secret to removing/inserting wiper motor?

I'm working on this right now, and so far I've been gentle. Hopefully somebody will happen to be on the board right now who has done this already, and can give me the secret before I start trying to force things.

All is disconnected, the old one is sitting loose in the well, and I have the replacement sitting on top of the hood so I know what's underneath. The old motor is loose, and working gently I can get the driverside arm attachment point out of its hole, but not the other one. I can force it through, but then several points including the plastic motor sleeve (waterproof enclosure) will be scraping pretty hard with any further movement.

It appears obvious that the right motion is to rotate the assembly in place to get the two arm attachments out of their holes, and then slide the whole assembly one way or the other, probably toward the passenger side, before starting to pull the whole assembly out of the big hole, driver side first. However, working gently, I can't get past first base.

Should it require force? And if so, which way? Especially when putting the new one in, I don't want to tear the waterproof enclosure around the motor.

The two that I have done were on 91 and 92. I had to take all of the motor bolts out and then rotate the motor and arms to get it to come out and then opposite to get it in. i would not force it, you just have to rotatem turn and find the right way, just make sure all of the bolts are undone.

Remember as a child trying to get blocks in the bucket by choosing the right hole. You are just doing the same thing now on the super advanced level.

Hope this helps.

4 bolts, right, two bracketing each arm attachment point? I'm pretty sure I got them all becuase the thing is loose down in its hole.

You did answer my main question, that it's supposed to come out without force. I'll keep plugging away, and breaking often enough to keep the frustration factor under control.

Thanks for the blocks and proper shape hole reference. I think my mom was called to the school back in kindergarten when I forced the square block down the &^$**@&& round hole. And the stupid teacher said it wouldn't go! :lickout:

Ah ha, just found the 5th bolt. That'll prob change things.

Also found that my replacement motor, a freebie from a 90 XJ that I've been saving for years, has a different electrical attachemnt than my 92. Drats, so I guess now I need to buy a motor.

Yep, take out the fifth bolt on bottom and it comes out easy, rotate to get the attachment points out of the holes, then slide the whole thing to the driver side and pull it out of the hole passenger side first.

The 90 and 92 have the same number of wires, but the wires are different colors and the electrical coupler is completely different, so I guess I'll try to buy a new one.