Windscreen Wiper Failure
 

Hi All,

It had to come... the fault that keeps my A8 off the road... :-(:-(

After obsessing about the gearbox, becoming expert on belt/water-pump/suspension/steering rack I have a fault with the windscreen wipers! :Confused:

The wipers failed in the vertical position, pointing bang up to the sky, not any problem before, although I had adjusted the rate of the intermittent wipe (surely a coincidence???).

I was driving and pulled over, moving the wipers down to the park position. There was no play, graunching noises or resistance of any kind.

When I bought the car I noticed a slight mark on the black trim around the windscreen and assumed that there had been an adjustment problem at some time.

Any how, where should I start to look? I guess an electrical fault should be the first place to look; yes?? :Confused:

Tips appreciated! +++

Robert

If there was no resistance to moving them down to the park position then either the linkage has come adrift from the motor, or the motor internal gears have disintegrated. They should be uncomfortably stiff (like 'ooer is it going to snap something') to move manually.

Often as the linkage wears the wipers over-sweep which tends to make the marks on the windscreen trim. Sadly all of this stuff is NLA for the D2 now I believe :mad:

With the bonnet open and the driver's side scuttle trim off you should be able to see whether the linkage is moving or not when you run the wipers. Have a look at that and go from there...

Wiper failure is a common D2 complaint, hard to keep them on the shelves at a8parts, especially with winter approaching.....

If they have one, I'd get it snapped up quick +++

I guess from what you are saying there is no sound of the motor running? As MJ says, take the plastic cover off (at the rear drivers side of the engine bay) and see whats moving/running. Mine suffer from over sweeping which on full-speed is a pain and noisy nuisance.

Thanks so far, any more ideas appreciated!
 

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the tips, I will have to wait to the weekend to look, this wage-slavery lark is getting in the way of my hobbies... :tuttut:

If anyone else has D2 window wiper tips please feel free! +++

Robert

That's what Audi will tell you!

However, my local Audi independent got me a new one a couple of months or so ago and A8 Parts also came up with one (may still be in stock).

A little patience and someone who gives a s**t can locate them.

Ta!
 

Cheers for that Laird! Less depressed now... :-(

Robert

The Culprit!
 

Attachment 14830

Hi All,

So thanks for the tips, I got the scuttle off and tested to see what was happening. :-(

The motor is working but this "Conrod" (see picture) seems to have come away from a "pivot / shaft" (in pic) which is attached to a bar which operates the the driver's side spindle and thereafter the wiper arm (clearly you ain't dealing with no engineer here...:Confused:).

If anyone could help here I wonder,

1. Can this be drilled out in-situ and replaced with a a stainless bolt, spaced with nuts and washers?? ;)

2. If the whole assembly is removed would drilling out and putting in a Bolt work OR can just the conrod be bought? :rolleyes:

3. Or is this a "replace the whole assembly" job? :tuttut: Laird, do you still have the assembly with the burned out motor??

Thanks again for posts already; I just wouldn't have had a go without the explanatory post from B@??? (Name escapes me! Daren't risk losing what I have typed!) and the tip to "have a look to see what's happening"!

Robert

Eww thats pretty bad. It may be recoverable depending on whether the plastic is worn away from the rust or not.

First step is to clean all the rust off the ball - wire brush and wire wool, some coarse sandpaper if you have it. Clean it up as much as poss, then give it a good coating of grease. If you can get to the other side of the conrod (don't think you can with it in place tbh) then also clean out the plastic socket and grease that. Then, see if the plastic socket on the conrod will pop back on to the ball. It should take a lot of force - mole grips or water pump pliers are good to squeeze it back together.

If it pops together easily then chances are it'll just pop off again, in which case another assembly will be needed afaik. I'm not sure the parts are even listed separately tbh.

I've been wondering about remanufacturing these things using proper ball joints, but mine is in reasonable condition so not made any progress on that yet.

As MJ says its a press fit joint and perhaps may go back together after a clean. However, it does look pretty worn and may well be beyond repair. The only problem with a second hand unit is that the linkages may well be worn too and it will be a "slapper" at best. I exchanged a unit with The Laird and so at least one of his (the one with the good motor) will be worn - I am sure he wont mind me saying this :). The one I got from him has been OK but is now over-running on full speed. I have thought about ways to adjust the the linkages as the motor is OK and I am sure that the unit comes with motor/arms etc.

Sounds like MJ has a business opportunity upgrading wiper arm units!+++