I recommend you do NOT open the crimps. Just solder and shrinkwrap. Also, 16" is too short. I'd just solder both ends to a 16" wire. End up with over 2 feet. Play it safe... just measure!

 

What do you mean by this? Get a third wire and solder the 2 eight inch ends together and wrap with electrical tape?

 

Exactly. You will end up with:

crimped_pin + solder + new_wire + solder + crimped_pin

 

It would be much better to use heat shrink tubing. Almost any electronics store and most auto parts stores will carry it.

 

Even home centers like Lowes carry it in various sizes and colors. It's in the wiring section near the electrical tools, wirenuts, tie wraps, etc. A common hair blowdryer set on high will usually shrink them. A heatgun is better if you have one.

 

A small soldering iron also works if you're gentle with it. Practice first on a scrap piece.

 

Today's been a disaster for me for this mod!

The Q end I expected to be the most difficult so I did this first. It went quite well. I could hold the connector in one hand and release the clip with the thumbnail of that hand. I was puzzled by justintime's "hinge" reference for pin orientation until I realized that the clip didn't come off but rotated, hinging away from the back of the main body of the connector. So I inserted the pin so that the exposed wire was towards the clip. I hope this was correct.

Next was the wiper stalk end.
First I found it very difficult to get the white piece separated from the connector. Then I broke the pin in half after bending it and had to re-solder a new pigtail on in the car (I wasn't going to undo the Q end).
Finally, I could not get the white part back in place - I still can't - one corner just won't stay back in!! So I gave up and tried putting the connector back in the wiper stalk anyway just to try out the wiper operation. The connector clipped back in just fine but the variable control doesn't work!! I still have just one delay (about 7 or 8 seconds) no matter where the control is set.

So I uplugged connectors from both ends and buzzed out the wire for continuity ( I clipped the meter to solid wires poked into the holes where the male pins would go). It buzzed out OK! I noticed, however, that the male pin in the wiper stalk had been deflected slightly by the pin I put in - I used the 04320-SAA-A00. Maybe I put it in the wrong way round although I don't think so. Maybe this is not the pin to use (it slid in and locked without much effort but I noticed it is longer than the other pins so the crimped end protrudes out a bit more).

I tried to get the pin out using a small screwdriver in the front of the connector. Needless to say, it won't come out!!

Anyone used the 04320-SAA-A00 pigtails successfully?
Anyone removed the pins successfully?
Anyone have any suggestions why it doesn't work ?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Paul



I

 

pbuck:

You HAVE TO TEST the variable wiper while DRIVING AT 10mph or more! Otherwise the variable part does not work... it will be constant when parked!

 

Thanks, JIT. I vaguely remembered reading something about this, so I drove around the block for the first test and no variable delay. However. I haven't done this since I buzzed the wire out and reseated the connectors, so I'll try again tomorrow morning.

Paul

 

I think the trouble with clipping the white part of the wiper stalk connector back must be the 04320-SAA-A00. Because this pin is too long it does not clear the white part and the white part pushes down on the end of the pin causing it to sit at an angle and deflect the mating pin and of course the white part does not seat properly either. It may be possible to cut the insulation part of the crimp off the end of the end of the pin while preserving the pigtail, but I can't try this because I can't get the pin back out again. Instead I've put everything back together leaving the white part loose.

I test drove the car again and the variable control still does not work! Even at 40mph the delay is 5 seconds no matter if the control is set to one raindrop or three.
Could it be that the battery has to be disconnected to reset the ECU? I did not do this for the mod. I've been reluctant to do this because the radio code is hand written in the service book, but despite the dealer saying it is correct, the Honda web site says it is not.

Paul

 

Disconnecting battery did not work.

 

pbuck: So can you clarify a little: What is your current install missing? A single pin not making contact, or something else? If your pin is not making contact, well of course the variable part will fail.

 

I don't think anything is missing. If I unplug the connectors at both ends and measure between the pins I have good continuity between the wiper stalk end and the Q end. When I do this I am connecting the meter via small pieces of thin solid wire which I poke into the connectors to substitute for the mating male pins of the fuse box and the wiper stalk. At both ends I can feel the pin's spring contact grab the wire when I do this so I feel fairly sure that when the connector is plugged in normally it should be making contact.
If I assume that the new wiper stalk and whatever is in (or after) the fuse box is good, then I am at a loss to explain why it doesn't work.
Maybe someone has some more info on the fuse box end which would allow me to debug further. Maybe the variable delay signal goes through a fuse and that has blown...I don't know?

Paul

 

The idea to DIY install the variable intermittent wipers is GREAT idea. BUT, the successful installation seems to totally depend upon obtaining the exact right wires and pins (and then a lot of stretching and bending). Does anyone know the correct Honda part number that will generate the right wire? Or are we at a dead end?

 

as far as i know the one part # listed works on the wiper stalk. but it
isn't an exact match.
other than that for now all i can say is there is no part #'s for these.
if anyone wants pins they have to go to junk yards like i did. It's not
that hard just find a yards on the net that have Fits and start calling
them.

 

Niko,
Thanks for the information. It makes sense that procuring the wiring harness (the one that goes from the wipers to the Q connector) from a wrecked GE8 Fit would generate at least 7 wires with correct wiper & Q connector pins. I suppose a wiper harness from a CRV-EX-L would generate acceptable wiper pin connectors but questionable/unknown Q connector pins.
Maybe College Hills Honda can come up with a part number; I mean, how many wrecked GE8's can there be out there anyway? Thanks again, Niko.

 

I want to do this mod. I ordered the wiper arm now just need to come up with the connectors for the wire.

 

Well just completed the mod and must give out the following props before I give my experience on this mod.
First thanks and +reps to mscott (Michael) for providing this mod, great info.
Second thanks to Niko (Nick) for adding valuable info and pins necessary to complete this mod.
Third thanks to everyone else who has supplied their insights and experiences on this mod.

Now my own experiences on this mod. Overall besides ensuring that I had the right plug (Q plug) disconnected before I installed the pin it took me about an hour to complete this mod.
The thing that had me confused is that if you look at the schematic of the Q plug it shows that there is only 3 empty pin slots. My plug had actually 5 empty slots so that's what threw me off. I'm wondering if the 3 extra wires are for the Nav system which I do not have. The wiring colors and info that mscott provided was what ensured me I had the right plug. Also for those that haven't done this mod the Q plug is the one next the the only yellow colored plug on the top of the UDFP, the only way to tell is by using a mirror to see what's up there. I also verified I had the right plug by trying to turn on my flashers as pin 13 is control for those. Everything went back together fine and worked, but haven't had the chance to verify the variable portion of the wipers worked as it was raining out (I know perfect time to try it) but just got done doing a full detail and wax to the car the day before and didn't really feel like getting it dirty just to see if it worked. Oh well hopefully tomorrow. Again thanks to all for the valuable info provided and for those who haven't done this mod, get it done as for $30 it's one of the cheaper mods out there.

 

Where did you source the connectors to do the mod? I have the wiper stock on the way.
Thanks for the tips.

 

Just an update on this topic: Installing Variable Intermittent Windshield Wipers. I just watched College Hills Honda video podcast #167 (Viewer Questions) and in it, Paul says that he and his tech are going to (1) learn the install, (2) do a future podcast on it and (3) assemble a kit (which would of course include those ever elusive wires with the correct pins) that you can purchase from College Hills to install your very own Variable Intermittent Wipers. Paul stated that his tech is on vacation at the present time but its definitely a firm future project. Kudos to College Hills; to all those who want to do this mod, let them know we appreciate their efforts!!