Windshield Wiper Switch Woes

Hi all - I've got myself in a loop and not sure how to fix/attack... know juuust enough to be dangerous - so thank you for giving it to me straight.

Problem: trying to fix wiper switch and get washer to work

Issue #1) Windshield wipers WORK but NOT washers. I realized my switch was broken - it wouldn't push in at all to turn on washers. (My washers have never worked since purchasing 3 years ago). Bought a new switch to see if the washer would work assuming it was a bad switch. Went to take faulty switch out and found the wiring undone - that also doesn't help the washer to work haha .....but the switch was broken regardless and needed replacing. Plugged in yellow washer wire to switch, 3 wire connector - green/red/black (sorry don't know the name/term) and white wire to power - a few hours later came back and jeep was humming loudly. (maybe bad washer pump?? - it looks pretty bad!) Assuming now I also need a new one of those.

Issue #2) Unplugged everything to stop the humming. To the new switch, I only plugged in three wire connector (what is the name of this??) and white wire to power, left yellow washer wire unplugged. Wipers turned on for a moment and then stopped. (They had been previously working even with the old switch - ugh- what was one problem is now three... seems like it's that way with Jeeps). Thinking a fuse has blown? Is it possible the 3 wire connector has gone bad? If so - is there a replacement pigtail of some kind? And where oh where is the fuse?

Thoughts on what needs to be replaced? Help!

Thank you for any assistance you can offer! Ill load some photos.

 

Year, model, equipment? Should be in your sig, or post it in every post.

Do you have the TSM for your year? There is a chapter that includes the wipers and the TSM shows the wiring diagram. Do you own and know how to use a multimeter? You need one to work on electrical. Some get by with a test light, but I think a multimeter is better.

With your multimeter, refer to the wiring diagram and trace the circuit through. Make a photocopy and draw/color on it if you need to. You really need the Jeep in front of you to diagnose electrical problems. In nearly all cases, you can't tell what's going on without making measurements.

 

Fiberglass body?

 

If it’s glass everything needs it’s own ground but that may not fix the bad wipers.

 

Sorry- a '73 232/3.8, T14A
fiberglass

I do have the TSM and wiring diagram and can get a multimeter for sure. Just wondering if the humming would indicate something obvious to chase or if there was something that could be easily identified as the culprit (bad switch, etc.). Thanks!

 

I understand the sentiment. Maybe it's something that someone recognizes.

I would test the components first. Testing of the wiper motor is in the TSM. I don't think the washer is complicated enough to be discussed - it's an electric motor, and runs, or not. Pretty sure generic replacements are available. Next I would measure voltages at the components, switch on and switch off. "Thou shalt measure voltages." Depending on what you find, follow the voltages (or lack of voltages) back from there.

 

Usually the power wire is Red not White.

Also, did you plug the power wire and the washer wire in the correct location?

It's been a long time since I had the 3 wire wiper in my CJ and I don't remember if pushing in the washer button would start one sweep of the wipers.
I am thinking that having the wires backwards might start the wiper to move when the washer button was pushed in and then when as the wipers tried tried to park themselves by keeping the wiper motor running, it will instead, run the washer pump until the wipers reach the park position which it can't since it's not getting any power. So the pump keeps running continuously.

Of course if the key was OFF then everything should stop. But there is that White wire that should be Red...