[vrprabhu]

With the sudden intermittent rains (in Pune) in summer,

Dawned the realisation that attention needs to be paid to the wiper!

A decade old car,

Does need some time and care.

So, ordered a pair of wiper arms,

Not being content by just replacing the blades!

The next part (having fitted the new wiper arms and blades), goes like this -


Down the e-way,

On way to Bombay,

Cruising at 80 kmph,

When the heavens open up!

(I am Khandala now - and that could be cause why I am singing? )


I pat myself on the back,

For having fitted the new wiper pack,

And guess what happens?

The wipers stop midships!!

That's how this came to be.....

(Luckily, after jiggling the stalks, one on the driver side came back to life within a few seconds; the rains also eased up after crossing Khandala. As it was day time driving, could continue the journey without much difficulty)


Now comes the question - how did this happen? I thought it was because I had goofed up while fitting the new wiper arms.

However, while the nut on the left wiper arm was still tight and intact, the arm was turning loosely while rotating it by hand; there was no action when the wiper was switched on - i.e. it appeared that the wiper arm was not connected to the motor at all.

It has to be the links, I thought, and proceeded to go ahead and do the repair by myself (foolishly thinking that it would be simple affair)

A word of caution to those attempting to do this type of repair - please take care and read till the end before you start.

Pictures taken on my mobile, so please bear with the quality of the snaps.


Step 1 - Remove the wiper blades (for those taking extreme precaution, wrap a piece of cloth at the end of arms after removing the blades, so that you don't accidentally scratch something - especially the windscreen).

Step 2 - Open the bonnet, remove the boot from the wiper arms and remove the nuts.



Step 3 - Raise the wiper arms and ease them off, by twisting them lightly.

Right, the easy part is done. Now comes the slightly difficult steps.

Step 4 - Remove the screws on the cowl - there are four screws on the engine side with washers and six on the windshield side.



Note carefully the location of the screws on the windshield side - there are two at the extreme ends, and two in between the slats (the screws appear like white / muddy spots in the picture). Unless you remove all the six screws the cowl can't be removed - applying force to detach the cowl without removing the screws will lead to damage.



Step 5 - Take care to remove all the hoses / fuel lines from their holders which are attached to the cowl (in the firewall area) - there were three in mine (fuel and AC hoses, windscreen wiper fluid tube). Two had broken earlier and one was missing - so in all there should be six of them.

Step 6 - Lift off the cowl from the body - you have to angle it against the windscreen and NOT PULL it away



(You'll be able to see the accumulated dust, grit and grime now - on the windshield as well as the exposed drain area beneath the cowl. This may be one of the reasons why a stale smell occasionally comes in the car after it has been driven through rain or left out in the rain. I cleaned out the muck with some soap / shampoo solution - but there was some dust / grit in the gap between the windshield and the A pillars, which is covered by a black plastic cover)



Step 7 - Loosen the three bolts holding the wiper motor and linkage to the body of the car

Step 8 - Disconnect the wiring cable from the motor assembly (the locking clip is at the bottom side). Slightly twist / turn the linkage so as to maneuver and remove the assembly off the the body. This is the toughest part, and easier said than done. Be patient - it comes off easily, if you get the angle right.







(Once this was done, I could see that one link was broken and caused the wiper to stop working).

Step 9 - Remove the wiper motor by removing the three bolts holding it in place and one nut connecting the motor to the linkage.



In the picture above, the old linkage with the broken link is on the right. The new link is on the left, with the motor beside it.






Fit the new linkage to the motor and retrace the steps in the reverse order, to reassemble the wiper system.

The cover over the motor (to prevent moisture) needs to be changed / replaced in case it is worn / torn.




Other points to note -

1. The website from where I usually source the FIAT parts (99 rpm) does not offer the linkage separately. It has to be bought with the motor (Rs. 3,995/-)

2. Palios have two types of motors - LUCAS and DENSO (Magneti Marelli). Both assemblies are of different shapes - individual parts cannot be interchanged, but the whole assembly fits.

3. Linkage is available separately in aftermarket. You have to state the motor make to get the correct linkage. Prices varied from Rs. 1,500/- to Rs. 2,000/-.

4. The beading (pictures in step 4) between the cowl and windshield is NOT available, despite my visits to multiple shops. Since it was broken, it could be the reason why water must have entered the cowl resulting in rust and eventual breakage of the link. Take care to pull it out slowly so as not to break it.

5. The length of the wipers were an issue - different sites and different makes / brands state different sizes for Palio. Ultimately settled for 22" and 16" (bought a new brand - Valeo, which appears to be OK, as I was getting tired of the same Bosch / Syndicate brands). There is a small triangular gap at the base of the windshield (the base of the triangle is about 2" wide) when wipers work - so the ideal size would be 23" and 17", I guess.

