Shoulda tried this long ago, but i just got around to it yesterday.Anyway, on the window motor assembly(plug side) there is a small hole next to the connector.Stick the red tube used on brake cleaner nozzles & spray some cleaner in there.You wont be able to see the hole, but you'll know when its in, cause the tube will go in quite a ways.

As your spraying roll the window up/down repeatedly.If necessary, pull the tube out.What came out of mine was nothing but black cleaner.It looked like dirty motor oil.Repeat til cleaner comes out clear or window speed improves.

At first i tried this with liquid wrench, but the motor actually slowed way down.Im guessing it was too thick.So i thinned it out with brake cleaner & that did the trick.My passenger window was really slow.Its now twice as fast, Dr side is also much faster!

No long term results, but i hoping the black gunk coming out was all the dirt/**** that built up over the years.Time will tell.The window motors are much quieter too.

This is a spare regulator i have to illustrate where the hole is.

Side shot shows how far tube can go in.Dont go in this far,
leave enough out to connect to nozzle

 

I can vouch that this works.

I've done it myself.

 

thanks for the info, I'll have to add this to the "to do" list once I get my car running again...

 

firedemom, Any long term feedback?

 

damn it needs to warm up so i can do it

 

I'm going to have to try this next summer, my windows are very slow to go up and down, and I was hoping just greasing the tracks would help, but it didn't.

Hopefully this method fixes mine too.

 

added to what is now the weekend long to-do list of WHEN i decide to pull the door panels off

 

I had purchased a set of new window motors off ebay to swap in for the interior restoration.

After stripping the doors, I noticed the service port at the bottom of the motors, so I thought I'd see what would happen before I scrapped them. The passenger window actually got MUCH worse. almost non functional actually (But I too had used liquid wrench lithium grease). But the drivers window began acting like someone had thrown a turbo on it. I replaced the passenger motor, and ran the driver motor like that for about a month before I figured wtf and scrapped it for the other new motor. Seemed to run fine for the time it was in.

My logic was though, since I had already bought two new motors, why run a perfectly functioning original motor with worn brushes when I could run a perfectly functional brand new motor.

 

im glad if found this. It was 28 degrees here in dallas this morning. I went to jack in the box for breakfast and I had to make the drive though wait on me it took so long to roll the window down. I am going to give this a shot when it warms up. Let us know if time goes by if they slow down again as i am curious.

 

What type of cleaner are you guys using?

 

starting fluid, brake clean, carburetor cleaner or degreaser should do the trick.

 

This is on your to-do list

Should do the trick

Are you suggesting stuff without even doing the process yourself?

 

anyone have any long term results? I have also read a relay strainght off the battery was the way to go.

 

being most if not all RC cars are going brushless, some hobby shops may still carry motor spray specifically for cleaning out that kind of gunk.

 

I need to do this to my Z28. I was in the local grocery/dept store, last night, and I ran across Gunk (brand name) Electric Motor Contact Cleaner. I was going to try this, but after reading this thread and seeing how carb cleaner was mentioned, I'm going to try that since I already have a can. Glad I found this thread.

 

My passenger window periodically needs to be re-sprayed, because it eventually slows down.However each time it needs less brake cleaner than the last & slows down slightly less the previous cleanings.
I think there's just a lot of grime in that 30 some year old motor, but my driver side works great.I think ive done the dr.side 2-3 times since this was posted.Passenger......probably closer to half dozen times.No complaints though.

 

But wouldn't it work better with a Lithium White Grease spray,after cleaning with the Brake Cleaner??

 

Probably whats in there already...dried up & gunky.I think grease is too thick anyway & partially slows things down, only gets worse over time.

I was thinking of spraying DuPont Teflon spray next time, after it dries only a Teflon powder is left.

 

I haven't gotten around to doing this, yet. I'm in the middle of resolving a few other issues, but the interior is next on the agenda. Anyhow, do you need to completely remove the motor assembly to get to that hole to spray the cleaner into? I haven't removed any door panels, yet, so I really don't know what it looks like in there.

 

I bent the tube into a J shape & worked it in by feel.Then connected the tube to the nozzle.While spraying it, I would work the window up/down.Alot of the cleaner flows out thru the port.Especially while lowering the window &/or if you remove the tube.So a good size cloth under the port will catch the brake cleaner or watch get on your paint.

