Power Window Refresh Picture Thread from a first-timer
08-17-2014, 12:15 AM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Power Window Refresh Picture Thread from a first-timer
My driver's side power window was painfully slow, especially on the way up. I purchased a new power window motor from 928 International, and had some time (finally) after a busy summer. This is the procedure I used- I hope the experts will chime in with suggestions.
First, I removed the door panel. It came off easily. There is a procedure to follow, with photos, here.
A couple of mistakes I've made in the past:
- It is easy to lose parts (especially the small screw that holds the backing for the door release lever) so keep them in a safe place.
- Near the door lock, there is a one-inch protruding piece of thin metal that slides in near the door lock- one must slide the interior panel forwards towards the front of the car, otherwise trim will be ripped. I found this out the hard way the first time I tried to take apart a door panel.
- Special care needs to be taken to ensure that the speaker wires and mirror wires are not ripped off at their respective crimps.
The next thing that needed to come out was the window transmission. What I did was this:
1) Window up.
2) Put a screwdriver under the window to catch it so that it won't fall down. I originally used a C-clamp, but it got in the way when I tried to remove the window regulator.
3) Removed four 10mm bolts (circled in red). These four bolts hold the window transmission (which at this point is bolted to the window motor.)
4) Wiggled the window transmission, which freed the regulator from the window rail. The regulator has a plastic wheel at the end of it. This wheel fits inside the window rail- it looks similar to the mechanisms of some closet doors.
4a) Roger Tyson suggested that I had an electrical problem. I crawled under the glove box and cleaned ground point V (above the CE panel) with some DeoxIT and immediately got a .25V improvement at the window motor.
5) While holding the motor (otherwise your fingers will be pinched), lowered power window to bring the window transmission to the down position. (Obviously, the window isn't going anywhere, since it was disconnected from the window transmission at this point.)
6) Removed the power supply to the power window motor. It pulls off, very simple.
7) Gingerly pulled the window transmission through the big hole in the door (circled in red.) (While removing the window transmission, I had to remove the screwdriver and hold up the window with my right hand.)
8) Now that the window transmission was on my garage floor, I reconnected it to the power supply and moved it to the up position. The reason for this is there is a spring (reminiscent of a watch spring) in the window transmission- which looks like it assists in lifting the window.
That spring needed to be 'unsprung' when removing the window motor.
This is what the window transmission looks like.
9) The window transmission looked dirty.
I cleaned the teeth on the window transmission with Brakleen and a brush, then coated it lightly with white lithium grease. I also cleaned and lubricated the white plastic wheel at the end of the window transmission arm.
I also cleaned the inside of the rail (it is attached to the window, looks like it is yellow cadmium-plated, and has a cross section of a square C) with a brush and coated it with white lithium grease as well.
10) The window motor is connected to the window transmission via three 10mm bolts. I removed those. I tested the existing motor against a used motor I recently purchased from 928International. I went with the 928Int'l motor- it seemed to spin faster. (I will disassemble the existing motor and have it as a spare.)
11) I attached the replacement motor to the window transmission, torqued the three 10mm bolts to 84 in-lbs, then attached it to the power supply, and brought it back to the down position.
12)
a) I slipped the motor/transmission back into the big hole
b) Reconnected its power supply
c) Raised the window (which as before, didn't move the window but moved the transmission's arm into the correct orientation)
d) slipped the white plastic wheel into the window rail,
e) Bolted the window transmission back into the door, torquing each bolt to 84 in-lbs.
13) As per an old document from Portia's Parts Restoration (that I believe is no longer available on the web) I gently loosened two allen bolts that hold the felt at the top of the door (one of which is pictured below)
and two allen bolts that hold the window's guide bar
and four bolts that hold the white plastic guides (two of which are circled in red below)
14) I proceeded to raise and lower the window several times. The window seemed to travel faster each time. After a few repetitions, I retightened everything I loosened before.
15) I reassembled the door panel, and took my wife out to dinner. The window goes up and down very fast!
