The eternal wiper earth problem...

[KGB67]

After much surfing the net looking for answers, I have just joined the site so please forgive me if I am asking a silly question.

I have an intermittent wiper fault which seems to be common and I wish to go down the route of trying an improved earth fix as has been suggested on many sites.

I have two problems:

Firstly, I do not know how to take off the scuttle that covers the wiper motor; I can release the plastic screws that hold the panel down underneath the bonnet but am stuck as to how to get the part next to the windscreen and moulded around the wiper arms to move. I removed the nuts holding the wiper arms on but cannot proceed further. I cannot seem to see how the arms come off and I cannot see how to remove the scuttle and access the motor otherwise.

Secondly, many sites talk about the earth being connected in a junction hidden behind a footwell panel; some say the driver's side, some say the passenger's side. Does anyone know exactly where it is so that I can attempt to clean the contacts there? Before I go ripping my car apart, I would like to know whether it be the door or the gearstick side?

I have also had water ingress into the footwell sometimes; this is apparently often caused by a scuttle drain blockage, so you can see that I am quite keen to have a go at getting access to it myself rather than going to a garage and being told something erroneous like needing a new ECU!

If anyone can help, I would be most grateful.