Took a test drive after swapping the shock top mounts. It’s a few days until MOT time and this is obviously when things like to break. I had no wipers, no washer fluid pump. After some diagnoistics found the 30amp fuse to the wiper system popped.
A few signs of issues on the wiper motor – black goop coming out one of the screws and around the casing. A plastic plug on the bottom looking a bit goopy / melted. It didn’t smell too good either.
Not sure on the squence of failure but the magnet was cracked, one of the brushes worn and some coils melted (which is where the smell and all the black rubbish came from).
Ordered a new one off eBay, its a Lucas wiper motor used in many classic British cars.
Swapped in the 90 degree cog from the old one and reinstalled. To make future changes easier, also orderd a plug/loom as originally we’d used spade connectors.
Nice to have fully working wipers again!