wipers

[stevie_a]

Ok the summer looks as if it has gone here in Scotland just as i get my car back after quite a few hundred pounds spent on it.

So i was taking it to the shops today and as it was raining i had the wipers on, i was thinking, wish i had intermittent on this.

My car was a German import back in the day, a squaddie brought it back to the uk according to info i have,
so it has things that i think uk cars don't have and does not have things that uk car have ( or so i have been told.)

One of the things i don't have is intermittent wipe.

The car is a 2000 "W" 1.9 , i know some 1.9's in the uk have this on there cars, so the question is what do i need to get it and how do i fit it?

I have been told all i do is swap a relay and that is it,(I don't know if this is true )

Questions on a post card please

 

[vintage42]

I thought all Z3s had the same wiper control stalk:
Three positions up (intermittent, normal, fast wiping) and one down (single wipe).

The electrical diagram looks like the fusing would affect all positions.
I see no relay in the Z3 electrical manual diagram, or in RealOEM.com for Z3.
Here is a thread about the wiper relay on another model BMW:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1538701-Windshield-Wiper-Relay-Question
A wiper relay would look like this:
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/61368384505/ES169432/

There is a wiper/washer module between the fuse and the controls; maybe a problem in the module affected intermittent wiping.
Or maybe the contact in the stalk is just dirty.

It does not sound like a mechanical problem, so this link would not apply:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1115530-Fix-walkthrough-for-faulty-wipers

 

[stevie_a]

No as i understand it, it is something you swop over to let you vary the time that the intermittent wipes the window

 

[vintage42]

If you are referring to the relay, a relay would power the wiper motor, but would not control the frequency of wipes. And I don't think the Z3 has a relay for the wiper motor.

The frequency of wipes, such as "intermittent", would be controlled by the wiper module, which is informed by the position of the control stalk. "Intermittent" is the first position up. Does your stalk have three positions up? If so, what happens in each position up? Does nothing happen in the first position? That would the "intermittent" position.

The wiper module seems to be PN 61358366381
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-OEM-E36...Parts_Accessories&hash=item233d4eb66c&vxp=mtr

This vendor lists it for my 1.9:
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/61358366381/ES169272/

Again, if "intermittent" does not work, I think it must be the wiper module or the contact in the control stalk. For starters, why not spray some electrical contact cleaner into base of the control stalk and move it up and down.

 

[stevie_a]

No you are not getting it.

yes i have Three positions up (intermittent, normal, fast wiping) and one down (single wipe).

But i heard you can change the wiper module

by changing this when intermittent is selected you can vary the time between each wipe,

i.e

3 second to wipe to 20 seconds to wipe

 

[vintage42]

... i had the wipers on, i was thinking, wish i had intermittent on this... One of the things i don't have is intermittent wipe... The car is a 2000 "W" 1.9... what do i need to get it and how do i fit it? I have been told all i do is swap a relay...

That first post said you did not have "intermittent" and thought changing a relay would provide it. Perhaps you meant module.
So you do have "intermittent"? And you want to change it's timing?
Or want to be able to vary its timing from between 3 to 20 seconds?

That would require not only another kind of wiper module, but also another kind of control stalk. l don't think BMW made either for the Z3, at least not for the 1.9. So I don't think you can change the interval between intermittent wipes.

 

[t-tony]

I think he just wants it to work. As far as I'm aware no Z3's had variable intermittent wipers. If his car should have intermittent wipers, but it doesn't work that mostly likely will be down to a "timed" relay failure. Check wether anyone sells them on eBay.

 

[oldcarman]

It may be possible to adapt a module from another model with variable but you would also need to figure out a rotary stalk or dash mounted dial to get it to work. Are you certain that wherever you got the info it is reliable and pertains to a Z3? I search ebay UK every day sometimes more often and also other European countries and don't recall ever coming across a definite variable wiper stalk or related hardware in over a year. JIM

 

[t-tony]

Ok the summer looks as if it has gone here in Scotland just as i get my car back after quite a few hundred pounds spent on it.

So i was taking it to the shops today and as it was raining i had the wipers on, i was thinking, wish i had intermittent on this.

My car was a German import back in the day, a squaddie brought it back to the uk according to info i have,
so it has things that i think uk cars don't have and does not have things that uk car have ( or so i have been told.)

One of the things i don't have is intermittent wipe.

The car is a 2000 "W" 1.9 , i know some 1.9's in the uk have this on there cars, so the question is what do i need to get it and how do i fit it?

