Hi all. I recently installed my ppd motor hatch thing into my 86 Camaro. Before it was installed, the car was fine and lights worked and everything. I was working towards restoring it. However, yesterday evening I had connected the wires to get it working. Yet, this morning, I went outside to check it. This is where I noticed it wasn't lifting the hatch. I was able to just lift the hatch. I closed it again to see if it would lock or pull down. It did not at all. It won't even lock because the ppd is too far down therefore it can't catch the hatch hook thing. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is anyone familiar with this issue? What do I do?

 

It sounds like it might be slightly out of adjustment. When the pulldown moves up and down, it trips a reversing switch. It should flip the switch on the way up, and the way down to signal that it's reached the end of travel and turn off the motor. If the pulldown mechanically binds before it trips the reversing switch, the motor won't turn off. Likewise if the motor doesn't complete it's cycle up or down, sometimes you can get it in between and it will act like it's dead. For example, if the pulldown doesn't go all the way down until you hear the click, it won't reverse and come back up when the hatch is open. When that happens, sometimes you have to push down the striker switch at the top and hold it down until the pulldown goes all the way down and clicks over to UP again. Then release the striker switch and it'll come all the way back up and the hatch can be closed again.

So in short, make sure you hear the reversing switch all the way down, and all the way up.

 

Thanks for the reply.

​​​​​​Do you recommend a way to adjust it? I was told to keep the 3 bolts semi loose then pull the whole assembly up as far as possible then tightening them down. I did that when I installed it. Also would it help if I use a greese on the guides? Like WD40

 

Open the hatch, and use your finger to push the striker switch at the top of the PPD latch down. It should come on and pull the latch all the way down and stop with a loud "click". When you take your finger off the switch, it should come all the way up and stop with another loud "click". If it's not making those clicks, and moving up/down, the problem is in the ppd assembly.

If the assembly seems to be moving up and down and the switch is clicking, try snugging the three bolts with the PPD assembly pushed as high up as possible, and see if closing the hatch results in the motor pulling down, and again listen for the click. If it clicks at the bottom, it should drive back up when the trunk is opened again.

If the hatch struts are weak, you'll often have PPD problems. They should almost open the hatch by themselves once the hatch is lifted a couple inches. If not, the weight will sit on the striker switch and sometimes the hatch will try to pull down again, but without the striker latched, the pulldown will often stop half way down, low enough it won't latch to the hatch, but high enough the PPD hasn't switched to the UP position.

 

Thank you so much! After I jump the car, I'll try this! Thanks again!

 

What Drew said. Also, make sure your courtesy light is switched off when you're done.

 

Where is that located? Also does anyone know what the plug connection to the inside of the trim close to the assembly do?

 

Could be a number of plugs depending on the year and option. Some cars have a light in the trunk activated by the trunk latch. Some have a manual switch for the light. Cars with the third brake light in the spoiler have a contact pad for the light circuit on top of the trim panel. Some cars have a remote hatch release. All of these options have wiring associated with them that could be disconnected, or in some cases you'll have a wiring connector for an item the car didn't come with.

If you can post a pic of the plug you mean, someone can ID it for you.