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CorsePerVita
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 1992
Location: Redmond, Oregon
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 Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 10:59 pm Post subject: Ok. Riddle me this - Wipers randomly turn off car. |
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What the f***?
I'll clarify that this is on my '79 N/A
I cannot reproduce it. Here's some background on this one. Some time ago, the linkage was binding on the wipers. During that time, if you ran the wipers for say 2 minutes or so the car would just randomly turn off. After I lubricated the linkage they stopped binding and I could no longer reproduce the issue.
However, months later, fastforward to today... it happened again.
Except this time it was not the same duration as when the 2 minute interval would kick it. It was random, more like 5 seconds. I turned on the wipers and it was like someone killed the engine, like hitting a wall. Mind you the interesting part is all the gauges, the lights, the radio and everything were still on. Just the engine died.
I turned off the key and turned it back on, started right up and off I went (after momentarily flashing the guy in front of me who was wondering why my car lights went off probably).
I tried multiple times after this to reproduce it. Moving the wiper switch rapidly, trying multiple positions, turning it off when they were mid wipe. It would not turn off again, I even left them on for a few minutes and nothing seemed to cause it. This leads me to believe there is something else going on aside from the "duration" and that the issue is something entirely different.
Has anyone come across this? I couldn't find anything through a search but will keep searching. It's just odd because the accessories and gauges and main power stay on. In fact, they don't blink or momentarily even give off the hint of losing power. Just the engine dies. It's like hitting a wall. You just lunge a little and notice the engine is no longer running. Been looking at wiring diagrams this morning and cannot for the life of me figure out what in the hell would cause this.
PS: We thought it was an ignition switch issue last time, we already replaced that.
_________________
- 1977 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (Trackday Project)
- 1979 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (The other daily)
- 1980 Porsche 931 (Daily)
- 1987 Lamborghini Jalpa
- 1999 Ducati 900SS |
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Harm
Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 1376
Location: Holland
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| Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 11:20 pm Post subject: Re: Ok. Riddle me this - Wipers randomly turn off car. |
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The steering column also functions as a ground; Any problems with the horn?
Could you have mixed up wires at the steering wheel?
The wipers engine sits isolated under the hood and makes ground inside the cabin making ground in ‘the crown’ behind the fuse box: Any loose wires dangling?
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Porsche 924 NA 1982 LY7A/A3A3 _ Greater driving pleasure never harmed anyone. |
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CorsePerVita
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 1992
Location: Redmond, Oregon
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| Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 11:35 pm Post subject: Re: Ok. Riddle me this - Wipers randomly turn off car. |
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| Harm wrote: | The steering column also functions as a ground; Any problems with the horn?
Could you have mixed up wires at the steering wheel?
The wipers engine sits isolated under the hood and makes ground inside the cabin making ground in ‘the crown’ behind the fuse box: Any loose wires dangling? |
Nope, horn works fine.
It's very intermittent and sporadic. I can't consistently reproduce it which is odd to me.
I've removed the wiper motor and rebuilt it last time thinking it was a wiper motor issue. I refreshed the connectors and resoldered them. Didn't help a bit.
Regarding "the crown" behind the fuse box, I'm not sure. I will have to check. But even then, I'm baffled as to why the wipers would affect the engine randomly dying. Even if a wire were loose, why would it only happen with the wipers on?
It also seems really specific, because as I said, the accessories, gauges, stereo, all of that stays on. The engine itself just dies. It's almost like someone turns the key off, but everything else stays on. Very very odd.
_________________
- 1977 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (Trackday Project)
- 1979 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (The other daily)
- 1980 Porsche 931 (Daily)
- 1987 Lamborghini Jalpa
- 1999 Ducati 900SS |
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Harm
Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 1376
Location: Holland
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| Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 11:49 pm Post subject: Re: Ok. Riddle me this - Wipers randomly turn off car. |
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[quote="CorsePerVita"] | Harm wrote: | | It also seems really specific, because as I said, the accessories, gauges, stereo, all of that stays on. The engine itself just dies. It's almost like someone turns the key off, but everything else stays on. Very very odd. |
No direct answers here…
Possibly the engines harnes connection could be the cause/involved?
How is the rev meter responding when it happens.
Wiggled the fusebox lately? |
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CorsePerVita
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 1992
Location: Redmond, Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:03 am Post subject: Re: Ok. Riddle me this - Wipers randomly turn off car. |
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| Harm wrote: | | corsepervita wrote: | | It also seems really specific, because as I said, the accessories, gauges, stereo, all of that stays on. The engine itself just dies. It's almost like someone turns the key off, but everything else stays on. Very very odd. |
No direct answers here…
Possibly the engines harnes connection could be the cause/involved?
How is the rev meter responding when it happens.
