Intermittent Rear Wipe

[Austin-Rover]

What with all this rain we have been having this summer, (nothing new there then!) I've been having to use the rear wiper, say, when on the motorway and the lack of an intermittent function on it is quite frustrating. Why would I need the rear wipe on all the time? I've taken to giving the button a quick flick every time I want to see out the rear window, but my ideal solution would be to plumb in a permenant intermittent function.

How can I go about this, what will I need and where do you reckon is a good place to do the deed?

Ideas much appreciated.

[ChrisM]

The later Maestros have the very function, perhaps you can just steal a relay out of a later one and bodge it into the wiper circuit? :D

Chris

PS - the lack of rear wiper on the Acclaim is a pain in aformentioned weather!

[Austin-Rover]

The later Maestros have the very function...


It does? Where's the bit in the loom that makes it do its stuff?

Is it possible to send the existing wiring through a relay box that the front wiper set up runs through?

[ChrisM]

Yes it does; 3 constant wipes when you first switch on, then goes to intermittant. I'm not exactly sure how though, to be honest... I'm guessing it's a realay with the rest of them in the fusebox? It might be possible to rig something up if you compare the wiring diagrams for the Mk1 and Mk2 cars from the Haynes book of Lies...

[TLC]

The Monty Estates have rear intermitent wipe

[G51 NAV]

If someone can guarrantee that I'm not going to fry something, I'll try one of the MG's wiper relays in the HLE to see if that gives it the intermittent rear-wipe they both have as standard. If it works on the HLE, it should work on yours. Something tells me that expecting it to be so simple is too good to be true. Come to think of it, where the hell ARE the relays in a mk1 Maestro?! Surely you don't have to dismantle half the friggin' glovebox to get to them! :rolleyes:

[Russ]

The relays are mounted on the glovebox tray (that drops down) but there doesnt appear to be one for the rear wiper. Im sure my 1600 had intermittent on the rear but that was over 20yrs ago so my brain is now a bit intermittent :)

Russ

[E_T_V]

I'm pretty sure all of them are intermittant wipe, at least all ours have been so far.

[tony]

yes i am sure they all have it , leave it on , wipes 3 or 4 times then goes intermitent

[G51 NAV]

None of my three early Maestros (with the mk1 dash) had intermittent on the rear, only those with later mk2 dash. Neither was there any mention of it in the owners-manual (unlike those with the mk2 dash where it is specifically mentioned)

[Austin-Rover]

It's definatly on all the time...which is a stupid idea.

I'd be interested to know if the change to intermittent is one that can be made retrospectively.

[E_T_V]

Our old 1.3L (A reg), 1.6hls (D reg) and 1.6 vanden plas (Y reg) had it (all mk1 dashes).

[D87 SMW]

I *think* I had to keep turning my rear wiper on and off when I had the 1.6 Vanden Plas and that was a 1986 C reg MK1.5 car.

[ChrisM]

Yes, all 3 cars I've had with a Mk1 dash the rear wiper was either off or constantly on.

[The Express Valeter]

I believe the intermittent facility also has an auto wipe facility when you put the car in reverse too as long as the front wipers are on.

[haighlsby]

The monty saloons never had a rear wipe did they, so I rekon it would be interesting to fit a rear wipe to one of them

[Simon]

I believe the intermittent facility also has an auto wipe facility when you put the car in reverse too as long as the front wipers are on.

They didn't! Later model Rover 45's had it though...but it is not too hard to rig it up with a standard relay and a feed to the reverse lamps.



The monty saloons never had a rear wipe did they, so I rekon it would be interesting to fit a rear wipe to one of them.

Impossible! Unless the rear window was specially produced to have a hole in it to take the wiper off a Montego estate.

The rear wash/wipe control for intermittent is in-unit with the Italmec programmed wash wipe control unit "relay" thingy that MK II Maestro's have and I don't think it would work with MK I wiper stalks.

[ChrisM]

They didn't! Later model Rover 45's had it though...but it is not too hard to rig it up with a standard relay and a feed to the reverse lamps.
s.

I'm fairly sure that my Ledbury had this function, Simon, and didn't some of the late estates also have it...?

[Dean]

Rover 100's have a seperate relay for front and rear wipers. Maybe worth getting hold of one. Made in Derby as well!

[Stu_CDX]

Rover 100's have a seperate relay for front and rear wipers. Maybe worth getting hold of one. Made in Derby as well!

Seconded...

My 'Tro Sport had this. Wiped 4 times then intermittently at 8 second intervals.