 

Avoid using any cleaner with acetone, it could melt plastics, rubbers and wire coverings.

 

I'll give this a try. I was planning on just replacing the motors.

 

AC Delco GM Original Equipment Part #12497971 ; Includes motor, backing plate, gear, and post...@RockAuto

for $34 bucks each........I don't think I'm going for the resurrection of a 25 year old slow power window motor.....it's old and worn out.

So IMO, if I take off the door panels, I'm grabbing a drill and installing these.

But....if short on cash and have other priority's....by all means!

 

Them cheap motors from Rockauto burn out fast (4-5months and the brushes break off the springs)

Take your reg assembly out, Completely clean everything off with break / parts cleaner, Then use White lithium grease on the gear, And the bearings inside the motor on top / bottom of the shaft and it will work good for years to come.

I did that 2 years ago and it still working like brand new

 

Bump for a good cause

 

Is the motor just bad or dirty? I have a passenger side window that hardly works.....

 

How did the AC original motor work out for you??

 

Although I haven't done this (yet) on my Camaro I have corrected Monte Carlo motors. If you look at the side of the metal motor body there are tabs bent over to hold the plastic end. I took the motor completely apart so I could lightly sand the armature and brushes. This also allows re-greasing of the bearings & gears. Although cleaning the contacts sure will help, actually dressing the contacts makes for a better repair. If you are going to all the trouble to get to the motor it isn't a lot more work to pull the motor and service it or as others have said replace it. But if you have the door panels off for some other reason it makes sense to at least clean it as described here.

 

Well, there's no better cheerleader than a convert. I was very skeptical about how well this actually worked. The window on the vert I'm restoring was super slow and would only move an inch (if that) before it hit the internal circuit breaker tripped and it stopped. I sprayed the bejesus out of the motor with the brake cleaner and it miraculously cured it, like a divine intervention. I think I'll buy a new motor in case this doesn't last long though.

 

You can get new motors for under $20 from Discountbodyparts.com they are "replacement" brand. I never heard of them but tried them out on my 87 camaro which I no longer own, but i contacted the new owner and he says he hasn't had any issue with them and this is about 3.5 to 4 years after I installed them. Think I will just replace the motors in my 85 for that cost.

 

It's difficult to justify a repair if the replacement parts are that cheap. However, I have found that most replacement parts are inferior to the factory parts. It seems electrical parts are particularly a problem. Both of my window motors are factory 1989 motors. I have disassembled, cleaned them and re-lubed them, but did not replace any components. I found part of the cause of the slow-ness was gooey grease in the window tracks and misalignment. Same was true with the door lock actuators. I guess it really depends on the condition of the original components and one's willingness to take the chance. I find it difficult to believe that a $20 replacement motor will last 26 years and counting...

 

That's the reason why I still have the OE motors in my 84.Never so much as a hic-up.Slow & steady FTW.

$20, plus the labor & quality of the install are other factors to consider.Not questioning others repairs, but mine if I decided to replace, than repair.

 

Anyone know what the time improvement was from say full open to close? Are we talking a second or two? Id be curious to do this on my aftermarket motors. My left side has slowed down and occasionally pops the breaker when i use both at the same time.

 

With the engine running it takes 4 seconds for the window to go up. Both are within a couple hundredths. Before I cleaned the motors my drivers window was much slower. Sorry but I didn't clock it before. If raising both windows together the passengers would be closed and the passenger would still have about 2-3" to go. Now they close almost the exact same speed.

 

No worries, i was just more so curious. Think i'm gonna do this mod, and the relay mod, Hopefully have lightning fast windows! (wouldnt that be something)

 

I may have mixed results on this now. Right after I did this the motor was amazingly fast but I came back a week later and it was behaving the same as before I sprayed it. After I get the doors' body work done I'll remove the motor and try a better clean.

 

Same here, it took a few cleanings & a couple cans of cleaner before most of the crap was flushed out.I still spray it now & then whenever I remove the door panel for other things, but for the most part it works a lot better than it used to.What bother me more is the humming is louder than id like.

 

I know its an old thread but its a timeless topic. I've down this on the car that I have totally disassembled and it does work. But can it be done on a car with the window motor still mounted in the door? I don't see how to get the straw into the hole in the motor?

 

Use a can with a straw, bend it but don't crease it.