im pretty sure my windshield wiper motor is bad as my wipers BARELY work. they go spiratically and slow and somtimes not at all, but i used a test light and they get electric all the time so its not the switch. Either way im looking to buy a new motor and there are two listed for my truck, 1 plug motor and 2 plug motor. Which do i have, i have a 1988 f250 with intermediate wipers. Is there a way u can tell other then just looking, the truck isnt in my driveway its at the shop and i want to order the part ASAP. So yea, 1 plug or 2 plug.... thanks

 

first off, your motor may be ok. do the wipers work with the delay, or will they only work on high speed??
the delay module is a known problem with these trucks, and when the module goes bad, it gives the false indication of a bad motor.

 

I have a similar problem with my 88 f150. They only "work" on high, and they're sporadic at best. Does that sound like the delay module?

 

Andrew, yours sounds like a delay module or switch problem.

Now, to the OP:
You'll want to look at the motor to verify that you have a 1 or 2 plug motor. I'd suspect it's the 2 plug unit, but you don't want to be shipping back the wrong part.

Changing the motor is a tremendous pain in the azz, if you're doing it by yourself without removing the hood. Getting the cowl on and off is the worst part, and then the little linkage clip can cause all kinds of other nightmares.

Since your motor is slow (and probably loud) I imagine it's going to die shortly. I just replaced mine a couple months ago, and I'd forgotten just how well they work when the motor isn't junk.

 

It sounds like the motor is failing. On my 89 F250, they would go slow, stop or work normal. I found the magnets inside the wiper motor came unglued and that cause the motor not to work. I reglued them using JB weld after cleaning out the housing really good. BUT 1st you must know where the magnets were before they fell off the housing or the motor will not run properly. I have done 3 of those wiper motors so far and only had one came back and haunt me...the magnet cracked on that one.