The windshield wipers on my 69 1800 just quit. Are they repairable? Does anyone have any experience with this problem?

I replaced the bottom ground strap, the strap between the engine and the frame, and now everything works.

Conner;

If all you did was replace ground-strap between Frame and Engine, and that restores Wiper function, your statement suggests it was not intact and that was the reason Wipers were not working...I have trouble understanding (or believing that) because an open Ground-Strap would most surely result in other symptoms...none the least of which would be related to Starting and Charging, because what path would these currents be taking??

The "Ground Strap" Eric was speaking of in his post jumps across the Wiper Motor soft (and non-conductive) rubber mounts. This GS being loose or out of place will result in Wiper issues only.

Cheers

I forgot to mention that other problems came up as well. The turn signals and the interior lights quit working also.
I also replaced the battery cables when it wouldn't turn over.

I reached down and wiggled the wiper motor with my hand and now the wipers work.
Is there a way to lube the linkage without taking out the wiper assembly?

Conner;

Lubing can't hurt, but intermittent operation is likely due to an electrical open...I suggest you check and tighten wiper assy securing bolts at the (nonconductive) soft-mounts...particularly the one were the chassis connection wire hops across it...symptoms are consistent with that not making a good connection.

Good Hunting!

Before I wiggled the motor I oiled the shafts. I think that is what got them going. They work fine now.

If you were able to wiggle the wiper motor, then either the bolts retaining the wiper assembly to the body are loose, or more likely, the 3 wiper motor mount rubber bushings have deteriorated.

In either case, the lack of a ground supply for the wiper motor maybe actually be your problem.

The wiper motor gets it's ground from a ground strap and if you still have the original wiper assembly, the ground strap is attached to 1 of the 3 mounting bolts that hold the wiper motor to the wiper assembly and if the grommets go bad the ground connection becomes loose. On earlier wiper motors, the ground strap is attached to 1 of the cover screws on the back of the wiper motor.
--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com

The mechanism is rubber mounted by bolts close to the motor but there shouldn't be much movement when you "wiggle" it. Bolts may be loose. Bushes are nylon and a quick squirt of pretty well any lube will do. Don't use WD-40. Do get some lube down the outside bushes. Access is poor, more so if you have A/C, but doable. If you have a radio in the stock position the back can clash with the mechanism. Volvo supplied an angled spacer to cure this. Radio is then angled down a bit.

Can be just the fuse. Tight pivot bushes/ splined shaft bush can cause the motor to need a lot of current. Check the basics first. They are normally reliable as long as the mechanism gets a bit of lube now and then.

Too broad of a question without some details. Could be:
- short in the wiring / broken wire - usually easy fix
- failed switch - may be repairable also replacement switches used to be available
- wiper motor failure or broken drive mechanism - Out of production. Scandcar offers rebuilt motors and drive mechanism for the P1800 wipers.

http://volvoonderdelen.com/P1800-S/Electrical-system/sort/3a/page/4/

If its just the motor there are specialists on this side of the Atlantic who will rebuild the motor - tends to be a bit spendy.