Help!!!!! - 1984 Grand Marquis - How to access wiper governor/control module

[montyrobison]

To all,

I'm in the process of trying to upgrade my standard 2-speed wipers to intermittent wipers. I have a NOS intermittent wiper switch and am close to having the correct intermittent wiper governor/control module to install. I have been looking everywhere trying to figure out where in the heck the governor is located and how to access it and I'm having no luck at all. The harness from the switch comes down the left side of the steering column and then tapes together with 2-3 other smaller harnesses. These all seem to magically disappear up and over the dash cluster. I didn't think the harness from the wiper switch to the governor was long enough to do this. If anyone out there could provide me some instructions, illustrations, photos, etc. on where the governor is located and how to get to it for replacement I'd be forever in your debt. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Monty

[86VickyLX]

The governor is on a bracket under the dash to the left of the steering column. It's black in color and has wires coming out of it that run to the wiper switch on the column. Two small bolts hold it on the bracket. The bracket should still be there regardless if you have the intermittent wipers or not. Especially if you have cruise control.

[montyrobison]

86VickyLX,

Thanks for your reply. I can't explain it but there's no black box/governor mounted to the left of the steering column unless it's located up over the top of the gauge cluster box. As I said the wiring harness from the switch tapes together with 2-3 other small harnesses and they all go together up and seem to go over the top of the gauge cluster box. Do have, or could you take, any pictures of your governor to show where it's at? Is there any chance that for some reason my 84 GM may be wired different than the majority? Thanks again for your reply and hope to hear back from you soon with some more guidance.

Monty

Edit Added: I notice you have a Crown Victoria. Could there be a difference between this and a Grand Marquis?

The governor is on a bracket under the dash to the left of the steering column. It's black in color and has wires coming out of it that run to the wiper switch on the column. Two small bolts hold it on the bracket. The bracket should still be there regardless if you have the intermittent wipers or not. Especially if you have cruise control.

[86VickyLX]

86VickyLX,

Thanks for your reply. I can't explain it but there's no black box/governor mounted to the left of the steering column unless it's located up over the top of the gauge cluster box. As I said the wiring harness from the switch tapes together with 2-3 other small harnesses and they all go together up and seem to go over the top of the gauge cluster box. Do have, or could you take, any pictures of your governor to show where it's at? Is there any chance that for some reason my 84 GM may be wired different than the majority? Thanks again for your reply and hope to hear back from you soon with some more guidance.

Monty

Edit Added: I notice you have a Crown Victoria. Could there be a difference between this and a Grand Marquis?

No, dash is ideally the same, besides some trim mouldings. I actually went by a Grand Marquis that I pulled a brake pedal assembly from. It doesn't go behind the instrument panel. There's a bracket to the left of the column and the right of the parking brake pedal. It may be on the top of the bracket. You might not be able to see it without taking the bracket down. If your car didn't have intermittent wipers, you won't have the box.

[1987cp]

f your car didn't have intermittent wipers, you won't have the box.

This. No need for the little brainbox if there's nothing for it to do!

I've not bothered to look at how the wiring goes on my 2-speed-wiper car, but I wonder if it came with a handy connector to unplug and insert the black box ... it occurs to me that it may be necessary to swap out some wiring as well.



Reminds me, I need to fix the broken High speed on my P72 sometime when there isn't something more pressing to fix ....

[montyrobison]

86VickyLX,

Thanks again for your reply. I think I'm getting the picture now. My car came with standard 2-speed wipers so the connector from the wiring harness simply plugs into the wiper switch and goes directly out to the wiper motor. The intermittent wiper governor will plug into the intermittent wiper switch and then back into the original plug that was plugged into the standard 2-speed wiper switch. Does that sound right? Should the bracket that the governor mounts to be there even if the car only came with standard 2-speed wipers? Any chance of a picture? Thanks again for all of your help and advice!

Monty

No, dash is ideally the same, besides some trim mouldings. I actually went by a Grand Marquis that I pulled a brake pedal assembly from. It doesn't go behind the instrument panel. There's a bracket to the left of the column and the right of the parking brake pedal. It may be on the top of the bracket. You might not be able to see it without taking the bracket down. If your car didn't have intermittent wipers, you won't have the box.

[1987cp]

Sounds like you'll need the harness when you go to obtain the black box.

Here you see the pigtail that comes off the box and plugs into the switch; obviously, there's another bit of wiring that goes between the box and the motor.

[86VickyLX]

If you're lucky, it may be the same plug that would plug into the two speed wiper switch.

[montyrobison]

I'm not totally sure yet until I get the intermittent governor but now I'm almost positive that the existing connector that plugs into the 2-speed wiper switch will end up plugging into the short wiring harness from the governor and the longer harness from the governor will plug into the intermittent wiper switch. Anyone know for sure? Thanks again for all replies, comments and photos!

Monty

If you're lucky, it may be the same plug that would plug into the two speed wiper switch.

[1987cp]

The black-box harness plugs into the intermittent wiper switch? Ya think?



But yeah ... all I know for certain at this time is that the two plugs in the pic are different shapes. Only thing I can do is to check tomorrow whether the 2-speed switch and intermittent switch use the same plug. But you can do the same check by comparing your stock stuff to the picture.

[montyrobison]

1987CP

Thanks for the reply. I'm hoping I'm right and the existing female 2-speed wiper switch connector will plug right in to the short harness male connector on the governor. I can't imagine that they would have had some kind of adapter harness or connector, but then again you never know LOL! Look forward to hearing back from you.

Monty

The black-box harness plugs into the intermittent wiper switch? Ya think?



But yeah ... all I know for certain at this time is that the two plugs in the pic are different shapes. Only thing I can do is to check tomorrow whether the 2-speed switch and intermittent switch use the same plug. But you can do the same check by comparing your stock stuff to the picture.

[1987cp]

Whaddya know, you're right. The 2-speed switch uses the same plug as the input on the black box. I unplugged the 2-speed switch on my '81, plugged in the box and switch in the picture, and the car immediately developed intermittent tendencies.

Now I'm tempted to leave it that way! Though, rerouting the old wiring would be annoying, and call me weird, but I do like the 2-speed setup's ability to use the sprayer without the wipe-several-times-as-it-sprays routine. Decisions, decisions!

[86VickyLX]

Yeah, Hooray for Ford being cheap! And making one wiring harness for all (Including the wagons). Any kind of plug in accessory can be added to the existing harness.

[87gtVIC]

Plug and play baby.

[montyrobison]

Well, there's a first time for everything! Sure glad it is as simple as that. Now all I need is the governor! What were the "intermittent tendencies" it developed?

Monty

Whaddya know, you're right. The 2-speed switch uses the same plug as the input on the black box. I unplugged the 2-speed switch on my '81, plugged in the box and switch in the picture, and the car immediately developed intermittent tendencies.

Now I'm tempted to leave it that way! Though, rerouting the old wiring would be annoying, and call me weird, but I do like the 2-speed setup's ability to use the sprayer without the wipe-several-times-as-it-sprays routine. Decisions, decisions!