I posted this on the tech forum of SC3G, but figured I'd throw it out here in case someone who knows, but doesn't go to that forum can give me an answer. I installed the spoiler, and adjusted my rear deck height. Since doing that, my hatch motor comes up when the hatch is opened only about 1/3 of the time. Other times I need to manually push the "trigger" to get it to come up and open to receive the hatch latch. Is there another adjustment that I'm missing?

 

I had the Firebird out today taking some stuff to camp, and opened and closed the hatch numerous times. I don't know what happened since I haven't made any adjustments since Saturday night, but it worked perfectly all day!

 

Spray some contact cleaner on the striker-sensing switch (that "trigger" you had to fiddle with). That will only buy you some time until the contacts inside eventually fail.

Bad news; the switch is disconyinued by GM.

Good news; I still have a few new switches in stock.

Lon

 

Russ,
Didn't you have the wrap around aero spoiler and removed it for the small Pontiac spoiler?

The reason I ask is that since installing my much lighter firberglass aero spoiler my car does the same thing. On my car it appears to be a weight issue. With the deck now much lighter, the pull down motor can't always reset the switch.

To even pop the deck, I have to sometimes lean on the hatch to get the pull-down to release. I'm not sure if there is any adjustment that can be made for the lighter weight deck.

 

Bret, if Russ had written that he had trouble getting the hatch to engage and pull-down I'd agree that the problem was the lighter hatch spoiler. He is describing that the hatch isn't rising. This tells me that the switch isn't sensing that the hatch hook is no longer present. When you pop the hatch it should begin rising right away. In my case on the RS it doesn't rise right away. That is because popping the trunk doesn't lift the hook far enough off of the switch to begin the cycle. On my Firebird the cycle begins right away after popping the hatch, but the hatch pull-down motor stalls out withing a second or two because it hits the hatch hook. Fortunately it rarely contacts it hard enough to latch. So all I have to do is go around and pull up the hatch. It isn't a good idea to leave the motor in this stalled out position for long. The motor can burn up rather quickly.

Bret, your case sounds like you've described, the hatch hook just isn't engaging the switch hard enough to have it pull down. The bad thing is that the striker sensing switch can be engaged, yet the hook isn't latched. If that happens you'll need to press the switch by hand until it fully lowers, then release and stops again at the top of the cycle.

Lon

 

Russ' problem still sounds similar to mine. From his description, he can pop the hatch, but the latch doesn't rise up. When this happens you can't close the hatch.

What you then have to do is reach in and trip the switch with a finger and the motor will raise the latch like it's supposed to. Once you've done this, the hatch will close normally.

My car does this pretty frequently. I think it's due the the fact that the motor has trouble closing the lighter hatch enough to reset the switch.

 

Consider this fair warning to all of you with a 1986-91 hatch pull-down unit: If you have to fiddle with the switch frequently to get it to work, I'd invest in a new striker-sensing switch NOW. I say this especially knowing what I know. 1) The switch has been discontinued and no aftermarket one exists. 2) The switch is warning you that it is going bad (when it finally does finally fail terminally you can't say you didn't know it was going bad. Rationalize all you want, but if you have to fiddle with the switch it is warning you that it is going to fail). 3) It isn't going to get any cheaper to buy a new one in the future, especially considering reason #1. My cost went up considerably to buy the last few new switches I could scrounge compared to what I'd been paying through my original source. Even given the better than 100% bump in price I had to pay I consider myself fortunate to grab the few I did.

I've un-melted the small plastic pins that hold the switch body together and opened the switch to try and repair them. No dice. There are small brass spring-loaded terminals that make contact with the switch contacts and can't be repaired. I was hoping that there was just some grease, dirt or corrosion on the switch contacts.

I only wish I'd had the insight to place a large order back when the first switch (1986-87 version) became discontinued. I just figured it was on nationwide back-order as had been the case with the motor housings earlier that year.

FYI, the ONLY difference between the '86-87 and the '88-91 switches is the connector used on the blue wire. '86-87 had a large white connector and '88-91 had a much smaller black connector. I wish I could find the source that manufactures these for GM and continue getting them.

Lon

 

Okay, I'm sold. Got any new switches in stock? If so, put me down for one.

 

Yes, yours makes three sold today. I'm serious about getting one soon. I have 4 left in stock.

Lon

 

Should I place the order thru your web site?

 

Sure, I'll have to manully adjust it to show S&H as 0 when I tranfer it to Quick Books. I'm assuming you want me to bring it to the Meeting?

Lon

 

If you could bring it to the meeting that would be great. If it's easier, I can cut you check at the meeting.

 

I'm not sure now that I have any problem with the switch. Don & I looked at the TA at his shop today, and found that the latch motor was set as far down as it would go. It was literally crushing the gasket around the hatch. We adjusted the pull down motor up, and everything is working good now. I am going to need some of Lon's slider bushings though. I can look down into the sliders and see them breaking up. I still need to do more adjustment to it.