Corvette Parts Blog

New replacement modules have been designed to perform as original, but work even better. Features include more accurate delay cycles, lower amp draw, no moving part or relay and overload protection. Reliable, sealed electronics are cased in a protective housing. Mounts in original location. Made in USA.

View all Corvette Parts Blog posts specific to C3 Corvettes here.

Washer Pump Nut & Pick-Up Filter

The washer pump nut & pick-up filter used on 1975-1991 C3 & C4 Corvettes is a very simple part, so… why has it been discontinued for so long? Our thoughts exactly, especially since this windshield washer pump filter & nut assembly fits so many Chevrolet applications.

The new reproduction filter & nut from Zip Corvette will correctly mount your Corvette’s washer pump into the bottom of the windshield washer reservoir tank. Without it, the pump will not stay in place and you’ll be sure to stop up your windshield washer squirters, causing more problems later with the plastic nozzles. The last thing you want on a dark night is to find out your windshield washers have gone by the wayside.

Corvette Wiper Arms

Your humble Corvette Parts blogger owns a 1971 Corvette Coupe. Once in a great while, I show the car but for the most part, it’s my hot rod and, when I’m not working on it, I’m driving it. I even drive that Corvette in the rain…perish the thought!

If you’re like me and you drive your 1968-1982 in any weather and your Corvette has a lot of miles on it, you may be looking for parts with which to repair your Corvette’s Windshield Wiper System.

On the other hand, you may own a C3 which never gets driven in bad weather but is undergoing a full restoration and your original wiper arms are either, the wrong parts, are bent or are corroded. However the need arises, Zip’s line of 1968-1982 reproduction wiper arms has the solution you need.

Zip Corvette has a wiper arm to replace each of the three styles of arms used in the C3 Corvette years, 1968, 1969-1974 and 1975-1982. All are correct reproductions made exactly as the original arms when the C3 Corvettes were in production.

1968 Corvettes used a unique wiper arm without a windshield washer nozzle and Zip is one of the vendors which sells a correct 1968 wiper arm. Originally the washer nozzles were mounted on the grill in front of the wiper door assembly, which Zip has as well.

The arms for the 1969-1974 Corvettes used sections of brass tubing with one end formed into a discharge nozzle held to the wiper arm with either 3 or 4 plastic clips depending on the side. The brass tubes were painted black. Zip’s 1969-1973 Corvette wiper arms are correct reproductions of that design.

For the 1975 model year, while the wiper arm design remained the same, GM switched the washer plumbing from the brass tubes to small-diameter rubber hose tipped with a plastic nozzle. Zip Corvette’s late-C3 reproduction arms include the correct rubber hose and plastic nozzles. The 1975-1982 parts can also be a non-O.E. upgrade for the 1969-1974 Corvettes. When originality is not an issue, the late-C3 wiper arms are a better choice when a 1969-1974 needs new arms.

Which ever of Zip’s Corvette Wiper Arms you buy, they are all easy to install. Remove the old arms using the 1956-1982 Wiper Arm Removal Tool, then push the new arms in place. Add your wiper blades and you’re ready to go.

This week’s Corvette question comes from Mike who owns a 1993 C4 Corvette.

How do I adjust the windshield wipers on my 1993 Corvette?

C4 Corvette Windshield Wipers

Despite their notoriety as a high-performance car and their innovations in design and technology, the C4 Corvettes had their fair share of imperfections. One common problem is with the C4 Corvette Windshield Wipers. Although only a minor flaw, the wipers on many of these Corvettes are not properly adjusted to rest beneath the hood when turned off. When the wipers do not park correctly, they can scrape the black paint on the window trim, resulting in unsightly scratch marks on the trim and blemishing the aesthetic appeal of the  vehicle. Fortunately, this minor problem can be easily corrected. All you need is a ratchet, 10mm socket, a flat-blade screwdriver, and no more than 20 minutes of your time. This simple adjustment will allow your Corvette’s wipers to rest below the hood line and prevent your Corvette’s window trim from being scratched again.

C4 Corvette Wiper Access Plate

After opening the hood of your Corvette, look in the direction of the wipers where you will see the wiper transmission access plate. Remove the plate with a flat-blade screwdriver by carefully prying up on it. Not all C4 Corvettes have this plate, if you don’t simply remove the entire grill. Once the access plate or grill is removed you will have access to four retaining nuts. Loosen them with a 10mm socket but be sure not to remove them as reinstalling the nuts can be very difficult. Last, gently push the wiper arms towards the firewall. You will need to adjust both arms to avoid interference between them. Adjust the arms until they do not hit the windshield molding or they are below the hood line.

