Windshield wipers go on while truck is off!!

[AKHandyman]

AKHandyman here ... Ole Brown is my second love (Wifey first!) and she started this really odd thing this last fall. I was doing some yard work one afternoon and I heard this whissshing sound from over where 'Brown was parked. I just caught a glimpse of the wipers finishing a sweep across the windshield. I just starred at her for a few seconds and waiting if she was going to do it again. She didn't, so I went to see what the heck had just happened. I checked to make sure the ignition was off, it was. The wiper switch was in the off position. Strangest thing. I waited and waited and it never happened again (that afternoon.) However, a few days later, my wife called me and said when she tried to start Ole Brown, she was dead. I checked the battery and it indeed had been drained. So I charged her battery and plunked it back in and she started up just fine. She needed a good run and she and I went down the road. It wasn't but a few miles when all of a sudden she started acting up and the voltage meter was pegging past 18volts and the water temp gauge spiked! The heater motor slowed down and it just didn't seem right. I turned her around and got back to the homestead, where she just died!! She's been a good girl, but now, after a long winter's nap, I can't get her to start at all. I've checked the battery, and the starter. But she acts like there is something up with either the ignition switch or something else. Now the big question is, how do I go about determining if the ignition switch is bad or could it be a wiring problem within the cable harness? I'm ready to tear her apart, cause I need her for this summer's work.

AKHandyman in Tok, Alaska
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[dhamp]

AKHandyman, just to be clear....you've verified the votage on the battery is good, but when you turn the key nothing happens? Or does the starter turn over, but it never starts? Have you taken the battery to be load tested or tried it in another vehicle? If it's got a bad cell inside, a battery can show a good static voltage, but fail under starting load.

 

[AKHandyman]

The battery is definitely good. So is the starter and solenoid. Both been checked out at our local NAPA store. I'm just to go out in the snow to check the wiring but I believe at least the wiring from battery, ignition terminal switch from solenoid and ground are all good. Remember my little problem with the windshield wipers? I still can't get around that one. In addition, the day Ole Brown died, I faintly remember smelling electrical wiring burn smell ... but couldn't ever see anything. Could there be a problem with a fuse box or something that prevents the power going to the starter?

 

[AKHandyman]

AKHandyman, just to be clear....you've verified the voltage on the battery is good, but when you turn the key nothing happens? Or does the starter turn over, but it never starts? Have you taken the battery to be load tested or tried it in another vehicle? If it's got a bad cell inside, a battery can show a good static voltage, but fail under starting load.

I've had the starter in the truck and the wiring connected ... still nothing ... no solenoid click, but lights and radio work. However, I'm beginning to think that it could be wiring in the fuse box or ignition switch
I don't see the red emergency brake light or fasten seat belt light come on when I turn the key. I really hate to think it's the ignition switch ...

Tomorrow is another day ... I'll post some pics of the wiring mess I have ...

 

[89Suburban]

Unplug the wiper motor

 

[HotRodPC]

When you say can't get it to start... Does this mean the motor cranks but won't start, or nothing at all when you turn the key into start position?

 

[MrMarty51]

OK,I might be wrong, but, is there two fusible links in the 83 systems ???
I`d about bet that since half of the stuff works and the other half do`nt that there could be one of them fusible links is burned.
Probably due to a short in one of the circuits, especially after the comment of the burnt wire smell.
Sometimes the wires get an overload of smoke built up in them and it has to escape somewheres,usually out the terminal ends where the insulation is cut oft.

 

[T-ROD]

If it dont crank, one main thing to always check, seen it happen many times, I started a friends 82 chevy truck up one dau to pull it in the garage to be worked on, and about 5 seconds later I saw smoke comin from the hood, It was just a little bit, but the alternator regulator went bad and it pegged the volt gauge out and blew a headlight when we turned them on!! So we turned it off and loked at it, and because the regulator inside the alternator overloaded and went out, the link on the firewall burned out, so we fixed it and put a new regulator in the alternator, check the firewall by the brake booster, theres a terminal block on it with a few wires, usualy three, one thick one, probably 8 gauge or so, and two others about 10-12 gauge on the rite side of it, the smaller ones are fusible links, the big wire should be battery power, and one of the other ones is from your alternator, and any other wires coming from that is main wires to your cab for alot of your electrical system, as far as the windsheild wipers..... let me know what you see on that, and Ill check into that with a wiring diagram, maybe she was flirtin, lol.jk.

