Windshield wipers fuse problem...

[Andrew116]

Sorry to bring back in discussion the old fuses problem.
Everytime I changed the fuse for the windshield wipers, it worked for a while and then snapped.
It goes like this only when the engine starts or when it stops. I removed the waterpump for the windshield, but it happened again.

I changed the fuse with a 25A one. I was raining so I started the wipers. Worked fine for 10 minutes.
Stopped the car, went to solve my work, came back in 20 minutes, started the engine, but... the wipers just didn't move.
The wipers never stop on the windshield, just at the right point. Never stop when running.
Is it possibly to have something else on the fuse that burns it when I start or stop the engine?
Or could it be caused by the wipers' engine?
My car is a w116 280SE euro model.
If someone could help me I'd really appreciate it. It's wet here (snowing or raining) so I can't change a fuse everytime I stop. 

Thanks a lot in advance,

Andrew in Romania

[The Warden]

Another thought...when the wipers do move, are they going at "full speed"?

I'm wondering if maybe the motor's on its way out, and the fuse blowing is a symptom of it (i.e. the motor's drawing too much power to move at all)?

Just something to consider...might be worth pulling the motor and disassembling, and seeing how freely it spins without the gearbox in place...

Good luck!!

[Andrew116]

Thanks Warden and PB.
The wipers work fine, half speed and full speed also. It's just that after working a period they refuse to start and a find the blown fuse.
I took a look at the diagram and I saw that the horn is also on that fuse... 
It might just be the problem... because my air horns work fine but the electrical one is crappy.
So... now I'm going out to see if there might just be a shortcircuit on that.

Thanks a lot again, and any other ideas are welcome.

Andrew in Romania.

[Andrew116]

So the problem is now half solved 
I pulled out the wires from the horns (even the working ones) and now the wipers work properly.
Still, I have to find outwhats the problem with the horns... will be back as soon as I make progresses.

Andrew in Romania

[oscar]

Hi Andrew,

I re-read your other post too searching for clues and wondered what are these air horns? Are they the fanfare 6.9 horn or just an added aftermarket trumpet kit? How are they operated?  It sounds like you're onto something.  This problem would drive me nuts but it doesn't rain here so I shouldn't complain.

[oscar]

I should leave it for a 6.9er to explain but I think another term for them is town & country horns.  There's the two electric flat horns towards the bottom of the radiator L and R, then two snail shell type horns which I think are operated by a separate switch.  Before you rush out and see if you've tried pressing all your buttons, we might have to get confirmation of how they work.  I think they can be troublesome with age.

Just found a quote from Styria: http://forum.w116.org/index.php/topic,653.msg5473.html#msg5473
All 6.9's I have come across do in fact have the dual tone horns facility-it is aall incorporated in the wiring system, and the normal switch position activates the two standard horns. Flick the switch over, and it operates the  pair of "country horns". The ones on my car were pretty feeble so I replaced them with proper compressor operated triple horns but, alas, due a to a slight wiring problem, are presently inoperative. When eventually I get around to carry out some maintenance and rust issues on my "Gleaming Beauty", that will be fixed up as well. Best regards, Styria

You should have them Michel, though I don't know where the button is.

[Andrew116]

Thanks again...
As styria said I also have the compressor operated triple horns and the switch button he mentions, also 2 standard horns on the radiator's sideways.

I replaced them with proper compressor operated triple horns but, alas, due a to a slight wiring problem, are presently inoperative. When eventually I get around to carry out some maintenance and rust issues on my "Gleaming Beauty", that will be fixed up as well. Best regards, Styria

The switch is in line with the demister button, about 4cm on it's right. The wiring is quite odd... one wire from the compressor is the ground fixed on the body, the other goes in a reley (switch box  ) from where 2 wires go out... one is power straight from the battery and the other one goes to the switch we're talking about (I think).
Will have to dig this out... still I think it's not the compressor, so I'll remake the contact and leave the standard horns not wired, see if that works 

See ya soon...
Andrew in Romania