Once you have your Corvette’s windshield wipers adjusted properly you can tighten them down. Be sure not to over tighten or you could snap the stud on the linkage. Now check the adjustment. Close your Corvette’s hood and have someone spray water on the windshield while you operate the wipers. (Don’t operate the wipers without water on the windshield or you could permanently scratch the glass). Make sure the wipers are no longer hitting the windshield molding. Switch the wipers to high to check that they are not contacting each other or binding up. If they are contacting, then readjust them until they no longer contact each other. The same applies if they are still hitting your Corvette’s windshield molding. Once your adjustment is satisfactory, replace the access plate or grill and your job is done.

Our 1973-1982 Corvette Wiper Compartment Cover adds the perfect finishing touch to any 1973-1982 Corvette’s cowl. The wiper compartment covers are made of ABS plastic and can be painted to match any paint scheme. Benefits of installing the wiper compartment cover on 1973-1982 Corvettes include:

1973-1982 Corvette Cowl Cover

• Provides a clean look over the stock cowl area
• Reduces the collection of leaves and debris
• Will not interfere with your Corvette’s wipers
• Can be painted to match your Corvette’s paint

Installation of the 1973-1982 Corvette Wiper Compartment Cover requires very little modifications. If you are going to paint the cover do so before installing. Once you are ready to install the compartment cover you will need to trim the trailing edge of the firewall, this is best done with a file. After trimming, install the cover to check for proper fit. You should turn your Corvette’s Windshield Wipers on and then stop them half way up by shutting off the ignition. Each wiper arm should then be run through the corresponding hole in the wiper compartment cover. The cover is then slid down onto the firewall. If the cover sits flush with the top of the firewall and the trailing edge rests tightly against the windshield, proper fit has been achieved.

Corvette Wiper Compartment Cover

If you would like to strongly mount the Corvette Wiper Compartment Cover, though it is not required, simply use four strips of adhesive backed velcro. Each strip should be approximately 4″ long and should be 3″ and 10″ from the side of the cover. If placed correctly the two front strips should fall directly on top of the firewall with the rear strips attaching to the windshield glass. If minor interferences are noticed you may have to file away the necessary amount of material.

The 1956-1962 Corvette Wiper Arms were cable-driven from the Corvette’s Wiper Motor. A drum behind the firewall rotated multiple cables to each transmission. Fortunately, these transmission cables do not require adjustment on a regular basis; however, when adjustment is needed, either from cable stretching or following a new installation, Chevrolet designed a system where cable tension can be increased by simply pressing on the outer end of the transmission shaft.

Corvette Wiper Transmission

To illustrate, each transmission has two spools – one for each drive cable. The inside face of each spool has cast teeth locking them together. When the transmission shaft is pressed down, the two spools separate and an internal spring allows the spools to rotate to their tightest position. Once pressure is removed from the transmission shaft, the spools are locked together again and the cables are tight against the wiper motor drum. When removing the transmission, the operation will require the help of an additional person. With one person pressing down on the wiper transmission shaft to “unlock” the spools, the second person (inside the Corvette) must pull against the cables, rotating the spools against the pressure of the spring. Once all the necessary slack is obtained, the wiper transmission shaft can be released and the spools will lock together. This slack will allow the cables to be removed from the wiper motor drum. The Corvette’s Wiper Transmission can then be removed.

Corvette Headlights

Malfunctioning headlights and/or wiper doors are very common on 1968-1982 Corvettes. Though the system may seem to be very complicated at first glance, it is actually very simple and can be troubleshooted by any “do-it-yourselfer” with basic hand tools and one free afternoon. Usually dry or cracked vacuum hoses and actuator seals are your culprits. If they are original, they have experienced a great deal of heat from the engine over many years. Would you like more information on how to replace your Corvette’s old actuator seals? Read our technical article: “1968-1982 Corvette Headlight Repair“ at Corvette Magazine.com.

