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MG MG Y Type - Wipers - Stupid question of the day

This is really embarassing but...

How do you turn on the windshield wipers? My guess is that you push in the driver's side wiper knob by looking underneath, and when I do that I see a small spark but nothing else happens.
Steve Simmons

I know the feeling: I was puzzled by bonnet catches, trafficator- and wipercontrols, too.

After my red-faced question a TF-owner told me how to operate the wipers; a TF has the same installation.

First, you push the driverside knob and position the wiper on the windscreen. Previously the wiper had been laying on the scuttle, facing outwards.
If your lucky the first wiper should start wiping. If you want the extravagant luxury of two wiping wipers you repeat the action (push knob, position wiper) on the passengerside, it will pick up the action of the driverside!

If your not lucky the wipermotor doesn't work or the wipershafts and cable are stuck with old grease and/or dirt. They will have to be dismantled, cleaned and freshly greased.

Anyway, I think above info is useless because the although the Y-wiper-contraptions look, and are called the same as more modern wipers, their function is entirely decorative and not of any use in the rain! On top of that you were advised in a previous thread not to drive in the rain, so why are you bothering with wipers?

Question: should the wipers in rest both point outwards, or point to the right?
Willem van der Veer

Well they don't work then. I can push and turn both wipers by hand but nothing else happens. No noise, no anything. Probably the motor or wiring.

Both of my wiper blades rest comfortably pointing to the left side of the car.

I only want the wipers in case I get stuck in the rain, while unlikely in Southern California can happen. Usually the news has "Live Team Coverage" when there is a hint of a drizzle so we know well in advance if our cars will get wet. :)
Steve Simmons

Steve - Keep a good coating of Rainex on the windshield and you won't need the wipers, I rarely use them on our TD, even here in the rain capitol of the US. For repair of the wiper motor, check with Lew Palmer at: lpalmer@roundaboutmanor.com
Lew fixes horns and wiper motors.
Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Have you checked the wiring of the motor? Is there voltage getting to it? Check the wiper motor for continuity by putting an Ohmmeter across the terminals and check it. If the motor is burnt out you will get 0 response from the Ohmmeter even if there is voltage, and the same will be true if there is a good motor and no voltage.

I think in an earlier thread you referred to the age of your lot loom and that it might be dodgy - I might be getting my wires crossed though (pun intended), but if so, this could be another instance. Check both fuses as I cannot remember which is which too.

Paul
Paul Barrow

I think the wiper motor was common to early Morris Minors and some other cars so a replacement may not be too difficult to find - I seem to recall a chap I used to know (Dave Ransome - not involved with cars now and last heard of in Cheshire) did an alternative parts booklet on parts for Y types that were common to other cars. I am sure Neil Cairns will know if they are easy to find.Don't always suspect the motor though as I had a problem with mine and it turned out to be the wiring leads that were faulty. I may have a spare motor that works somewhere in my garage if someone is desperate.It should be possible to test the wiper motor by taking it off the car and connecting directly to the battery.

David Mullen

The booklet David M refers to above is published by us in association with John Lawson and the MG Octagon Car Club - see Book Review.

Paul
Paul Barrow

Steve, Is the wiper motor turning? You should be able to hear if anything is happening in there. If not, or even if there is and no wiping is taking place, take the top off the gearbox where the cable comes out of the motor and check for obstructions. Quite probably you will have congealed grease in there or a worn worm or gear. You will have to strip the motor completely to clean the commutator or replace the brushes but this is not too difficult a job. If you get a flash then the switch under the dash on the shaft of the bakelite knob is at least attemting to work but it is a crude contraption to put it mildly. The switch contacts may be burnt and not allowing enough current through but are easy to clean with a bit of emery or wet and dry and/or may need bending into better contact with one another (you may have to remove the wooden dash capping to do this - it's a long time since I did it myself). If there is movement of the cable and no wiping then the wiper gearboxes on the end of the knobs will be worn, turning the cable round 180 degrees will present the wipers with an unworn side. As Dave says the motors were common to lots of cars over here in the 50s and parts are generally available. I have a bag of used bits somewhere.

