Window motor guru help needed (89 S4)
06-05-2009, 06:06 PM
#1
Drifting
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Location: Sackville, Nova Scotia
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Window motor guru help needed (89 S4)
Recently swapped out the nylon guides for the power window.....
I did this because, after storing the car for the winter, the dr. side window was not working, so I searched here and learned how to remove the motor, etc. to clean it up.
Now, here is where I need some help that perhaps nobody can help me with.
In the process of taking the motor apart, I could not figure out how to remove the actual motor from inside the "circle" where the big cog is. After trying to wind it out...pry it out...everything, I just pulled (later on, after searching more, I found out it is an "unwinding" motion that releases it).
I clean the motor, yada yada, and when I try to put it back into the cog area, again, it won't go in, so I slightly bang it in with a rubber hammer. The case that is riveted onto the side of the cog area pops off - now I can see the cog (and clean it better), but it appear to be "loose"?? Even when you wiggle the smaller cog on the outside that turns the big arm, it has some play.
The motor works, the window goes up and down smoothly (although, at some point, it appears the door "bulges" on the outside as the window moves up and down - perhaps I need to move the glass more "in" by adjusting the nylon guides??).
Thing is, the motor makes a hell of a noise - but only when going down - going up in nice and quiet.
I'm going to pull it all apart again to re-grease it and check that cog.
Knowing how the motor needs to be "unscrewed" - what damage, if any, may I have done to the cog inside by pulling the motor out? It doesn't appear I stripped any of the cog and the motor splines look perfect - I suspect the cog turned sideways a tad to allow the motor splines to come out, but now it doesn't seem "tight".....but I don't know if it was tight before???
So, my question is....has anyone who has pulled the motor remember if the cog in that round casing had any "play" left and right or was it planted in one spot nice and solid??
P.S. - the reason I couldn't pull the motor out was that on the other side of the cog area (at the very end, where the end of the motor shaft/spindle sits), there is a small "ball" that sits over the end of the motor shaft and that ball is held in place by a plastic "cup". Somehow, this ball had moved and the motor shaft was moving up and down (where it is supposed to lie in a straight solid line) making it not line up with the cog, so it wouldn't "unscrew".
I did this because, after storing the car for the winter, the dr. side window was not working, so I searched here and learned how to remove the motor, etc. to clean it up.
Now, here is where I need some help that perhaps nobody can help me with.
In the process of taking the motor apart, I could not figure out how to remove the actual motor from inside the "circle" where the big cog is. After trying to wind it out...pry it out...everything, I just pulled (later on, after searching more, I found out it is an "unwinding" motion that releases it).
I clean the motor, yada yada, and when I try to put it back into the cog area, again, it won't go in, so I slightly bang it in with a rubber hammer. The case that is riveted onto the side of the cog area pops off - now I can see the cog (and clean it better), but it appear to be "loose"?? Even when you wiggle the smaller cog on the outside that turns the big arm, it has some play.
The motor works, the window goes up and down smoothly (although, at some point, it appears the door "bulges" on the outside as the window moves up and down - perhaps I need to move the glass more "in" by adjusting the nylon guides??).
Thing is, the motor makes a hell of a noise - but only when going down - going up in nice and quiet.
I'm going to pull it all apart again to re-grease it and check that cog.
Knowing how the motor needs to be "unscrewed" - what damage, if any, may I have done to the cog inside by pulling the motor out? It doesn't appear I stripped any of the cog and the motor splines look perfect - I suspect the cog turned sideways a tad to allow the motor splines to come out, but now it doesn't seem "tight".....but I don't know if it was tight before???
So, my question is....has anyone who has pulled the motor remember if the cog in that round casing had any "play" left and right or was it planted in one spot nice and solid??
P.S. - the reason I couldn't pull the motor out was that on the other side of the cog area (at the very end, where the end of the motor shaft/spindle sits), there is a small "ball" that sits over the end of the motor shaft and that ball is held in place by a plastic "cup". Somehow, this ball had moved and the motor shaft was moving up and down (where it is supposed to lie in a straight solid line) making it not line up with the cog, so it wouldn't "unscrew".
06-05-2009, 08:15 PM
#2
Team Owner
The cog should not have any play a picture would be a good thing here.
Usually to remove the motor, you tape the glass in the up position,
then remove the wire harness,
then remove the lifting arm bolts along with the motor and the whole part comes out of the door.
If you see the door bulging while your running the window then the center arm adjusters need to be readjusted so you dont POP your window
Usually to remove the motor, you tape the glass in the up position,
then remove the wire harness,
then remove the lifting arm bolts along with the motor and the whole part comes out of the door.
If you see the door bulging while your running the window then the center arm adjusters need to be readjusted so you dont POP your window
06-06-2009, 01:18 AM
#3
Drifting
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Thanks so much for your reply. 
Yes, I did pull the motor/armature, etc. out of the door (and used packing tape to keep the window up - also a bar of soap one time when I couldn't find the tape - lol). I have done it this way around 4-5 times (I've been in and out of that door a lot - once for the door handle replacement and a few times for the window).
After reading that there is a shortcut - which is leaving everything in, except the motor itself; as you can just remove the two star bolts that hold the motor to the transmission and unscrew the motor itself and remove it alone - I thought, "Hey - why didn't my motor come out that easy - I could never use this shortcut, as I couldn't get the motor back in without forcing it".
I will grab a camera and take some pics on Sunday and show you the exposed cog (I JB welded the cover back on, so I should be able to pop it back off) and how it "wiggles" left and right (when you look in the hole where the motor shaft goes).
Yes, I did pull the motor/armature, etc. out of the door (and used packing tape to keep the window up - also a bar of soap one time when I couldn't find the tape - lol). I have done it this way around 4-5 times (I've been in and out of that door a lot - once for the door handle replacement and a few times for the window).
After reading that there is a shortcut - which is leaving everything in, except the motor itself; as you can just remove the two star bolts that hold the motor to the transmission and unscrew the motor itself and remove it alone - I thought, "Hey - why didn't my motor come out that easy - I could never use this shortcut, as I couldn't get the motor back in without forcing it".
I will grab a camera and take some pics on Sunday and show you the exposed cog (I JB welded the cover back on, so I should be able to pop it back off) and how it "wiggles" left and right (when you look in the hole where the motor shaft goes).
06-06-2009, 08:54 AM
#4
Team Owner
your short cut may turn out to be the long way as you have probably damaged a portion of the motor
06-06-2009, 08:59 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
Jim cleaned-up an S4 window motor a few weeks ago, maybe there are some clues in his pictures that might help you (just in case you didn't come across them already in search)
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...r-r-and-r.html
I have an 84 window motor attached to the regulator. If you still need an answer to the fitment/play, I can separate it from the unit and check the play issue. Let me know.
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...r-r-and-r.html
I have an 84 window motor attached to the regulator. If you still need an answer to the fitment/play, I can separate it from the unit and check the play issue. Let me know.