 

[HotRodPC]

Also, if it's not cranking or getting power to the cluster, good chance it's the fusible link on the firewall and why I asked if it cranks.

There must be some kind of short somewhere though. Wiper motor should #1 not run with switch off, #2, should not be able to run with switch off or on if the key is off. So there is an issue for sure.

 

[T-ROD]

Also, if it's not cranking or getting power to the cluster, good chance it's the fusible link on the firewall and why I asked if it cranks.

There must be some kind of short somewhere though. Wiper motor should #1 not run with switch off, #2, should not be able to run with switch off or on if the key is off. So there is an issue for sure.

Just thought of something, As I said in my last comment, ive seen them links burn, maybe it was burning into one of the wiper motor wires, they are in very close approximity to the links by the brake booster, and theres not many other ways for them to get power with the ignition off, Id say its probably one of those links and it was caused by something, he said the volt gauge pegged, and then it started losing power, because the blower bogged down, then it died, so im thinkin theres about a 80-90% chance that thats what happenned and its probably not cranking either.

 

[dhamp]

If it dont crank, one main thing to always check, seen it happen many times, I started a friends 82 chevy truck up one dau to pull it in the garage to be worked on, and about 5 seconds later I saw smoke comin from the hood, It was just a little bit, but the alternator regulator went bad and it pegged the volt gauge out and blew a headlight when we turned them on!! So we turned it off and loked at it, and because the regulator inside the alternator overloaded and went out, the link on the firewall burned out, so we fixed it and put a new regulator in the alternator, check the firewall by the brake booster, theres a terminal block on it with a few wires, usualy three, one thick one, probably 8 gauge or so, and two others about 10-12 gauge on the rite side of it, the smaller ones are fusible links, the big wire should be battery power, and one of the other ones is from your alternator, and any other wires coming from that is main wires to your cab for alot of your electrical system, as far as the windsheild wipers..... let me know what you see on that, and Ill check into that with a wiring diagram, maybe she was flirtin, lol.jk.

That's what I was thinking about T-Rod. I had a regulator go out on this Honda I had in college and that thing would pop fuse links on a regular basis before a mechanic finally discovred what was causing it.

 

[AKHandyman]

Wow you guys are awesome! I have the wires pulled apart from the wire loom and just looking at the firewall fuse box, it's disgusting!! What's with all the sticky crud? ( I guess waterproofing, huh?)

A couple quick questions ... this model (High Sierra 1500) had a cruise control and an after market radar control unit. It looks like the previous owner (long ago died) installed it and now from looking underneath the dash, I see a rat's nest of wiring. Would it be safe to take out the cruise control (vacuum pump on top of manifold and wiring?) I've already taken out the radar/wiring.
I'm thinking that's where some of the problems are ... extra wires that apparently have been added to fuse box ... sheesh!

Not sure if I'll get to running some continuity tests today , old man winter just doesn't want to let go. Been snowing all morning ... yuck!

Will add some pics to the thread after I download them from my phone ... thanks again for all the quick replies.

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[HotRodPC]

First and foremost AK, get that piece of cut wheel trim taken off the front fender. That thing is at the right height to grab a hold of your sack and cut it off with the sharp edge while working on the truck. Then you're wife will have a decoration to hang on the wall to show all her friends how she has you by the balls. So take care of that wouldja?? Not a bad truck at all otherwise !!!

I think you're on the right track with the extra wiring. See if you can sort through that ****, get it out and then lets see what you got and work from there on the OE wiring.

It's very possible with a hot wire (as in has 12v power), got warmed up, may have melted a bit and melted another wire and attached to it through heat making the wiper motor wire now have power. I've seen it happen before. Fuses usually prevent this, but no knowing how Old Man PO wired that stuff in, he many not have fused it. So yep, good start to remove that junk.

 

[AKHandyman]

First and foremost AK, get that piece of cut wheel trim taken off the front fender. That thing is at the right height to grab a hold of your sack and cut it off with the sharp edge while working on the truck. Then you're wife will have a decoration to hang on the wall to show all her friends how she has you by the balls. So take care of that wouldja?? Not a bad truck at all otherwise !!!

LOL ... wilco and thanks for the encouragement!

 

[MrMarty51]