Melted Wiper motor brush!

[Fiat88]

Crap, I just killed my wiper motor. I don't know what went wrong but I assume I connected the wires wrong or something. Here's what happened, I cleaned the motor with electrical contact spray and the connections, then regreased it with lithium grease. Yesterday I put everything back and turned the wiper switch and it worked but would stop, then I turned the car on and I smelled a burning smell, shut the car off and it smelled like it was coming from the motor. So, I disconnected the negative from the battery. So, today I get in the car and start it and then smoke starts coming out of the wiper switch on the side of the steering wheel, I shut the car off and disconnect the negative. Then I took the motor out of the cowl open it and find one of the motor brushes is melted.

Now, I guess I need a new wiper motor but can anyone tell me what went wrong. Could lithium grease on the brushes cause that or was it from the wiring being connected wrong, please help.

[Fiat88]

Just noticed that the PO had a 25 amp fuse but it's only rated for an 8 amp, explains why the fuse didn't blow.

[So Cal Mark]

lithium shouldn't be on the brushes, if you want to lube them you would have to use dielectric grease. Lithium would be okay on the gears

[Fiat88]

lithium shouldn't be on the brushes, if you want to lube them you would have to use dielectric grease. Lithium would be okay on the gears

Mark,
That would cause it to short like that and melt?

[So Cal Mark]

I would expect that lithium on the brush would cause a no-contact situation on the armature

[spider2081]

Are you sure the wiper mechanical parts move freely?? Too much friction in the mechanical parts would cause the motor to be over worked and over heat.

[Fiat88]

Are you sure the wiper mechanical parts move freely?? Too much friction in the mechanical parts would cause the motor to be over worked and over heat.

I cleaned and greased the linkage prior to reinstalling the motor, it moved much easier, so don't think that is an issue. I've got a new used motor coming, gonna need to make sure I hook the wiring up right. I put the right rated 8 amp fuse in.