87tunedport

my 86 Trans Am has the pull down motor for the back hatch but no button on the dash for it. so the only way to unlock the hatch is my key. it was working fine i was able to open the hatch and the motor would pop out i gently close the hatch and it pulls it down. i was moving stuff around and opened the hatch a couple times it worked fine but then i left the key in the keyhole, the motor pulled down and now it wont come back up. for some reason the hatch is still open and i can lift it up too. i tried to turn the key to get the motor back up and nothing almost like the whole thing has no power. is there a fuse or something that might have blown from multiple uses? i have an owners manual on order but i dont have a fuse diagram for my car. is there one is the fuse block?

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

There is a fuse, I believe that it is labeled "lid."
http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=19
That will get you all the wiring diagrams.

wisemanz28

mine has broken a couple of times and usually the housing around the motor breaks away and doesn't let the motor make contact with the pull down mechanism. Rock Auto sells the replacement motor and housing.

87tunedport

i dont see anything labeled on that schematic for rear hatch or lid or anyhthing related to the pull down motor so ill try just pulling fuses looking for a burnt one and replace as necessary

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Look down in the latch, there's a small switch, looks like a black plastic tab. Push it down with your finger tip, or a screwdriver, and see if the motor starts running.

What sometimes happens, is the hatch pulldown will run far enough that it doesnt touch the striker, but not far enough to trip the reverse switch. When that happens the motor won't run either way because the pulldown thinks it's open. Pushing the switch down, lets the motor run the rest of the way down till it hits the reversing switch, then when you release the switch it'll run all the way back to the top.

87tunedport

would it be easier to access that switch with the trim removed?

87tunedport

i checked all the fuses and the only one that was blown was for the cooling fans ill replace it tomorrow, i removed the trim to see the motor and tried every tab/lever i could find to get the motor to move and nothing no clicking no movement. is the relay there anything worth looking into? or am i looking at a new motor?

someone972

iTrader: (2)

Should be a Red/Wht stripe wire back there going to several components. This should be hot at all times if the fuse is good, check with a voltmeter and see if you have battery voltage on it.

87tunedport

update: got the motor working!!!

when i was pushing the switch yesterday i forgot i unplugged the motor, thats why i got no response. i plugged the motor back in and hit the switch, the motor came back up

however everytime i open the trunk now the motor wont come up. i have to hit that switch to bring the motor up so i can latch the hatch down. any ideas? is this a common issue with these motors?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

When you close the hatch, does it run until you hear the reversing switch click?

You might need to adjust the pulldown. Three big bolts, the entire assembly moves up or down, left or right, etc.

Lot's of potentials issues with the pulldown... #1 is cracked plastic housing.

someone972

iTrader: (2)

There's a relay in that circuit back there which keeps the motor running until the reversing switch tops out. This is so it will continue to go up to the top even when the striker has popped up already and is no longer closing the switch contacts. Do you have this relay back there? Might be a good place to look next if adjustment doesn't help.

mantaguy

iTrader: (5)

87tunedport

but i never even removed the 3 big bolts. it worked fine before all this happened. why would it mess up now?

im not excusing what you said just general wondering. in any case should i move the assembly up or down?

i did pull the relay out but put it back in maybe if i replace it?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

If you don't hear the click at the end of the hatch pulling down, then the motor is stopping because the hatch striker isnt pushing the button down. Or at least not long enough.

It's not terribly difficult to make an adjustment. Take a sharp pencil and outline the washers on the bolts, that way you can always adjust it back if it doesnt help.

I'd try moving the pulldown up, which would cause the hatch striker to push down on the switch longer.

You could also look for cracks in the motor housing, missing screws, broken guides. Usually all of the above will make the moving half of the assembly floppy loose.

87tunedport

im experiencing a dead battery issue. i still did not fix my pull down motor issue and i still have to hit that tab everytime to bring the motor up so i can close the hatch. is it possible the motor is draining the battery? this draining problem came up when the motor issue came up too

i did order a new motor but have not installed it since i wasnt sure i still needed it

someone972

iTrader: (2)

Easy check if you have a multimeter. Use the 10 amp plug on the multimeter if yours has one. Set the multimeter to measure amps. Then pull the LID fuse, and put the two multimeter prongs into the fuse socket. If you're measuring draw then something's wrong. I had an issue with mine where the reversing switch went bad and it caused the motor to run continuously, which made the motor pretty hot and jammed it in one position (go figure I was at a car show without my tools).

Let me get the symptoms straight. Starting in the full up position, you close the hatch and the striker latches. It then pulls it down until you hear an audible "click" and the hatch stops. You release the hatch, but the motor does not come up all the way. You have to push the switch the striker touches to get it to come up. Does this sound correct? When you push the switch, does the assembly move down at all before it starts moving up?

87tunedport

long story short is the motor thought i closed the hatch one day and traveled to far down then wouldnt move either way. i started inspecting everything. i thought the motor was dead since all fuses were still good and wiring was too. then post #5 informed me of the switch, i pushed the switch, the motor went down to bottom then returned back up. after that i have had to hit that switch to bring motor up every time i open hatch it wont come up on its own. every time i bring motor up it has to finish traveling to bottom then back up. when i close hatch the motor pulls down then stops there is no click heard

someone972

iTrader: (2)

That sounds like it isn't getting far enough down to trip the reversing switch while it's closing. Have you inspected to see if the motor assembly has shifted? I'd try loosening the bolts and moving it up and see if it helps. Also inspect it to see if there's some other reason why it's not tripping the switch, maybe something has broken and moved. It will definitely draw current if it's not getting to the bottom of the travel before the hatch can't move any further.

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

I agree, likely the pull-down unit is mounted too low on the car body. Loosen the three 13mm screws, than raise it up and tighten them. You MUST hear a CLICK at the end of the down cycle of the pull-down unit. That CLICK is the sound of the reversing switch being tripped to end the down cycle. If the pull-down unit is mounted too low it will stall out (and drain your battery) before it has reached the end of the down cycle and tripped the reversing switch. Has the hatch seal been replaced? That would explain why the pull-down unit is too low (it is actually a case of the hatch seal being a bit taller then the OEM).

Lon

87tunedport

The 3 bolts that hold the entire assembly in place? or the 3 bolts that mount the motor to the assembly?

I did not yet replace the motor but I'm probably just gonna toss it in since I already ordered it, just for preventative maintenance

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

The 3 bolts that mount the frame of the pull-down unit to the body.

Lon

87tunedport

Ok I'll give that a shot, I'm gonna pull it anyway so I can take it home and put the new motor on anyway

87tunedport

i got the new motor in and will reinstall in the car later today but my guides were broken badly and im thinking about replacing them. i searched ebay and HOLY CRAP 39.00 for those things

is there a cheaper place to pick them up? rockauto.com maybe?

someone972

iTrader: (2)

I'd recommend the ones from TDS, they're a quality part that don't fall apart and are cheaper than what you found on ebay.
http://www.top-downsolutions.com/hat...o-or-firebird)

87tunedport

thanks i ordered

ill post an update once i reinstall motor

lonsal

iTrader: (2)

They shipped today.

Thanks,

Lon

87tunedport

well to update everyone i reinstalled the pull down unit just to see if it fixed it (new guides to be delivered today ) i raised the motor a hair as everyone suggested and it worked!! the motor clicks when closed and comes back up when i open the hatch.

now i have to put the new guides in and i bought a set of hatch struts so should restore the functionality of my hatch

mantaguy

iTrader: (5)

87tunedport

new guides installed, new struts installed motor works great, no more power drain, motor comes up when i open hatch

thanks for the help everyone