6. Eagle eyed readers will note that the right (driver) side wiper side blades have their steel ribs poking out. This is the Bosch blade and hardly six months old. Don't know how it happened - probably the rubber reinforcement at the edges peeled off. I had fitted that just to check the difference between the new (Valeo) and the old (Bosch) wipers.

7. They will also note the right arm and left arm are not sitting in a straight line. I am waiting for the wipers to be used continuously in the rains, so as to ensure that the alignment is not the cause for the gap in wiping area as mentioned in '5' above.


Why the title?

Obviously, while fitting the new arms, I must have applied some pressure, causing the assembly to weaken.

Of course, it is entirely not my fault, as I am told that this is a common problem in Palios, going by the way linkages were available (in Pune).


Conclusion!

Every story has a climax and possibly an anti-climax.

Climax - completed the fitting, wipers were running well, doing a clean job! (pun intended). Good Job Done - saved a few bucks by sourcing only the linkage and labour was free!! Satisfaction was enormous!!!


Anti Climax - there was a grating noise, when the wipers were working - after fitting the replacement linkage. It was not definitely there earlier?? Did I goof up again?

Had to do the above process once again, to see what has gone wrong. And, it was -

Reason - The nut connecting the wiper motor to the linkage (second picture in step 9) was grazing the linkage, causing the noise.

Suggested solution - slightly bend the connecting link to overcome this.


Having faced the wiper breakdown once, I wasn't prepared to risk it again.

Then began my troubles - none of the spares had the alignment that gave free movement.

Luck was on my side - was able to source an entire Magneti Marelli assembly - albeit used, it was in good condition (as the pictures will reveal - much better than the new spare I had bought).

There is a world of difference between Lucas assembly and the original Italian DENSO, as can be seen in the pictures below -





The one at the bottom is from my car - broken.

The one in the middle is the original Magneti Marelli (just a little dust and grime on it)

The one on the top is a spare linkage - got it to repair (my) broken one and keep it - insurance against future breakdown!!

PS - Had some free time this week, to write, edit and upload the pictures. So if I can't reply to any queries immediately, please wait a while.

And, Valeo appears to be a reputable US brand as per my searches on the net show.....

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Technical Stuff. Thanks for sharing!

[gopa99]

I wanted to share my experience on my DIY. I found my getz right side wiper not very effective in cleaning streak free. So i checked in snapdeal and saw a same size wiper up (from a Delhi based local company) for sale for just 225 bucks. Went ahead and got it. The DIY is explained in the booklet and is very simple to assemble. But in a fast mode running found that the wiper cover simply split off. Cheap plastic I guess. Bosch or Syndicate are the brands I guess we can safely rely on.

[prithm]

vrprabhu

Wow. great DIY. I am not a FIAT owner, but looking at the dust and rust on parts reminds me of Chennai climate. Just a quick question, were you able to see the A/C intake vent on the firewall ?

If my guess is right, this is a great way to also clean that location since its totally unreachable in all cars.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by prithm

Just a quick question, were you able to see the A/C intake vent on the firewall ?

If my guess is right, this is a great way to also clean that location since its totally unreachable in all cars.

Thanks, prithm!

No, I couldn't locate the AC intake vent on the firewall. But, I guess the intake could be from beneath the cowl which I had removed - just a guess, because :

(a) there were drain outlets at either end of the body (last picture in step 6) which is basically to let the water out, but could have the vent;

(b) AC has a air filter element, which can be accessed near the passenger foot well. Whenever I had removed it for cleaning (which is another DIY in the works ), a lot of leaves / twigs / feathers had accumulated there - obviously these could have come only through this route....

[DevendraG]

A good & useful share vrprabhu, Thanks!

I have a couple of generic queries:

1> How does one get the wipers specs for his car? For instance, I drive an iGen Hyundai i20. But online, I get various wiper lengths for my model.

2> And from where did you source them?

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by DevendraG

1> How does one get the wipers specs for his car? For instance, I drive an iGen Hyundai i20. But online, I get various wiper lengths for my model.

2> And from where did you source them?

Exactly my predicament.

There are no specs given in the owner's manual.

Different web sites give different sizes. Luckily, Palio seemed to be fairly well known in the European market, and got quite a few hits on my search - http://cararac.com/wipers_sizes/fiat/palio.html (appears to have details for all major car brands)

I even called FIAT helpline - their customer-care rep didn't know the size; he called a technician and even the technician couldn't give the exact specs. Finally, I was told to contact the local dealer!

I just experimented - had tried two / three different sizes - 22" & 23" for the driver side and 16" & 17" for the passenger side. The combination of 23" and 17" seems to be ideal one.

(The 24" * 18" blades stated in the above site appear to be slightly larger, as the 23" was touching the frame on the windshield when I was using them; I remember that Bosch pair was 24" & 16" - in fact, for many cars the sum of the wiper blade length was 40"). Guess the length of the windscreen & wiper arms and their alignment will be the factors which determine the size of the wiper blades.

