Expert: jack bahm - 6/28/2008

Question
i have a problem with my wiper motor. i just finished restoring my camaro i have a brand new wiring harness under the dash and new ignition harness. my original motor would move the wipers with the switch off and ignition turned on. i unhooked the transmission arm from the motor with igniton on and got a spark i touched it again and it would spark and the motor would turn for a second i checked all grounds on the car there ok called the company i purchased the wiring harness from and they said i have a bad motor i purchased two more motors one rebuilt and one used the rebuilt motor ran for 5 min and got hot and started to smoke the used motor ran for 5 min and got very hot to the touch when i unplug the wire from the motor i get 12 volts when i plug it back to the motor i read 11 volts i dont know were the problem could be i dont understand how 3 motors could be bad but the wiring harness company said its not in the harness any answers would help

Answer
I'll try.
With the motor in your hand, apply 12 volts to it and see if it runs OK.  That takes the harness out of the picture.  I assume the motors you have are 12 volt motors.  If not, 12 volts would burn them up.  Try to run something else off of the 12 volt feed you have from the harness.  See if things heat up.  If they do, then some part of the harness is undersized, or has a high resistance in it.  I doubt if that would be the problem, but remember, you are chasing a ghost, so don't take anything for granted.  The other thing you could try is to run the motor on only 6 volts.  They may have used a 6 volt motor with a step down resistor in the circuit.  Keep diging, and I'm sure you will find the problem.  Don't keep buying motors, but do keep asking questions.
Also, find and join a camaro car club and let them help you.
Good luck,
jack