaphragm, and ideally fitting a relay to take the load of the contacts should make it A1 (provided there's no crack in your vacuum hose).

Michael
 
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