I'm not sure if this belongs here or in the Tech/General section.

Anyways I had my Camaro out today and was doing a little cruising. I had both the driver's side and passenger side windows down. When I got back home I pulled in the garage and before I shut the car off I hit the buttons to roll the windows up. The passenger side went right up, but the driver's side only went up about an inch and stopped. I shut the car off and just turned on the accessories and tried to roll it up again. It went up maybe a half an inch before stopping. When I turned on the accessories I noticed the cooling fan kicked on. So I turned it off and waited about 30 sec and turned the key and the fan kicks on again. I hit the button and the window rolled up about 2 more inches before stopping. So I went in the house and went back out about 10 minutes later. I turned on the accessories again and the fan kicked on again. I hit the button and the window rolled all the way up. I've had the car 3 years and this has never happened before. The fan has never kicked on when I turned the key and the window has never behaved like this before. At first I thought the window motor was going out, but I figured it that was the case it would have just died all together instead of eventually working like normal. Anybody have any ideas?

 

I waited a couple hours and went out and turned the key again. I didn't start the engine, just turned on the accessories. The fan didn't kick on again, so I'm just going to write that off that it needed to come on. I rolled down the driver's side window again and it went down just fine. It wasn't slow or anything. It was the normal speed. Then I went to roll it back up and it went up about an inch and stopped. I waited 30 seconds and it went up another inch or so. I ended up waiting about 3 minutes and it rolled up just fine. Then I'd try to roll it back down and it would go down an inch or so and stop. Would it be the motor? I would think if it was the motor then it would just be dead all together. Also when I hit the switch and it doesn't raise or lower, I can hear the clicking noise inside the door as if the motor is trying to work, but nothing is happening.

 

The cooling fan thing is compeltely normal, no worries there. If its above the temp it needs to be on, it can come on anytime the key is turned to the ON position. Accessory is turning the key backwards, and your windows will not work if you do this. But back to the window problem, that is a symptom of a failing motor. You will need to replace that asap so it doesn't go out go out on you at an inconvenient time (as that always do, usually when it starts storming or something.)

 

Been there done that. firechicken is right. your motors are failing. I once drove a car 60 miles home with the windows down and it was 20 degrees.

 

Man thats rough! Did you have frostbite? lol

 

yea.... I had to thaw out like a frozen turkey lol

 

Ouch! That must have sucked!

I checked ebay for a new motor. I can't believe how cheap they are. I was figuring they'd be a lot more. Is it an easy enough fix that I can do myself? I have the Hayes Camaro repair manual and they don't show the procedure. The closest thing they do is to take the inside of the door off.

 

I'd get it. An easy fix. I wish my windows were plain ole crank up style.

 

I may pick up 2 of them and keep one on hand in case the passenger side goes out.

I know what you mean. My '87 Sport Coupe was the crank up style and I didn't mind rolling them up and down by hand.

 

Did you say you passenger side window is getting weak? If it isn't I wouldn't worry about it too much. The passenger door probably got only one tenth of the use the driver's side did. By the way, how does that engine perform?

 

It's the driver's side that's going bad. I just figured as cheap as the motors were maybe I'd pick up an extra to keep on hand in case the passenger side went out. But like you said, it probably didn't get the use that the driver's side did.

I've never taken the car to a drag strip, so I don't know what it would run in the quarter. It's a stock 305 TPI. It's the fastest car I've ever had, but the only cars I've owned to compare it to is a 1987 Camaro SC with a 2.8 liter and a 1999 Mustang with a 3.8 liter.

 

Well I'll tell ya Strato, I like the way my l03 runs, and it's at least 35 hp less than your tpi. I am an old school man. I used to own a 68 Charger RT w/440 magnum one of my fastest cars, so I have that to compare it to. I have been told about all the different v6 engines that will "smoke" my camaro, I just tell them to bring it back when is sounds like my camaro then I'll be impressed...

 

I hear ya there... I had a friend back in high school that had a 1991 RS with the 305 TBI engine. Even though a lot of people look down on those for not having a lot of hp (I'm not one of them) they still have a lot of torque. Probably not much less than mine.

I hear the same thing too, and I know that there are some 4 bangers out there that could make my car look like it's sitting still, but I still love the looks of the 3rd gens, and I agree with you about the sound. I hardly ever listen to the radio when I'm driving my camaro because I'm too busy listening to that engine purr...

 

Yea,, I've said it before, music to my ears. Torque is the important number anyway. HP sells cars, Torque wins races!

 

Ive had tha problem with the windows before.Turned out the contacts on the switch were dirty.

 

Hopefully that's not the case. I have a new motor on the way.

 

USUALLY it is the motor when you have these symptoms, so you should be save. When you install the new motor, make sure you use plenty of white lithium grease on the tracks the regulator moves on, this will help your window move faster, and help the new motor last longer.

 

Thanks for the tip!

 

No problem! Thats what we're here for!