The other day my trunk started to cot close when i slammed it down. Since I've owned it it's never had a power trunk, it did originally but somewhere along the line someone took the motor out and used wood screws to hold the latch in the right palce for the trunk to close.. Now that the screws are broken I need to do something to have a working trunk again, and I really dont want to do a half *** job likr the last owner did. So I either want to make it power again, or get a latch that's not power.

In the locking fender thing in back I found the electric motor and all the hardware that goes with it. I tried to hook it all up but couldnt find anything for these wires to go to:
0528140916.jpg?t=1243627171
one's like a think ground wire (black) the other one has 2 wires going to a connector of sorts..

There also seems to be wires in my dash for a trunk release button, although there is no button and the wires aren't hooked to anyhthing:
0528140314.jpg?t=1243627365

Since I dont know if the motor even works my best choise it to probably get a real slam down latch but if possable I'd like to make it work from inside the car buy bying a pannel that has the trunk button so I could hook up the wires. Or could a new motor be had for not thoo much money and if so how does it all hook up?
I dont know anthing about these trunks so if someone with some experiance could hep me that'd be great.

 

I wouldn't recommend you going with the motor. I have a power latch on mine and the housing has broken three times on me, after having bought one online that was supposedly reinforced and after I got one at the boneyard. I am thinking I should just put a nonpower latch on it. This would be less costly.

 

Thats what I was thinking.
Is there any way though to put a non-power latch on a car that was made with a power one?
And is there anyway to get a non-power latch that opens from the inside with the trunk button?

 

i have had a power motor in mine since 1990 and i never had a problem with it. put the motor back in - it works well just keep it properly lubed and contacts clean. will work darn near forever. and if you ever take you can to a car wash - you have to be there to tell them not to slam it. close it yourself if you have too and pretty soon they get the idea.

 

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/

I bought their full rebuild kit. The motor has a reinforced housing and the kit has a bunch of other better built parts. The tool that owned my 89 Firebird before me took out the motor and welded the housing in place. I am rebuilding my one spare until with one of Lon's kits and don't plan on ever having an issue again.

 

Hmm, those kits seem very reasonable. Only hting is many of them say

"If your 1991-92 pull-down assembly has a tan-colored plastic molded frame, do not order this kit."

I'm not sure what part this "frame" is and I'd hate to buy something and not have it work. And are the guides parts that go in the track to keep the moving part going straight. Is there a fuse for the pull down motor? I could't find one under the dash. I'm sure it doesn't hel that my button to ope it is gone.

 

they are good people at top down - give them a call and ask - they will tell you. and they will not say you can use it just to make a sale - they tell the truth.
the owner's name is Lon and he will not bs you.
and he is a 3rd gen owner.

 

K-slice posted pictures which helps me to answer his question. By frame, I am referring to the part where it mounts to the body with 3 screws. You have the early 91 style with a metal frame. Yes I have all the parts you'll need to repair your pull-down unit including any missing pieces.

Lon Salgren

 

Anything is do-able with the right tools. The biggest problem is the bracket the latch bolts to is different for a non pulldown latch assembly. The easiest way would probably be to drill the spot welds out for the bracket of a power release non-pulldown style latch at the boneyard then remove the one from your car and weld the other bracket into place.

 

I love my power hatch. I have changed one in each car over the years and it really is easy. Once you get those brackets back on you can get lined up with the hatch and be set, Like he said keep it lubed. I have a spare one I got from the j-yard just in case, hopefully I never have to worry about it again.

Are your cable and console switch in place or will you have to run that as well?

 

I'm not sure if the motor works that I have. I'm ordering a trunk release button since my car is missing the one it had. I'm gonna need something to keep the latch sliding straight in the tracks, right now it's just metal on metal. There's supposed to be some kind of plastic there right? I also think I'm missing the thing that tells the motor to go down when the trunk is closed, there are a few wires that I cant find anything to hook too, you know what those wires are for in my 2nd picture?
I'll post up some good pics tomorrow

 

How did this go?

I recently had my trunk motor plastic house basicly crumble in my hands as i was trying to see why it kept pulling down. Motor sure worked thats for sure. the plastic strips were also crumbled along as we disassembled the whole thing. Now i have the hatch closed and i am praying i dont hit the hatch release on my console by the power window buttons. It would take forever to get it closed again. Anyway, i was wondering how did this go for you? and is it easier to do rebuild the motor assembly or go for a manual one?

 

Rebuild is by far easier then a manual one, imho.

 

how much do the rebuilds run? I just got my 91 and alot of my power stuff doesnt work to include the hatch. the button is there but nothing works.

 

The release isn't part of the pull down, per se. Does the pull down work?

 

Yes, the guides. My part number is 101170.
If you have wires you have the striker-sensing switch. But I'd have to see better pictures to confirm it is all there. You're missing many items, the reversing switch which ends the up or down cycle. It is my part number 205180.
The black wire with a black rectangular connector plugs into the latch release solenoid which you are missing. I sell it as p/n 404080.

Look at my picture of a remanufactured pull-down unit and the individual items. You may be missing a gear nut (TDS 109111), reinforced motor housing (TDS 103121), wave washer (TDS 502050 ), bearing (TDS 503050), push nut (TDS 505050) and lift rod (TDS 501050). You may aleo be missing the relay (TDS 208180).

Lon