Wiper door problem - 69 Ttop

[saigont]

Here's my problem. The wiper door on my 69 will not stay closed. When I start up the door the wiper door opens and cannot be closed (not even gently pushing on it manually will close it). When I shut the engine off the door remains open but I am then able to gently push it closed. Any hints as to where I should start my problem determination?

[jonstr]

Originally Posted by saigont

Here's my problem. The wiper door on my 69 will not stay closed. When I start up the door the wiper door opens and cannot be closed (not even gently pushing on it manually will close it). When I shut the engine off the door remains open but I am then able to gently push it closed. Any hints as to where I should start my problem determination?

The first thing I would do is pick up a vacuum hose routing diagram. Dr. Rebuild sells the most accurate one, I believe. Since the door is popping up, it is clearly getting vacuum to the servo side of the system. However, either the servo circuit or the control circuit could have the hoses reversed. Dr. Rebuild also sells a troubleshooting guide for the system that is very helpful.

Some simple checks you could make are to check the override switch under the steering column (I mean the function of the switch. if the hoses are in-tact there is a rubber fitting on the hoses that make it pretty hard to reverse them). You could also try checking/swapping the hoses on the actuator. the hose with the green stripe should go on the firewall side, the red stripe goes on the front side.

[saigont]

Thanks for the reply. I'll eliminate the suggestions about the hoses being reversed since this is a problem that just recently began occurring.

Originally Posted by saigont

Here's my problem. The wiper door on my 69 will not stay closed. When I start up the door the wiper door opens and cannot be closed (not even gently pushing on it manually will close it). When I shut the engine off the door remains open but I am then able to gently push it closed. Any hints as to where I should start my problem determination?

[jonstr]

Originally Posted by saigont

Thanks for the reply. I'll eliminate the suggestions about the hoses being reversed since this is a problem that just recently began occurring.

Oh - that's a little different. If it was working before and nothing has changed that you know of, then there must be a failure of some kind. The first thing I would check is your vacuum relay for the wiper door to see if it is stuck. You can test it, but you'll need a vacuum source. You can use one of those 'mighty vac' hand pumps, or I re-fitted my wife's vacuum sealer from the kitchen (she's still ticked about that).

Remove the 4 vacuum hoses from the relay (marking where they go, of course, so you don't induce the problem I thought you had before). Remove the relay from the firewall. (or right side inner fender skirt, depending on when the car was built). In the very bottom of the valve there should be a foam filter. Remove the filter if it is there (they are often missing already) so that you can look inside and see the valve. Attach the vacuum pump to the metal port at the top and apply vacuum. You should be able to see the valve at the bottom retract. When you release the vacuum, that valve should pop back down. If it doesn't the valve is stuck and you will probably have to replace the relay. There may be a way to free the valve, I've never tried to do it.

Good luck.

[saigont]

I'll give that a try over the weekend. Thanks for the input.

Originally Posted by jonstr

Oh - that's a little different. If it was working before and nothing has changed that you know of, then there must be a failure of some kind. The first thing I would check is your vacuum relay for the wiper door to see if it is stuck. You can test it, but you'll need a vacuum source. You can use one of those 'mighty vac' hand pumps, or I re-fitted my wife's vacuum sealer from the kitchen (she's still ticked about that).

Remove the 4 vacuum hoses from the relay (marking where they go, of course, so you don't induce the problem I thought you had before). Remove the relay from the firewall. (or right side inner fender skirt, depending on when the car was built). In the very bottom of the valve there should be a foam filter. Remove the filter if it is there (they are often missing already) so that you can look inside and see the valve. Attach the vacuum pump to the metal port at the top and apply vacuum. You should be able to see the valve at the bottom retract. When you release the vacuum, that valve should pop back down. If it doesn't the valve is stuck and you will probably have to replace the relay. There may be a way to free the valve, I've never tried to do it.

Good luck.