[Vwdiesel] Wiper Electrical Mystery

[Chuck Carnohan]

My '81 pickup has an odd quirk I am pondering.  When I got it there was
no wiper relay, only a straight-through power bar.  I replaced it with a
relay thinking I'd get delayed wipers.  No deal.  Delay doesn't work,
the wipers don't return on their own and, occassionally when I'm driving
the wiper relay will click and I swear I can feel the engine power
reduce momentarily.  Sometimes it will do this in rapid succession and
then it won't do it for weeks or months.  I have replaced the relay
again and the same thing continues.  In addition, the relay stays warm
all the time like there is a short somewhere in this system.  All of
this story occurs when the wipers are not in use as it seldom rains here
in S. Idaho!  Any ideas?

TIA,

Chuck