Noisy wipers

So, today I have been helping a neighbour that has recently purchased a mk2 F.

He took it for a m.o.t and it failed on a few things,  nothing major..the horn didn't work nor did the wipers, there a a few other jobs to do..rear track control arm and binding brakes (it's been stood for a while) other than that it's a really tidy car.

I managed to sort out the horn problem with a replacement clock spring and the wipers with a replacement (2nd hand) motor.

The neighbour commented that the now working  wipers were noisy and was this normal?

Our wipers are quite loud tbh and I had always thought that it was just another quirk but it got me wondering if everyone has noisy wipers?

I have always fitted the premium Bosch wiper blades and never had any noise. However they needed replacement on my go to work car and I bought a replacement set of Michelin wiper blades which were awfully noisy. I took them off and replaced them with the Bosch ones and total silence. I have never fitted the cheaper Bosch blades and I don’t remember what the premium ones are called. However someone that I worked with swore by cheap silicone blades. 

I’m with you on Bosch blades, these are the first fit on any vehicle I have to use, even the old Land Rovers have them fitted!
The blades for the Landy are 11”, which aren’t made by Bosch any longer, I buy one 23”, cut it in half & graft it & the spring supports onto the ancient frames, such is my devotion.
M

Noisy wipers that squeak on the screen can be fixed by bending the wiper arm very slightly so that the blade is 90 degrees to the screen...if it is at an angle it squawks.
Only the very tip should touch the screen so that it wipes and doesn't push or pull on the screen.
Works with any blade.

We’ll Bugger me, amongst all the stuff we have to deal with these days, have we now got to come to terms with the Angle of Squawk!
I can only assume that the Squawk Squad will be hiding behind trees with theodolites to ensure you aren’t a deviant.
What degree of leeway will they allow, does anyone know?
Can I assume the datum is the prime meridian, magnet north will no longer serve if the divergence from the historic norm has caused compass manufacturer to relocate by 10* in the last few years.
What happens if the magnet poles flip. We would be flipped.
Do they offer retraining if your angle is off, a bit like the driving awareness course.
Just a thought, I wouldn’t want an Endorsement on the license we can expect to be issued once we’ve been gauged & measured for plumb.
M

wrote:

We’ll Bugger me,
M
 

Well that's a most kind and generous offer.......but I hope you don't mind if I decline it?

Well...instead of worrying about the Wiper Police detaining you for improper wiper care and wiper abuse..get a rag..wrap it around the wiper arm and with a pair of pliers simply twist it until the blade is approximately..thru the eye of the beholder..at 90 degrees..you won't be charged by said WP if it isn't exactly 90 degrees but you will be rewarded with a Squawk..

I just buy unbranded wiper blades for my F and my Skoda Superb from the bay usually about £7/10 a set. They work perfectly without a squeak or a squawk, I also give them a wipe over regularly to remove any accumulated
green/black crud.

All true. However it may be a complaint about wiper MOTOR noise. The motor on these cars can be much noisier than is expected. Sometimes a prelude to failure, usually because of water ingress...

Hi, yes it is the motor making a racket 

I  was just wondering if it was normal as ours have always been noisy, even now after fitting a new motor on our own car it's still not quite. 

I have recommended that he should order a new motor for his car as I don't think the one that I fitted will last very long. 

These motors are remarkably robust for a cheapskate offering.
I have stripped one down & pored out an amount of very black & sludgy fluid (water isn’t applicable in this case), the motor still ran, not as designed, but it still ran. After a strip down, a comprehensive clean & lubrication it ran as intended.
If you do give a good go over, identify the lowest point & drill a whole hole to drain any further ingress.
The commutator & brushes should clean up well, showing little wear; after all in the general scheme of things it hasn’t done all that much work.
M

As other have already stated, the reason the motor fails is due to water ingress. Drilling a small hole at the bottom can help drain the water that is trapped inside. The noise from the motor is likely from dirt and corrosion and lack of lubrication. I needs to be removes, cleaned and lubricated. After that, it might still be no good. This is risk of second hand motors. Lots of posts with photos on this topic. Its a pretty common problem for cars that are parked outside regularly.