To get started read through a 1968-1982 Corvette Vacuum System Troubleshooting Guide that comes with illustrated diagrams and information necessary to diagnose your Corvette’s Vacuum System. The troubleshooting guide goes into great detail about the vacuum system and will eliminate just about any frustration brought on by malfunctioning wiper doors and headlights.

If you get into your Corvette’s Vacuum System Overhaul and have replaced all hoses, valves, seals, etc. and still have issues with the headlights or wiper door not working properly you may have a problem within your Corvette’s vacuum control subsystem. The troubleshooting guide will go into more detail about the control subsystem and operating subsystem, which will help you gain a better understanding of your entire Corvette’s vacuum system. After reading the vacuum troubleshooting guide you will be able to accurately diagnose any problems with your Corvette’s headlight or wiper door vacuum system.

There are six different Corvette vacuum system configurations for 1968-1982 Corvettes. Zip has all six broken down into easy to read diagrams with installation instructions. These come with every overhaul kit we sell, but you can also click below to download the vacuum system diagram you need for free.

1968 Corvette	1969 Corvette	1970 Corvette
71-72 Corvette	73-79 Corvette	80-82 Corvette

Zip’s Corvette Vacuum System Overhaul Kit is great to have while repairing your Corvette’s vacuum system because it includes all components needed to fix the most common vacuum problems. Each kit includes color striped vacuum hoses, a replacement vacuum check valve, vacuum filter, a pair of replacement actuator front seals, wiper canister seal (’70-72 only), and a 1968-1982 Corvette Vacuum System Troubleshooting Guide.

Keep your Corvette’s vacuum system original and buy a complete kit from Zip Corvette with easy to read, accurate diagrams and instructions.

Your windshield wiper motor has stopped working. You have checked the fuse. The wiper switch is good and you have power to the motor. Well, sounds like your Corvette’s wiper motor has finally kicked the bucket. Replacing the wiper motor is really a simple task and does not require any type of special tools.

Corvette Wiper Motor

If you have a 1977 to 1982 Corvette you need to know if you have a pulse wiper system or not. Since this was an option in some of the years, not all of the Corvettes came with this system, which allowed the wipers to delay as most cars do today. If your car is equipped with the pulse system you will need the pulse motor cover along with a new wiper motor. The reason for this is that all new motors are set for non-pulse movement. Changing the motor cover will convert the non-pulse motor to the pulse system. Now with our new wiper motor and tools in hand, let’s replace that worn out wiper motor.

Click Here to read the entire 1973-1982 Corvette Wiper Motor Replacement Article.

This week’s Corvette Question comes from Tammy who owns a 1979 Corvette:

How do I install the wiper motor on a 1979 Corvette?

Corvette Wiper Motor & Arms

Answer: When the windshield wiper motor on your Shark quits, it’s a fairly simple matter to replace it. It takes well under an hour and no special skills are required. Once you have an understanding of the procedure, mounting any C3 Corvette wiper motor will be easy and quick to do. Follow along as we show you how:

As with any work you are performing; don’t forget to disconnect the negative cable from the battery, just to be on the safe side.

Step 1

1. If you have an aftermarket 1973-1982 Corvette Windshield Wiper Compartment Cover installed in your car, the first thing you’ll have to do is remove it so you can gain access to the wiper compartment. If you don’t have one of these covers installed, proceed directly to step 2.

Read more…

Today’s Corvette technical question comes from a 1970 Corvette owner:

How do you remove the wiper arms from a 1970 Corvette?

Answer: Original Corvette Wiper Arms are pressed on to a shaft, often referred to as a transmission that projects through the cowl of any 1956-1982 Corvette.  The fit is very tight and over time, the wiper arms can really become “stuck” to these transmissions. Removal is not difficult, if you have the correct tool. Many Corvette owners have found themselves on the short end of a nasty paint scratch while trying to remove the arms from the transmission with a common screwdriver. The process can

Wiper Arm Removal Tool

be done, but is not worth the risk just because you want to save a few dollars by not purchasing a Corvette wiper arm removal tool. With this tool, your wiper arm removal will be quick and easy without risking damage to your Corvette. The tool simply hooks on to the bottom of the wiper arm elbow. Grab in one hand the wiper arm and tool handle, squeeze together and pull straight up. The tool creates the correct alignment of the elbow in order to bypass an inner spring clip. Once correct alignment is received, the arm pulls off with ease.

Do you have a Corvette technical question that you need answered? Click here to submit your question.