custom90 wrote:

[...]
A word of warning, to everyone else, at this time of year everything gets dry through the summer.
Don’t forget to often release the wipers for the glass so they don’t get stuck and also use the wash wipe fairly periodically.
[...]
When they are not used for a long time the grease can harden, then the spindles can seize and after or during the summer when it rains, when you want the wipers, possibly in a situation they are critical, they can pack up![...]

blackwolf wrote:

I finally got around to sorting out my wipers today!

Firstly I can now confirm from personal experience that it is possible to remove the motor completely without taking the dash out, but it is a bit fiddly putting it back in again. With hindsight as it is not at all difficult to take the dash out (and only takes about 1/2 hour) it might be easier to do this. It is probably not possible to change the wheelboxes without removing the dash, but you don't have to disturb them to get the motor out. I chose to do it without removing the complete dash because I didn't want the hassle of removing the steering wheel and column switchgear, which has to come off to remove the complete dash.

In case anyone is interested, here's what I did (note this is a RH drive vehicle):-

1 ) Remove both wiper arms from their spindles (a small puller may be needed if they've been undisturbed for a long time)
2 ) Remove the centre panel from the dash (radio out, undo two screws, pop the four clips and pull the panel forwards, disconnect all switches and the clock, lay panel aside). If you want to avoid having to recode the radio, plug it in again and lay it on top of the dash (it will remember the code long enough to allow this).
3 ) Pop the LH tweeter out and disconnect the connector. Put tweeter aside.
4 ) Remove all the screws holding the dash panel to the bulkhead (on both sides). This includes removing the grab handle (you don't need to remove the thing that isn't a glove box though because those screws only go into the plastic dash) and the trim panel under the instrument panel, the instrument panel itself. If anyone is especially interested I can give more details about which screws to take out. The whole dash is now free and can move.
5 ) Pull the LHS of the dash forwards until you can see the wiper motor.
6 ) Remove the demister pipe to the LH side window outlet (one of those little plastic pop-in fixings to take out)
7 ) Remove the LH windscreen demister outlent complete with pipe (another of these plastic things).
8 ) Unplug the connector on the wiper motor.
9 ) Unscrew the nut securing the wiper rack conduit to the wiper motor.
10) Remove the two screws holding the wiper motor to the bulkhead, and remove the motor. The flexible rack will pull out of the conduit as the motor is extracted.

The motor can then be dismantled, cleaned of old grease (in mine the old grease had the consitency of soap), reassembled and relubricated, and a new park switch fitted (note if it is only the park switch needed you don't need to take the motor out - you can get to the switch at step 5 above).

Before I reassembled I lubricated the spindles until they could spin freely between finger and thumb, and as I inserted the flexible rack back into the conduit tube I applied generous amounts of Castrol LM since there was very little grease on the rack or wheelboxes.

As you reinsert the rack, it should pick up the spindles (you'll see them start to rotate), but if it baulks just have an assistant twiddle them from outside.

Reassembly is then the reversal of the removal procedure, but be advised that getting the two screws that hold the motor to the bulkhead in place is a bit fiddly since you have to hold the motor, the rubber pad that fits behind it, the stirrup that clamps it, the screw, and the screwdriver all at once in a confined space!

The whole job took about 1 1/2 hours, and the wipers are now much quieter and smoother than ever before. They no longer give the impression that they are going to fall off or conk out at any moment!