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For a while now I have wanted to add variable speed intermittent wipers to my 99 EX. Whenever the rain is light it always seems like the intermittent speed is never the right one. I figured with all the modding and tuning going on out there in CivicLand someone else would have sorted this out by now and posted a sweet video tutorial complete with dancing girls. You know, something the average Joe DIY type can understand. Based on the many fruitless searches I have conducted I figured wrong.

However, I did find this, and it gave me hope:
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=142965

The rocket scientist who posted that upgraded a 1990 Accord using a wiper switch from a CL and the Integrated Control Unit (ICU) from a 95 Accord. Hence, we know it can be done.

Still, having not found clear cut instructions on how to accomplish this on a Civic (can the ICU from a 95 Accord be used in any way shape or form on a 99 Civic?) , this still leaves the job to me, or to us, rather, as I haven't worked out how to do it either. But I am close. The first step, in my book, is replacing the wiper arm and that I have accomplished.

Parts used: the wiper arm from a 1998 Honda Accord that has the variable speed dial.

Tools used: one Phillips and one flat head screwdriver.

Summary: take apart the existing wiper switch arm assembly and replace just the arm/stalk using the arm from the Accord. The rest of it won't work with the existing Civic parts. In other words, the base and the contacts have to be from a Civic, but the arm comes from the Accord.

In the event this thread gets a lot of hits and requests I will post more detailed instructions for this, but I did exactly what the guy in the posted link did with his wiper arm, no filing required. Tested it out fine, wipers work exactly as they did before, except now I have the variable speed dial for the intermittent wipers.

Problem: that dial, while all pretty and stuff, doesn't work. It's not hooked up to anything. What do I hook it to? Does the ICU in the 99 Civic have variable speed capability, or do I need a different ICU? Full replacement or piggyback?

I know I'm not the first person to think of this so I look forward to the avalanche of input coming my way. Thanks in advance.

 
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My thinking about this has become very uptight.

What if instead of worrying about finding an ICU that can run the variable speed wipers we just made our own? The whole point of rigging up a piggybacked ICU would be to run the intermittent wipers and the windshield washers (the combined wiper-washer circuit). It seems to me we can leave most of the work to the existing ICU and simply bypass the signal it sends to the windshield wiper motor when it suits us.

Parts needed: Two or three 12v NC/NO relays and a timer to run the wiper motor in intermittent mode. The timer is the mystery part for me right now; the relays I can pick up at Radio Shack.

Rule #1: when the windshield wiper washer switch is in use, kill the timer circuit. This requires use of the NC side of one of the relays. When the windshield wiper washer switch is in use the relay opens, disabling power to the timer circuit. This prevents the timer attempting to run the wipers intermittently while we're washing the windows.

Rule #2: the timer circuit is powered from the intermittent setting on the wiper control arm. This could be done directly or via yet another relay. Seems like it could be done directly; I'm not sure it's necessary to ever send the intermittent switch signal to the ICU with this setup.

Rule #3: when the timer is on, we bypass the signal from the ICU to the low side of the wiper motor. Another relay definitely comes into use here; the NC side sends power to the wiper motor from the ICU when the timer is off, and when the timer is on the NO side sends power to the wiper motor from the timer.

Alternate arrangement: what about using the timer to simply bypass the signal being sent to the ICU from the intermittent switch? So instead of the intermittent switch being always on, when it is in use the timer is sending the signal intermittently, thus mimicking the driver turning the switch back and forth manually?

 
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in for this! I too want better intermediate settings for my ek!!

 
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Obviously I have several different ideas floating around here, but right now my next step is to get a spare ICU from a 96-00 Civic (Honda part 38600-S01-A11), dig around in there, and see what I can find. I am most interested in unused pins B5 and B6 and the intermittent relay circuit. Basically I'm praying there's a fixed resistor on that board that corresponds to where the intermittent dial would plug in. Being able to use the existing ICU is definitely the best case scenario.

 
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After more investigation I have determined that using the Civic ICU is a no go short of doing the Frankenstein's monster multi-relay hack job I described in the second post.

What I have decided to shoot for is porting the intermittent wiper functionality from the 97 Accord to the 99 Civic. This will require using an Accord ICU and the intermittent wiper relay from the Accord (the wiper relay on the Civic is internal to the ICU). I have obtained the wiper circuit wiring diagrams for both the Civic and the Accord and am waiting on the relay. I still need to get a diagram for the relay itself.

Also, the wiper/washer fuse on the Civic is 20A while the Accord uses 30A. The only differences I can see in the circuits are the wiper motors and the wiper relays. The washer pumps are identical. I cannot find any information on the amp draw for each motor. I'm thinking that if I blow the 20A fuse I'll replace it with a 30A. I don't understand why this would happen, but then again I'm not an electrical engineer.

 
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possible 30A for the intermediate setting? with constant on and off, to give it more.. room i guess to get power and not, and power and not. and at a fast pace

 
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I have decided to go aftermarket on the relay. After doing some research the intermittent wiper relay on the Accord is a 30A five blade relay, a pretty typical design for automotive relays. Every one I've come across uses the same wiring layout and pin numbers. The exact parts I have are BWD R3074 relay and a MasterPro 2-PS10 relay socket with pigtail. The socket is optional if you just want to solder wires directly to the relay blades. I figured using a socket will make it easier to do the job and also make it easy to replace the relay if it goes bad. What I have to do now is work out how to splice the relay and the Accord ICU into the Civic to take control of the wipers.

 
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I don't see it. The Civic already has fixed speed intermittent, low, and high speed settings. The relay is probably rated at 30A, but the relay doesn't draw 30A, it's just capable of powering up to a 30A load. Once again, though, this is my understanding and I'm not an electrical engineer.