by "functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion)
Published 05/09/2017 at 09:20
by "functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion)
Published 05/09/2017 at 09:20
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So I googled a part number for the “Rear Wiper Arm Pivot” for my car just now, and lo and behold, among the factory images and diagrams of the part is a picture of... My car! Two pictures, actually.
Back in 2011 when I’d only had my wagon for 2 years, the rear wiper was becoming sluggish. When I opened the glass by itself - the wiper stays with the glass and the motor stays with the door - the motor turned fine by itself but the arm was stiff when I tried to move it by hand. Bingo! A quick trip to my local... no who am I kidding? The internet. And I replaced the part, piece of cake. Someone had a similar problem on bimmerfest and I helped them out with pictures of my replacement job.
And now, those pictures show up on the top page of the google image search for said part. Esoteric much? I’m doing the same job again on my “new” car.
I do have to admit, it’s a clever bit of engineering. The wiper can pivot separately from the motor when the glass is open. There’s a pin that sticks out and is received by a notch in the semi-circular piece that rotates with the motor. But what if you rotate the wiper arm a little and slam the glass down, you ask? The pin is spring-loaded. the disc will rotate until the notch picks up the pin and it pops into place, and the wiper resumes its normal operation.
Or, you could have done what everyone else does and park the wiper off the glass. I do like being able to open just the glass part, though. That’s very nice.
I’ll just be here waiting for the checks to start rolling in.
"jasmits" (jasmits)
05/09/2017 at 09:40, STARS: 1
If you search BMW m44(the 4-banger they used in the E36) I’m relatively confident that one of the pictures that show up(the red one with stuff pointed out on it) is from my exact car, I guess posted by a previous owner because I’ve never posted a picture of my engine bay on the internet. I’m not positive, but the combination of a few relatively-uncommon mods, a bunch of underhood plastic shrouding that was removed before the car made it to me and a few blemishes I can pick out that match mine make me think it just might be.
