Variable Intermittant Wipers

[mat_fenwick]

I thought it would be handy to have easily accessible information on this useful modification. To give your BX variable intermittent wipe simply find a VW group car from the late 90s, and look in the fusebox for a tallish black relay marked 99 or 197. Then substitute this for the blue wiper relay in the BX fusebox. Job done!

To vary the interval you flick it on to intermittent, then back to off. Once the screen needs wiping again after X seconds, put it back to intermittent and the interval will be X seconds - I think up to 30. Default is 6, which is reset when you turn the ignition off. If the rain decreases, turn the wipers off (as you would normally) and then when you put them back to intermittent it will remember the new interval. If the rain increases, flick onto constant on briefly, and again the interval will change to suit.

Also, the number of wipes when you wash the screen is varied depending on how long you pull the stalk for - i.e. a quick pull will just give one wipe but a proper wash will give 3 wipes after you release the stalk. Effectively this gives you a flick wipe as if you pull the stalk very quickly, the pump doesn't have enough time to spray.

The VW part number is 357 955 531 for the 99 relay, 3B0955531 for the 197
The Bosch part number is 0 986 335 058

[Defender110]

Are you sure the 197 relay is programmable?

[mat_fenwick]

Fairly sure - I read it on the internet so it must be true? I've only tried the 99 relay but several other websites listed the 197 relay as an equivalent (later) drop in replacement. The 19 relay is the standard one which isn't programmable, so avoid.

[Dollywobbler]

Just ordered one. You can tell which relay is the 'normal' one as it's about £10 cheaper!

[Defender110]

It's a great mod, mine has been used a lot of late

[Mike E (uk)]

Agreed, the delay can be sent to be very long which is ideal for English drizzle.

[Wooscary]

Amazing, thanks for the info, although I can imagine thinking too much about what delay I'd like and then realising at some point that the wipers aren't getting me out of the ditch.

[mat_fenwick]

That's the thing though, it's not something you think about - if you're on intermittent now and the rain gets heavier but not enough for full on you would just flick in onto the next speed. Same with this except it will reset the interval to whatever the time was from the last wipe to the time you flicked it onto the next setting. Or if the rain gets lighter you would just turn the wipers off for say 20 seconds then back on. At which point the new interval is 20 seconds.

[Birotor]

I remember remember codriving in a 1973 Porsche Carrera RS 2.7 with this mod and between Nice and Cannes at 90 mph the driver tried to reset the interval. Suggested it was a bad idea and eventually he agreed. We left Nice at 0800 and caught the 1900 ferry from Dunkerque. Suggest not setting it on the move!

[mat_fenwick]

I don't understand - it takes no more thought or effort than changing the speed of your wipers, and surely nobody stops to do that!

[Birotor]

Only echoing what martin said....

[Wooscary]

I know Mat, not really anything to think about, just being silly. My Passat had a little switch on top of lever to set the time between wipes, there were three different options I think. Very exciting.

[mds141]

The XM has a slider switch on the wiper control stalk to vary the intermittent sweep delay. Not sure what this relay will be. Can anyone look on service Citroen for the part number.

[Dollywobbler]

Fitted. Love it! The reduced number of wipes on a short-pull wash is a massive bonus. The BX always seems to wipe one time too many (at least) which means it often just starts smearing again when dealing with winter road muck.

I therefore pronounce this an Excellent Fix.

[Defender110]

Another improvement would be to get the wipers to park on the UK offside which would prevent water travelling back up the screen at the end of each stroke. Has anyone tried this? I assume just reseting the motor arm to the opposite side and perhaps hvaing to extend it slightly to let it park lower down the screen?