Windshield Wiper Won't Park

Two months ago, on a rainy Sunday night, I had a new battery short out while driving "Old Yella", my 1970 CJ5/Dauntless V6 . The ground wires lit up like a neon light and the smoke was so thick I had a hard time seeing to pull off the road. The battery casing melted and the anodes pulled out when I tried to disconnect the cables. Old Yella was trailered home at midnight, in the rain, with the assistance of a very soaked and testy wife .

The short melted the insulation off the battery ground cable, all the ground wires, as well as the insulation on any wiring that touched a ground wire. Even the ground wires in the winch (Warn xd9000i) were melted and the Warn cable quick-disconnect was fused in spite of having a solenoid installed on the positive cable that was open .

I replaced the battery, ground cables, ground wires, and repaired the other damaged wiring. The original Motorola alternator failed to charge after making the wiring repairs so I replace it with a 63 amp GM 10si ($60 for a rebuilt Delco from FLAPS). The GM alternator was a direct bolt-in and only required changing two ring terminal ends to female spade ends. I installed a heavier 8ga charge wire from the alternator to the battery due to the higher amp output. I removed the voltage regulator with all of its attached wiring.

The alternator is charging and all the lights and electrical devices are working except for the park on the windshield wiper. The park worked prior to the short and the wipers were not on at the time of the short. The wiring to the wiper switch, the wiper switch, and the wiring from the switch to the wiper motor have been checked and tested out okay. I know the park position requires a ground but I can't find a ground wire to the motor and assume it grounds through the wiper motor housing . The FSM hasn't been much help.

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Martin

 

Here’s a pic of part of the wiper trouble shooting steps in my service manual. May be the same as what’s in your manual but thought I’d send your way just in case it’s different…. Section e.

 

On my 73 I grounded the black and always wondered why it wouldn't park. Much better information when I did my 71