I have been told all i do is swap a relay and that is it,(I don't know if this is true )

Questions on a post card please

Hi Stevie if your w/wiper control is like mine in the pictures I think you will have a w/wiper control relay like the one on ebay ( item no. 361000664446) . This seller is halfway up to your neck of the woods. I'm fairly sure this relay controls the intermittent switching. I don't think it likely that a car imported from Germany would be lower spec than one for the UK market. HTH. Tony. P.S. I forgot to upload the pictures. Doh!
My ear is killing me.

 

[oldcarman]

Hi T-, I think what is being missed is he wants to have variable intermittent as I understand it. The relay you mention is simply a different timed from the slow setting and at one set speed with no adjustment. Is that correct? Not having my car here doesn't allow me to check it,BUT IT's somewhere in Eastern Canada unless they by passed me and are headed west. So far the USA owner has fired the manager in Halifax and is personally onto the dispatcher in charge trying to find out why they haven't delivered it yet!!

 

[vintage42]

... I think what is being missed is he wants to have variable intermittent...

That was not missed -- I said he wants to vary. The question is whether a relay can do that, or whether it takes a control module to do that. And in this case, I think some are calling the module a relay. However, a relay is basically a simple switch, while a module can take inputs and do things.
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/61358366381/ES169272/

I do think variable intermittent takes a different module plus a stalk that rotates to different preset speeds.

 

[oldcarman]

That was not missed -- I said he wants to vary. The question is whether a relay can do that, or whether it takes a control module to do that. And in this case, I think some are calling the module a relay. However, a relay is basically a simple switch, while a module can take inputs and do things.
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/61358366381/ES169272/

I do think variable intermittent takes a different module plus a stalk that rotates to different preset speeds.

I agree, Otherwise How would you make the speed adjustment without a rotary stalk or dial as the original stalk has no capability to accomplish this. And just for clarification, I was referring to T-tony regarding the variable, you were right on in your posts. JIM

 

[t-tony]

Hi Jim and Vintage42, have a look at Stevie's original post. He states " I wish I had intermittent wipers on this" and later he said "One of the things I don't have is intermittent wipe". He has never mentioned " variable" anywhere in his post so I assumed that his intermittent wipe was not working, a fair assumption ? Which will be controlled by a relay, being as he is English not Canadian or American. We don't all speak the same language all the time guys.

 

[stevie_a]

Sorry for any confusion, yes i would like to retro fit variable speed adjustment.

As i was lead to believe, you can replace the relay for the wipers and this allows you to vary the speed of the intermittent.

you don't need a rotary stock as it works the same way as the mercedes and vw.

first you put on the intermittent wipe after the first wipe switch back off, wait for desired time up to 25seconds

the switch back on and the wipers will be set tio the time setting you have chosen.

this is the item i was thinking of but don;t know if it will fit my car.

I was under the impression that the uk cars had this as standard

http://www.leatherz.com/Merchant5/m...=01&Product_Code=WiperModule&Category_Code=Z3

 

[vintage42]

... As i was lead to believe, you can replace the relay for the wipers and this allows you to vary the speed of the intermittent... this is the item i was thinking of but don;t know if it will fit my car.
I was under the impression that the uk cars had this as standard
http://www.leatherz.com/Merchant5/m...=01&Product_Code=WiperModule&Category_Code=Z3

That is an interesting find, and it should fit any Z3. The vendor first calls it a module, then a relay. Evidently it performs both functions, as a wiper motor does need a relay, but you don't program a relay.
Still, it only allows you to laboriously change the interval by programming the module, and does not let you vary the interval on the fly.

 

[oldcarman]

Hi all, thanks for the info Stevie.. I've never run into this type of intermittent on a USA or Canadian product. Looks to be an improvement over the single speed intermittent switch but as vintage42 points out time consuming to adjust on the fly in showers and sprinkles. Please let us know if you purchase and results of testing. JIM

 

[oldcarman]

Hi

Hi Jim and Vintage42, have a look at Stevie's original post. He states " I wish I had intermittent wipers on this" and later he said "One of the things I don't have is intermittent wipe". He has never mentioned " variable" anywhere in his post so I assumed that his intermittent wipe was not working, a fair assumption ? Which will be controlled by a relay, being as he is English not Canadian or American. We don't all speak the same language all the time guys.

T-tony, yes you are correct about the first post but please reread his second. But, in the end all the info contained here will help someone, I'm sure whichever problem they have. JIM

 

[t-tony]

Have you got it yet Jim?

 

[oldcarman]

Have you got it yet Jim?

Probably not, if you're meaning about relays and modules. No, if you mean my car. It's a long weekend across Canada so will email tomorrow, 21 days and counting, going to ask for a refund and see where that goes. They've screwed this up pretty much from day one but the owner in the USA is well aware and fired a manager and is personally in touch with their dispatcher so hopefully this week will find it in my drive. JIM

 

[t-tony]

Hope so mate.