I figured it out. Your advice was helpful, Ian. I can now honestly say that everything that was working on the car last fall, before I took it apart and the engine out, is now working again. 

Hi Glen, before you take any advice you have to consider that I am strictly an amateur...albeit one whose been (re)wiring my own Mini for over 50 years....

I think the short answer to your question is ...”it depends” (the standard answer to any question in my old trade:)

Most (all??) switches that I have seen have their terminals numbered. Going by the wiring diagrams in my manual both the early stalk type wiper switches (single speed wipers) and the later dual speed tumbler type switches (which I think your 76 should have) have 4 terminals - numbered 1,6,7 and 8. However they are wired differently... I would suggest this is probably due to the use of tumbler switches with dual speed wipers rather than any particular aspect of the switch...

Post 64 single speed wipers have the green power lead attached to T1 (which is fed from the fuse via the 12V side of the (instrument) /voltage regulator. Prior to this, power came via the fuel gauge (unless a PO, moi??.. had to replace the fuel tank and hence needed a 64 style fuel gauge with a voltage regulator). (Hence the old aphorism “signs (and wiring diagrams) are for the guidance of wise men and the blind obedience of fools” :)

Dual speed wipers also use 4 terminal switches but have power supplied to T6....

I would never (as in Not Ever) connect a wire to any terminal before knowing where the wire is coming from and where is it going..... is it live or earth???

Good luck :)

Cheers, Ian

Thanks, Ian. I don't think the wiper switch is original; it's likely aftermarket. Do you happen to know if, in general, aftermarket switches maintain the same color wires? I'm busy for a few days but will return to this issue soon. Thanks again. 

Hi Glen, after 45 years the chances that your car has a perfectly standard wiring loom are probably pretty remote. (And we don’t what model/origin etc your 76 is)

Black wires are earths in standard BMC et al looms. However.... see para 1.

Is the green wire live, with or without ignition, wipers on etc?? According to my factory manual the wiper switch (for a 70s era UK Clubman) should have a green (power) wire from the fuse block with a brown/light green wire and red/light green wire going to the wiper motor. There doesn’t seem to be any connection between the wiper switch and any (steering column???) stalk (and no black wires, the earth connection is at the wiper motor). Terminal 1 (and 7) and 8 go to the wiper mtr and T6 is live from the fuse.

Maybe the terminal was used as a live point to power some other accessory??? Have you found anything that doesn’t work?

Chasing the circuits using a test light or voltmeter shouldn’t create any further issues.

Cheers, Ian

I have a 1976 1000, RHD. During a recent project, a green wire coming up from the harness on the wiper switch became disconnected from one of four connectors. But which one? All four connectors have a wire attached and the disconnected wire looks like it was crimped in a connector with another wire.  I've looked at the wiring diagrams but I'm still not sure. My best guess is that it goes with the black wire that leads up into the stalk. Can anyone confirm? I guess I could go connector to connector and see what happens but I didn't want to create any new issues.