I have a '90 Formula and two days ago and heard an odd humming, so like I usually do, I turned up the radio. When I got to work I got out of the car and realized what it was...the hatch motor. I got home and disconnected the battery so it wouldn't drain it again. The question is: How do I disconnect it, fix it, or replace it? Right now I just need to disconnect it, but since the motor is still running I figure it can probably be fixed. Thanks in advance.

P.S. I did check the arhcives

 

Pull the trim panel back there, and simply pull the connector to the motor. It will stop running.

It prolly is no longer doing the "pull down" thing. The gears are only plastic, and if folks like to slam your lid down (like, say, my wife and daughter have a habit of doing.....) it will destroy the mechanism in short order........

 

If the teeth are bad is there a way to just change the gears or am I going to have to buy the whole thing?

 

My 89' had the same problem, I just pulled a manual latch out of a totaled mid 80's model Camaro, and welded it to the plate that the mechanical assembly slid up and down on.

 

Mine just started doing that a couple days ago.. (Nooo!) I pushed down on the hatch and it stopped. I figured the hatch was *almost* but not quite at the bottom of it's movement and couldn't quite get down there (maybe because of a weak motor, stripped gearteeth, or the assembly moved away from the switch).

 

I did the same thing as far as pushing down and it didn't stop it. I have it disconnected now and I just have to slam it. Anyone know where I can get a used one?

 

hey guess guess what...
i think 50% of the third gens have that problem...
u dont have to pull ur batery or pull the cable...

ur fuse box has a fuse for the hatch... it cuts the power to the hatch motor...

and i lost mine too

what the hell was GM thinkkin when they designed this system..

right now i have stopped the motor in a place .. where it allows the hatch to be closed and opened ..no air gaps and leaks so far

anyway the best bet is to buy a mechanism from ebay .. damn the new ones are over 300$

and swap with what u have ...(its winter and too cold out there thats why im holding on)

 

i did some research ... on the motor...

and guys if someone opens one ... beware dont try opening the gearbox or the motor... get the whole mechanism out

its a mess to open the motor... as toomuch to put back...

still working on it... the direction thing is conotrolled by a switch that conects to the motor (black in color) (white motor and gearbox)

thats the thing tgat makes the motor to stop... at a particular pos. so if jza ... u have to push it means that its outta alignment or dust in there ... i donno if its safe to spray wd40...


anyone has more ideas..??

 

I have the gear nuts, motor housings (which are specially reinforced where they commonly break) and hatch pull-down guides available for the 86-91 assemblies. The same gear nut is used on the 2nd design 91-92 units, but the motor housing and guides are different. E-mail me if interested in purchasing these parts.
I just converted the instructions I send with the nylon guide kits to an Adobe Acrobat file which I can e-mail to anyone that needs it. Lon