Wiper Variable intermittent

Ever wanted variable intermittent on your wipers?? Ever get annoyed that every time you wash the screen, the wipers smear it 4 times??

you can fix both of these things by changing the wash/wipe relay

the relay is situated up underneath the dashboard in the passenger footwell. It takes approximately 30 seconds to change it, no tools required, although some gymnastic ability is helpfull!

The required relay is from the Mk3 golf

There are various part numbers doing the rounds, but i didn't manage to get hold of a brand new relay, although some people have. - others have accidentally bought the wrong relay. - new, it'd cost you £30.

Beru: 0 900 301 082, Kostal: 377 955 531, Bosch: 0 986 335 058, VW: 3B0955531, www.gsfcarparts.com pt no 93610, OPEL 12 38 550, SAAB 85 53 463, VW 191 955 531, VW 321 955 531 A, LIEBHERR 1 001 443 3, JOHN DEERE AZ 49 989, HAKO 90-35730-2, KRAMER 100 010 51 46, HYMER 0416073, Hella 5WG 003 620-021 .

use these part numbers at your own risk, some certainly arn't quite the correct relays, some are.

VW part no. 3B0955531 works, has 197 printed on top. Costs £28.83.

I got mine from a breakers yard for a total of £5.

Mk3 Golf

Most Breakers yards will have a number of Mk3 golfs, and the correct relay can also be found in lots of different VWs (usually the higher spec cars) dating from the mid '90s

In the golf, the relays (and fuses) are behind a plastic panel under the steering wheel, above the drivers footwell. You can just pull the relay out.

There are two common relays you'll find in the cars.

the WRONG one has the number "19" printed on the top of it in big white numbers. This is really no different from the original lotus realy, and no upgrade at all.

The CORRECT realy has the number "99" or "197" printed on it. This is what you need to find.

The "99" or "197" relay is usually found in higher spec cars, and the "19" relay in lower spec cars.

alt text

This is a pic of the new relay in place in the elise, looking up from the footwell.

To fit it, you need to get your head down into the footwell looking up at the back of the dash-front. Up there (as shown above) are a couple of realys. Pull out the one which looks the right shape, and check that the pin pattern is the same. Push in the "99" realy and the job's done.

Now when you wash the screen, it'll wipe just twice, and you'll have variable intermittent.

To use the Variable intermittent, flick the wiper stalk to wipe the screen once. Then wait for period of time "x" and put the stalk to intermittent setting. The intermittent delay between wipes will now be "x". Easy.