Hi All,

Well as some of you may know I've started to add the Variable Intermittent Wiper to my Mk3.5 Fiesta.
I will update this guide as and when I do more as it's not quite complete yet, but thought it best to start writing up while it's still fresh in my mind.

Usual guide warnings and arse covering applies, this is the way I did it. I'm not saying its the best way to do it or the right way to do it so carry this out at your risk.

Tools Needed:
Philips Screwdrivers (Large and Jewellers size small one)
Small flat blade screw driver
Soldering Iron
Solder Sucker/Solder Wick
Solder

Time Taken:
2 hours so far (including pictures)

Difficulty Rating:
2 out of 5

Fiddely Little Fucker Rating:
4 out of 5

How to do it:

Here we have the stalks I got out of a Mk5 Escort



Which has the 6 Speed Intermittent option installed



This is the part number of the one I have



You can see on the back that it has two connectors which both have 11 connectors. The Fiesta one only has 8 pins on the Washer connector.
Initially I had planned to re wire the connectors by removing and replacing the pins in the correct location on the wiring loom and installing the full Escort wiper stalk assembly but upon further investigation this presented a few problems:
1) The Escort stalks, although they physically fit in the space have a different configuration where they interface with the cowling so wasn't sure if they would fit.
2) This would then mean I couldn't go back to the Fiesta stalks should I need to in the future
3) Getting the pins out of those plugs, sitting in my living room with a spare one, is a right royal PITA

So, I decided to modify the stalks to incorporate the Variable Dial into my Fiesta stalks and wire in the Variable Dial seperate to the OEM loom.

First thing to do is take the Escort Stalks and ensure that the Hazard switch is in the Off position (pushed all the way down). Other wise it'll ping out later on.
Turn the assembly over and remove these two screws



Then use your small flat blade screwdriver to prise these little clips free around the assembly



It is up to you as to whether you take care doing this or not as we won't be using the assembly so it doesn't really matter if you burst them.

Then slide the back panel off and you will be presented with this. Take care that the two screws at the bottom don't go flying



These are the five wires that we will be dealing with here.



Ignore the black wire at the bottom it is just the two blue wires, white, green and black wires nearest the top we are after.
De-solder them and they will look like this



Then, you need to grip onto the Variable Dial and Washer switch assembly and gently but firmly pull it free from the stalk assembly.
This is where it will start to seperate from



And when you pull it free it will look like this



And that is you now finished with the Escort Stalk assembly, you can put it back together or launch it across the garage as you see fit!

Now here is my Fiesta Stalk assembly



With the Intermittent wiper but not variable



And this part number



When you hold the two wiper stalk assemblies together you can see they are held together differently



To take apart the Fiesta assembly you first need to undo these 4 screws and then again prise apart the small plastic snap lugs.
The Fiesta one is a bit flimsier and is therefore easier to remove the snap lugs without damaging them, which is a good thing.

When you get the cover off this is what it'll look like



The stalks themselves just lift clear of the circuit board and you then need to remove the black plastic clip in the top left corner and the white plastic ramped clip in the bottom right corner along with two little switches that sit behind the stalks and a small metal connector in the top left corner.

The following pictures show these items and a before removal and after removal shot.

















Once all of the above are removed then you can start working on the wiring without fear of any little bits falling free.

These are the three wires we need to remove, on my stalks they are as follows. Pins numbered from left to right
1 - Grey
2 - Black
3 - Brown



Heat up the solder and remove the wires then clean up the residual solder so they are ready to accept the new wires



Once you have the stalk off turn it over and you will see a small split pin in the rear. Ideally I think you would want to remove that but I pushed it in as far as I could with a small philiips screwdriver.




Then again, grip the washer assembly at the end and pull slowly but firmly and the end will pop out.
This one was a right pain in the arse to get going and I used some plumbers grips at one point but take your time and put steady firm pressure on it and it will pop out.



You can see the difference between the two here



You then need to take a Dremel with sanding drum on it and sand the inside of the Fiesta Wiper assembly so it's slightly larger to accept the Escort Variable Dial and Washer part.
Keep going trial and error as it is an interference fit that holds it in place and you don't want it loose!

When you are putting the Variable dial in place route the wires as below



And push it home to complete the stalk



You then need to wire in the new stalk to the circuit board, the colour are as follows
1 - Green
2 - Black
3 - White



Then put all the little bits of plastic back together and clip everything back into place ensureing that you take the two blue wires and route them out to the back of the Stalk assembly.

Put them back in the car and plug them in and check that everything still works as it used to.

To be Continuted.............

Right, now you need to move on to wiring up the variable intermittent bit.

First off you need to drop down the fuse box so you can gain access to the relays which are hidden on the back of it:





The one we are looking for is the large red relay in position II
Which when removed will show that it has four pins and the area it plugs in to has four plugs.



You can see when comparing the two relays the difference between intermittent (bottom) and variable intermittent (top)



You need to then get a repair pin and push it into the empty slot in the middle of the relay, you will then have a tail sitting out of the fuse box which will be used to connect onto one of the blue wires that you left poking out of the wiper stalks.
The other blue wire is connected to the Black/Green wire which is connected to the top left pin as you are looking at the plug.

Pull out the red part of the plug and then slip a small flat blade screwdriver in both sides of the metal plug to push in the retaining lugs.




Then connect your blue wire (the yellow wire here as its the colour I happened to have ) any which way you choose. Solder and heat shrink was my preferred method.


Run a wire from the other blue wire and connect it to your repair wire tail which is poking out of your fuse box. I did a quick test by just twisting the wire onto both wires to check all was well.



Once you're happy it works then run the new wire up through the wiring loom and poke it through under the steering wheel to join the existing loom. Solder and heatshrink the two connections and cable tie the wire down and that is it wired up.



Then pop your fuse box back in and re-install your steering column shrouds.

Ta-Da!!! You now have the one thing Ford should have installed as standard in all cars ever!

Cheers

Paul

Nice guide, this one is going to be fitted at mine car.
P.s small question, you mentiond earlyer that there where 5 wires..and fitted only 3?

Hi Razer,

Yes the two blue wires are the connections for the variable resistor in the dial.
One of these is to be connected to the connector at the back of the stalk assembly and the other is connected to the relay in the fuse box.

That is the second stage that I need to complete and once I have done so and have images of it I shall update the guide.

Paul

thank for the information... will wait for the complete guide

Great one

Awesome guide there. I've got a mk5 set waiting to go just never got round to trying this myself

_________________

Well, finished off the install tonight and it was easy as pie!

Went out for a drive, and as if by magic it started to spit with rain, perfect for checking the wipers and they worked a treat!!

Have updated the above posts but will also make up a PDF with it all so its easy to print out if you want.

Cheers

Paul

awesome mate..