Wiggled the fusebox lately? |
Could be a harness issue. The wiring has been very supple and not an issue. Although I suppose that doesn't mean there isn't/couldn't be a wiring issue in the harness somewhere. I haven't touched the fuse box. The car did this since we got it, so it's nothing new. It isn't doing it as often as it did previously but still odd.
I'll check for loose connections in the fusebox today and also do a quick inspection on the harness in the engine bay in stress points to see if I've got a larger issue at hand.
_________________
- 1977 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (Trackday Project)
- 1979 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (The other daily)
- 1980 Porsche 931 (Daily)
- 1987 Lamborghini Jalpa
- 1999 Ducati 900SS |
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CorsePerVita
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 1992
Location: Redmond, Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 5:31 am Post subject: |
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Confirmed no obviously loose wires. Checked the back near fuse box, no loose wires. I did find a white wire which had been cut and may have been grounding from rattling around. I bent it and taped it off. I don't think that is the issue though.
Looked in the engine bay. Harness looks great, no visible wire issues. I suppose I may need to get out the multimeter and probe. However, without being able to reproduce the issue, I am not sure where to even begin looking.
Horn works fine (confirmed again just to make sure I'm not crazy).
_________________
- 1977 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (Trackday Project)
- 1979 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (The other daily)
- 1980 Porsche 931 (Daily)
- 1987 Lamborghini Jalpa
- 1999 Ducati 900SS |
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Harm
Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 1376
Location: Holland
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:04 am Post subject: Re: Ok. Riddle me this - Wipers randomly turn off car. |
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Earlier on you mentioned engine mount issues:
Could it be the engine lost ‘ground’ for a while?!?
Is your spark distributor not hitting the hood 
Since you're using the wipers; Could rain/humidity be the cause?
Good luck.
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Porsche 924 NA 1982 LY7A/A3A3 _ Greater driving pleasure never harmed anyone. |
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CorsePerVita
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 1992
Location: Redmond, Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:11 am Post subject: Re: Ok. Riddle me this - Wipers randomly turn off car. |
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| Harm wrote: | Earlier on you mentioned engine mount issues:
Could it be the engine lost ‘ground’ for a while?!?
Is your spark distributor not hitting the hood
Since you're using the wipers; Could rain/humidity be the cause?
Good luck. |
Engine bay is dry as a bone. No moisture issues I can find.
Not sure if it "lost ground" for a while. Although, the engine has a ground strap to the firewall which is secured properly so I don't see that as an issue.
Distributor has no rubbing and isn't hitting the hood, but that wouldn't explain why it would only happen with the wipers on. If that were the case it'd surely be hitting the hood and then turning off, not just when the wipers are on.
_________________
- 1977 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (Trackday Project)
- 1979 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (The other daily)
- 1980 Porsche 931 (Daily)
- 1987 Lamborghini Jalpa
- 1999 Ducati 900SS |
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CorsePerVita
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 1992
Location: Redmond, Oregon
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Harm
Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 1376
Location: Holland
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:33 am Post subject: Re: Ok. Riddle me this - Wipers randomly turn off car. |
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| CorsePerVita wrote: | | strap to the firewall which is secured properly so I don't see that as an issue. |
The ground strap to the firewall should be considered a must do.
I'm out of ideas for now.
Good luck catching that Gremlin  |
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CorsePerVita
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 1992
Location: Redmond, Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:42 am Post subject: Re: Ok. Riddle me this - Wipers randomly turn off car. |
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| Harm wrote: | | CorsePerVita wrote: | | strap to the firewall which is secured properly so I don't see that as an issue. |
The ground strap to the firewall should be considered a must do.
I'm out of ideas for now.
Good luck catching that Gremlin |
Not sure what you mean by must do? Here's a pic. Looks properly hooked up to me. I cleaned the connection off not all that long ago.
_________________
- 1977 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (Trackday Project)
- 1979 Porsche 924 2.0 N/A (The other daily)
- 1980 Porsche 931 (Daily)
- 1987 Lamborghini Jalpa
- 1999 Ducati 900SS |
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larchie
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
Posts: 297
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| Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 7:10 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I lubricated the linkage they stopped binding and I could no longer reproduce the issue. |
| Quote: | | I've removed the wiper motor and rebuilt it last time thinking it was a wiper motor issue. |
The reduction of resistance from each would decrease the amperage.
Would the headlights dim when the wiper motor is operating?
Did the dash lights brighten after the engine died?
If so, it might be possible that the motor is pulling too much power -- unlikely though because it would seem that a fuse would blow first.
If the wiper motor is disconnected and the wiper is turned on does the engine die? If it doesn't, then it would seem the wiper motor itself might be an issue -- esp. when the rear defogger is on as well. |
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Goldwolf
Joined: 25 Jun 2017
Posts: 283
Location: Athens,GA
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| Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 4:42 am Post subject: |
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I am having the same exact problem. Gonna try to lube the motor. Will report back.
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1981 Weissach Edition #179 |
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