Anyone replaced their motors before? It's hard as hell to even switch out the 'cap' and brushes while it's still installed in the door. I got my old one out (wasn't worn too bad yet) and Anthony's one is in PERFECT shape, so I'm trying to put that back in.

I don't want to have to drill the old one out or rivet a new one in unless I absolutely have to.

The previous owner told me he didn't touch the driver's side, but he redid the passenger's side. The passenger's side is slowly getting worse. The driver's side was done before, because there are 3 holes drilled into the door right where the motor's rivets should be. Also, it is bolted in with sheet metal screws.

So, I decided to take Anthony's entire motor off the regulator (since it is flawless in there) and swap 'em. But... I forgot how strong the spring is holding that crap together and WHAM! Boy, can that sucker fly!! Knocked over a tray full of chisels and punches into me and flew the toothed end of the regulator into a wall. Thank *** I wasn't another few degrees over when I was drilling!

I should have shoved something in between the two, but now it's too late and I don't know exactly how it goes back together. (Haven't had time to look at it since it fell apart.) Is the spot to reinforce obvious? If I can lock the piece in the car door then I don't mind taking another crack at it. It's only 3 screws, but I don't want to shatter my window and smash up my door.

Going to print out some older threads I've read about this for ideas, might try to work on it tonight, but probably tomorrow night instead. Any advice? This is holding me back from taking my car to class to start the brakes. I need to get my car to the shop by wednesday.

Scott

 

Thanks goodness you weren't impaled by some sharp metal...

This is exactly why I paid Performance Auto Care to change the window motor in my '92 Camaro. It's a hard, dirty and dangerous job. If the parts are similiar to an 87 Camaro, I have the GM shop manual ready to assist with diagrams...

 

Yeah, but I just hate the idea of "sending" my car somewhere. Last resort- yes, but I want to give this another crack.

I printed out a couple of threads but they didn't have as much info as I remembered. (I guess 80-90% of it is obvious once you open it up, so there isn't much more to add.)

If I still can't get it after tomorrow night I'll let you know Ed, thanks for lookin' out for me!

Right now, it's a git-er-done job. I don't have money for relays and dew wipes (or rain gutters, whatever those window strips are called) and other fancier things I wanted to do. So, this is my learning experience and the <i>next</i> time they die, it'll be the 'once-and-for-all' repair.

Scott

 

I just remembered I have a power window regulator assy I bought a long time ago and never installed. You're welcome to scope it out to see how the parts are arranged.

 

Thanks for the support, Ed. I FINALLY got it workin'!!

It ain't great, but it's good enough for now. A good temporary solution until I overhaul the thing sometime next year. (Correctly, with relays and one-touch up/down switches and all.)

It wasn't even hard to put back together, I was just picturing the parts that don't matter in a different way.

I used my motor housing and commutator (completely disassembled and cleaned) and used Anthony's brushes and brush holder/end cap.

I chipped the brushes a bit the first day I took them out trying to put them in. (Again, I should really take my time and think things through before just trying to shove things together.) Hopefully, once they wear in a little more it'll speed the motor up. It sounds 'whiney' now, moreso than most window motors I've heard. Oh well, I can wash my car again now!

On a side note, the "cheater" ("or hack-job...") method works soooo much easier than anything else. Plus, you can replace motors like NOTHING once you've done it, so if you buy a cheapo reman motor with lifetime warranty, (or junkyard specials...) you'll be good to go in 10 minutes TOPS. When my fuel pump goes out, you better believe I'll be making an access panel (or "hack-panel").

Scott

 

Are you bringing the 'Bird, Scott? I'd like to see what a window motor looks like, just in case i nee to do mine later on. No problems with them yet, but you never know, right?

 

Yes! Nothing is going to stop me from bringin' her on saturday! (Only doin' half of my brake project this week to make sure I can take the car home on friday.)

I'll gladly show you the motor and regular taken apart if you want me to bring it. I don't mind taking off my door panel to show you the "cheater" way though.

Doin' it this way is-

1) easier
2) faster
3) SAFER
4) refer to first three

I installed used stuff and didn't even align the window, or clean everything, or lube everything, or install new dew-wipes, or anything else. Considering all that, I'd say it works like a champ! However, it works just 'okay.'

Looks like cleaning and relubricating everything will probably do more than just replacing the motor with a new/reman one.

Scott

 

Yeah, I wanna see the quick and dirty low-down cheater way!

 

Sure thing! I'm going to start collecting motors and regulators from yard cars now. Gonna pick up a cheapo cordless drill.

I still haven't tried those electrical shops yet, but I'll call them and also see if the guys at Pacific Starters and Alternators on Nimitz can hook me up with new brushes. Whichever can get me cut brushes the cheapest is the place I'm going to.

The only part I'm not sure about is the output end (mechanical gear) of the motor. Looks like that needs to be drilled out and repacked with grease... unless there is some other way to pack it that I couldn't find. Possibly right through the motor housing....

Scott

 

Is it big enough to stick a Zerk fitting on it? Hmmm. I'll have to look at the guts, to see what you're talking about. I've got a dead lheadlight control module I'm meaning to diagnose, figure out how they work and all. Maybe I can rebuild/repair them and NOT pay 200+ bucks for a new one if/when they fail.