I used to buy them for car accessories shop, but as I said got tired of the usual Syndicate and Bosch brands. So this time I bought it from a spare part dealer and chose what I liked.

[SunnyBoi]

Good going! I swapped my wiper arms and blades sometime back, my motor is giving me some issues so will be doing something similar soon.

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

There are no specs given in the owner's manual.

Different web sites give different sizes. Luckily, Palio seemed to be fairly well known in the European market, and got quite a few hits on my search - http://cararac.com/wipers_sizes/fiat/palio.html (appears to have details for all major car brands)

I even called FIAT helpline - their customer-care rep didn't know the size; he called a technician and even the technician couldn't give the exact specs. Finally, I was told to contact the local dealer!

I just experimented - had tried two / three different sizes - 22" & 23" for the driver side and 16" & 17" for the passenger side. The combination of 23" and 17" seems to be ideal one.

(The 24" * 18" blades stated in the above site appear to be slightly larger, as the 23" was touching the frame on the windshield when I was using them). Guess the length of the windscreen & wiper arms and their alignment will be the factors which determine the size of the wiper blades.

I used to buy them for car accessories shop, but as I said got tired of the usual Syndicate and Bosch brands. So this time I bought it from a spare part dealer and chose what I liked.

Palio stock blades are 24inch and 16inch. I'm currently using GM Frameless wipers; 24inch and 18inch. Purchased from Autotrends for 299 shipped.

The oversized passenger blade is just perfect, now the whole windsheild is covered and the two baldes dont clash.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

Good going! I swapped my wiper arms and blades sometime back, my motor is giving me some issues so will be doing something similar soon.

Palio stock blades are 24inch and 16inch. I'm currently using GM Frameless wipers; 24inch and 18inch. Purchased from Autotrends for 299 shipped.

The oversized passenger blade is just perfect, now the whole windsheild is covered and the two baldes dont clash.

Thanks for the input! Your Palio looks terrific

(Your size matches with what is given in the site I have referred to; and my calculations are off by 1" on both sides)

When you say swapped - do you mean to say that you interchanged the wiper arms?

[SunnyBoi]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

When you say swapped - do you mean to say that you interchanged the wiper arms?

Paint on the old wiper arms were peeling off. Instead of getting it painted for 100, I got new wiper arms for 129 each

[GeeTee TSI]

Lovely timely thread (especially considering rains just resumed after a fortnightly pause). Really helps to know atleast technical fiddling in case wipers strike work!

Personal experience involved terrible wiper judder (I suspected unauthorised application of Rain Repellant by A.S.S.) which refused to subside despite multiple washes
Finally, a combination of wind screen cleaner, multiple wipes with newspaper and gentle rocking movement of the blades (maybe they were not flipping over properly) fixed it to an extent.

There are few greater irritants than noisy juddering wipers on a monsoon drive!

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

Paint on the old wiper arms were peeling off. Instead of getting it painted for 100, I got new wiper arms for 129 each

Great minds, think alike... Palio owners, think very much alike

This DIY happened due to the same reason!!

And, let me guess, another 99rpm customer?!

Originally Posted by GeeTee TSI

Lovely timely thread (especially considering rains just resumed after a fortnightly pause). Really helps to know atleast technical fiddling in case wipers strike work!

There are few greater irritants than noisy juddering wipers on a monsoon drive!

Thanks! For the mechanically minded (which most bhpians are), small issues like these can be tackled at home.

You hit the nail on the head - driving in rain requires more care and attention, and noisy juddering wipers is the last distraction I need.

[SunnyBoi]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Great minds, think alike... Palio owners, think very much alike

This DIY happened due to the same reason!!

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

And, let me guess, another 99rpm customer?!

Ofcourse yes. 99RPM is the absolute saviour for us Palio owners.

I share a great rapport with Urs Kar Fiat Mysore, they allow me in their warehouse, I pick and chose what parts I want and get them billed. If any parts aren't available with them, I'll order them through 99RPM.

I got the wiper arms from F.A.S.S!

[rav11stars]

Nice DIY there. Offtopic but got to vent my thoughts somewhere : I've heard of 99rpm but didn't care to visit till now. I found the Punto roof rails at 4855/- whereas I paid 5700/- at the dealer for them

If only I knew about this earlier, but then we're never late. I'm glad I at least learnt about this now. Thank you!

[mchanna]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

Ofcourse yes. 99RPM is the absolute saviour for us Palio owners.

I share a great rapport with Urs Kar Fiat Mysore, they allow me in their warehouse, I pick and chose what parts I want and get them billed. If any parts aren't available with them, I'll order them through 99RPM.

I got the wiper arms from F.A.S.S!

Same case with pandit auto pune.
They not only help in sourcing difficult parts, but if they see it is gonna take longer time, they suggest to get it online.

I too get many parts from 99rpm and replace at pandit.

Unfortunately the best service center is getting closed in September :(