Ian Thomson
ian thomson

Thanks, I'll check it out this weekend. Nothing happens but the spark. No sound, no movement, nothing. It's either dead or just stuck fast. Not a big deal since my wiper blades are covered in electrical tape instead of rubber.

Anyone know a source in the US for the proper blades? I tried a set from Moss for a TD but they are different as I'm sure everyone but me already knew!
Steve Simmons

I've been wondering where to find them myself, and no, my wipers don't work either. The only time I was caught out in the rain with the Y I moved the wiper by hand enough to see. Luckily it was on my way home and on secondary roads.
Paul Briggs

Re wiper blade assemblies, Repco (a nationwide auto parts chain in Australia) supplied the units for my YT in late 2002 for approx A$16 a pair, central stock indicated about 400 units at the time! I'm certain they would still be available.
Regards Geoff
YT3477
Geoff Meller

A useful tip is to apply Rain-X to your windscreen. This doesn't solve the wiper problem but it does shed water from the screen and helps a lot. Motor cyclists use it on their visors so it must be of some use. Most motor factors sell it. I give my screen the treatment a couple of times a season. Worth a try.
J.L. Murray

If you get really stuck, cannot get Rainex (because the store is shut or you cannot find one) cut a raw potato in half and wipe the flat inside over the windscreen - the starch in the potato will get you out of a jam - rally drivers tip!

Paul
Paul Barrow

PS to my last.

It will not get your wipers working either, but if you are hungry you can eat the potato afterwards too, therefore it is environmentally friendly to tree-huggers!

P
Paul Barrow

I seem to remember a few other suggestions along htese lines in a recent thread. Something about peanut butter and dog saliva? ;)
Steve Simmons

Paul, what type of potato should we use please ?

Ted Gardner

Why King Edwards of course! I all seriousness old potatos are bigger than new so it is quicker to use old. But a KE has a high starch content, and tastes quite nice.

Try to remove as much soil as possible before use, it helps digestion after using on the screen. You will find the rain is very useful for this.Told you, a totally eco-friendly way to do it!!

Paul
Paul Barrow

Paul,

IF (and that's a big if!) I follow your advise, I'd wrap the potato in aluminium-foil (which of course you carry to short cut fuses!) and cook it on the hot manifold for about 20 minutes!

Willem
(p.s. did you receive my updated "Y5888 on Parade" photo and story?)
Willem van der Veer

Cheese filling in mine please!

And sorry Willem, have not seen it. Can you please resend & we'll post it up?

Thanks

Paul
Paul Barrow

Just to add to the strangest ever windscreen wiper link.... surely this is what wives were designed for in the first place isn't it.... at last years Dunster run my wife happily operated the wipers on the drivers side by hand in a VERY heavy storm.... yes, the water disperant does work, but not in a 100 gallons per minute storm (and poor old Dennis Doubtfire had his T type top down at the time)!

Wiper motor works fine, gears okay, cable intact and freemoving.... just very poor and very unreliable contacts at the dashboard 'knob' end has caused all of the wiper problems in my case....

PS All the best Paul.... glad you're settling in okay mate.... "have a nice day"!

Ken
Ken Jones

Glad you explained your comment there Ken!

We could all have been in very hot water otherise! (We could have boiled the potatos though!)

Paul
Paul Barrow

Yes Paul.... I tried to choose my words as carefully as possible, though I was laughing all the way through at the possibilities!!!! The mind boggles.....

Take care all, and nice to hear of another Y Type in Somerset, YB1423 ('William'), owned by new found friend Mark Sellick.... any other Somerset based owners please feel free to drop me a note. Maybe a MiniY Run in the summer, or all meet up at the Hestercombe Classic Car Day???
Ken Jones

This thread was discussed between 03/03/2004 and 04/04/2004

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