Wipers

We all have daydreams about taking the E30 for a swift blast down a twisty road in the summer sunshine. Unfortunately, the weather usually has other ideas in the form of rain. No matter whether it's a drizzle or a downpour, you need some way of keeping the windows clear, which is why you need Wipers.

Overview

All E30s were fitted with a windscreen wiper system, which uses two blades to sweep across the screen, powered by a single electric motor. The system also included a washer function, which pumped cleaning fluid from a tank onto the glass via washer jets mounted on the bonnet. All these features were operated by a control stalk on the steering column, and are standard across the E30 range.

Touring models also featured a rear wash-wipe system, built into the tailgate. For that model, the motor, washer jet and wiper are a one-piece unit, fed by a pump and tank in the rear left bootwell and operated from a switch on the dashboard.

A fancy optional extra was a headlight wiper system, which unsurprisingly let you wipe clean the headlights.

Windscreen Wipers

The windscreen wipers use a single motor to power a reciprocating mechanism that rocks the wipers back and forth. All this electro-mechanical complexity is housed in a space between the bulkhead and the scuttle, and can be accessed by removing either the plastic scuttle grilles or the bulkhead access panel in the engine bay.

Wipers

The standard front wiper blades are 20" (510mm) for both driver and passenger, although it is possible to fit 21" (530mm) for a better sweep.

The wiper arms are a standard design across all E30s, and are bolted to the mechanism with a single 13mm nut each.

Motor

The wiper motor bolts directly to the wiper mechanism, and is a particularly troublesome unit. Being housed in a relatively damp location, it will succumb to rust over time and start to seize up. While it is possible to disassemble and lubricate the wiper motor to extend its working life, most people consider it a better investment to fit a new motor.

When fitting a new motor, alignment is the key since you need your motor to start and stop your wipers in the correct place. To do this:

1. Take out old motor. 2. Fit new motor. 3. Remove wiper arms. 4. Run motor until it stops in the park position. 5. Refit wipers in park position. 6. If further adjustment is needed undo the nut on the motor and move the wipers.

Mechanism

The wiper mechanism is what coverts the motor's rotary spinning into the rocking motion needed to wipe your windscreen. It also splits the movement to power two wipers from a single motor.

The mechanism is different between LHD and RHD cars, but the principle is the same. The mechanism bolts up to pre-drilled holes on the bulkhead, and two spindles protrude through the scuttle to carry the wiper arms. All E30s have three spindle holes, with the unused hole covered by the plastic scuttle grille on that side.

The mechanism is a relatively maintenance-free item, although its joints would benefit from period lubrication.

Washer Jets

Heated washer jets were fitted as part of the Heated package. Learn more about retrofitting heated washer jets.

Rear Wash-Wipe

Wiper

The Touring's single rear wiper is an 18" (450mm) blade.

Switch

The system is controlled by two switches, offering a wash or a timed wipe setting. Cleaning fluid is sprayed from a nozzle mounted to the wiper arm, and will only operate when the wiper is moving; therefore, pressing the wash button should make the wiper sweep three times.

Headlight Wipers

The headlamp washers are controlled by a switch inside one of the headlamp wiper motors. If the wipers are in their park position at the end of their sequence, then the washers can't operate. Once started, the wipers run for a number of wipes, set by a switch and reduction gear inside the wiper motors. The headlamp wash/wipe system should operate every fifth time the screen washers are operated when the lights are on.

Control Module

Fastens to the side of the washer reservoir.

Motors

Two motors exist, one for each headlight. The right hand motor is responsible for controlling the washer system.

Common Problems

No Wash Function

No water is probably a dud pump, a leak in the pipework (especially the white non return valves), or the control relay mounted on the washer bottles. It's very rarely clogged nozzles, except on the rear wash-wipe. In the case of the headlight washers, a failed right-hand washer motor will disable the wash system.

Stuttering Wipers

Main article: Intermittent Wiper Faults

Wipers Not Working

Before jumping to conclusions about a failed motor, it's important to do some tests.

Pull K10 relay in the Fuse Box, and with a piece of wire, apply 12V+ from the battery, preferably via a fuse, to pins 53 and 53b, one at a time, and with another bit of wire, connect pin F1 to earth. This should make the wipers work at normal speed and fast speed, depending on whether you are linking 53 or 53b. If it only works on the fast speed, then the motor is probably dud (normal speed brush stuck or worn out), or there is a problem with its plug and socket. If it works on both speeds the problem is most likely the switch. Check by replacing the wiper relay, and earthing the black/red wire at the switch plug/socket. If the switch works, then open up the relay and look for cracked solder joints

If you go on a scrapyard search for a motor, then check for wear in the spindle. The RH drive E30 has the spindle positioned where it collects a lot of water and dirt, and wears badly.

On a couple of occasions E30 motors have been replaced with ones from either an Audi or VW, which are identical apart from the connector (so get the plug and a few inches of wire as well).

Headlight Wipers Not Working

Basically, the shafts the the wipers are mounted on have seized in the long bushes that they go through. Repair involves removing the wiper units, dismantling them, cleaning up, greasing and reassembly.

Remember when working on the headlamp wash/wipe that it only works with the lights on, and then only every tenth application of the screen washers. The easiest way to sort the system is to unplug the wipers and washer pump, and to power them one at a time with a fused lead from the battery, then deal with the control system last.

Washers Stuck On

The headlamp washers aren't dependent on the headlamp wipers working. i.e. water should still be sprayed onto the headlamps, even if the (probably seized) wiper motors don't work.

Upgrades

Single Wiper

Really? You want that?