Need to replace my 2 speed windshield wiper switch.

[timk225]

While installing my rebuilt (original style non rallye) instrument panel into my 1973 Duster, I found some more electrical add-ons that the previous owner / electrical genius had added in. There was an extra control knob added into the instrument panel, but I never knew what it was for. Turns out it was for some addon kit that puts a time delay on the windshield wipers. My Duster has a 2 speed wiper setup from the factory.

Prior to changing the instrument cluster, the wipers worked fine on low and high speed, and the wipers would park correctly on their own when the switch was turned off.

But we took out the hack job of an add on time delay system and went with the original 2 speed wiring.

Except now I have 1 speed wipers. Turning the switch to low speed does nothing, I had to turn the switch to high speed and use that. And I also have to turn the wiper switch off at just the right moment to get the wipers to stop at the bottom of the windshield.

So I don't know if the original 2 speed switch had a problem or what, but I was going to try replacing it and see if that fixes it. It had a few wires sloppily soldered onto it to go to the time delay box.

Under the hood, the wiper motor has an extra wire coming off a mounting bolt. It looks like it is just a ground wire, but it shouldn't even be needed. Unless the timer delay box needed it.

 

[Wvbuzzmaster]

The low speed must have a ballast resistor on it like the ignition to get the low speed and park function. I went thru that on my Duster.

 

[340inabbody]

The low speed must have a ballast resistor on it like the ignition to get the low speed and park function. I went thru that on my Duster.

Following up with your comment @Wvbuzzmaster . I am just starting to look at my wiper system and am having the same issue as above. Only high speed no low speed or park.
You said there needs to be a resistor. Do you know the value of resistor and where it is schematically? I had pulled the motor 5 years ago and don’t recall any external resistor but do have the copper ground strap in tact.
Thanks any information on this would be appreciated!

 

[timk225]

Follow up to my original post. I pulled the dash apart and saw that the low speed power wire had been unplugged and taped over. I removed the tape, plugged it back into the wiper switch, and all was well.

 

[Wvbuzzmaster]

Following up with your comment @Wvbuzzmaster . I am just starting to look at my wiper system and am having the same issue as above. Only high speed no low speed or park.
You said there needs to be a resistor. Do you know the value of resistor and where it is schematically? I had pulled the motor 5 years ago and don’t recall any external resistor but do have the copper ground strap in tact.
Thanks any information on this would be appreciated!

Value of the ballast resistor is the same ballast resistor as the factory used on the points ignition system and is usually bolted the the wiper motor housing under the hood. At least that’s what it looked like to me and that’s what I used on my car and it works great. The wiper motor wire harness under the hood has the extra wires that plug into the ballast resistor.