First, I removed the door panel. It came off easily. There is a procedure to follow, with photos, here.
A couple of mistakes I've made in the past:
- It is easy to lose parts (especially the small screw that holds the backing for the door release lever) so keep them in a safe place.
- Near the door lock, there is a one-inch protruding piece of thin metal that slides in near the door lock- one must slide the interior panel forwards towards the front of the car, otherwise trim will be ripped. I found this out the hard way the first time I tried to take apart a door panel.
- Special care needs to be taken to ensure that the speaker wires and mirror wires are not ripped off at their respective crimps.
The next thing that needed to come out was the window transmission. What I did was this:
1) Window up.
2) Put a screwdriver under the window to catch it so that it won't fall down. I originally used a C-clamp, but it got in the way when I tried to remove the window regulator.
3) Removed four 10mm bolts (circled in red). These four bolts hold the window transmission (which at this point is bolted to the window motor.)
4) Wiggled the window transmission, which freed the regulator from the window rail. The regulator has a plastic wheel at the end of it. This wheel fits inside the window rail- it looks similar to the mechanisms of some closet doors.
4a) Roger Tyson suggested that I had an electrical problem. I crawled under the glove box and cleaned ground point V (above the CE panel) with some DeoxIT and immediately got a .25V improvement at the window motor.
5) While holding the motor (otherwise your fingers will be pinched), lowered power window to bring the window transmission to the down position. (Obviously, the window isn't going anywhere, since it was disconnected from the window transmission at this point.)
6) Removed the power supply to the power window motor. It pulls off, very simple.
7) Gingerly pulled the window transmission through the big hole in the door (circled in red.) (While removing the window transmission, I had to remove the screwdriver and hold up the window with my right hand.)
8) Now that the window transmission was on my garage floor, I reconnected it to the power supply and moved it to the up position. The reason for this is there is a spring (reminiscent of a watch spring) in the window transmission- which looks like it assists in lifting the window.
That spring needed to be 'unsprung' when removing the window motor.
This is what the window transmission looks like.
9) The window transmission looked dirty.
I cleaned the teeth on the window transmission with Brakleen and a brush, then coated it lightly with white lithium grease. I also cleaned and lubricated the white plastic wheel at the end of the window transmission arm.
I also cleaned the inside of the rail (it is attached to the window, looks like it is yellow cadmium-plated, and has a cross section of a square C) with a brush and coated it with white lithium grease as well.
10) The window motor is connected to the window transmission via three 10mm bolts. I removed those. I tested the existing motor against a used motor I recently purchased from 928International. I went with the 928Int'l motor- it seemed to spin faster. (I will disassemble the existing motor and have it as a spare.)
11) I attached the replacement motor to the window transmission, torqued the three 10mm bolts to 84 in-lbs, then attached it to the power supply, and brought it back to the down position.
12)
a) I slipped the motor/transmission back into the big hole
b) Reconnected its power supply
c) Raised the window (which as before, didn't move the window but moved the transmission's arm into the correct orientation)
d) slipped the white plastic wheel into the window rail,
e) Bolted the window transmission back into the door, torquing each bolt to 84 in-lbs.
13) As per an old document from Portia's Parts Restoration (that I believe is no longer available on the web) I gently loosened two allen bolts that hold the felt at the top of the door (one of which is pictured below)
and two allen bolts that hold the window's guide bar
and four bolts that hold the white plastic guides (two of which are circled in red below)
14) I proceeded to raise and lower the window several times. The window seemed to travel faster each time. After a few repetitions, I retightened everything I loosened before.
15) I reassembled the door panel, and took my wife out to dinner. The window goes up and down very fast!
Last edited by syoo8; 08-17-2014 at 11:58 AM.
08-17-2014, 03:44 PM
#5
Scott,
Thank you for taking the time to post this.
Your instructions are detailed and the photos very helpful!
This is definitely on my 'to do' list now, (my poor windows are super-slow!)
Dan
Thank you for taking the time to post this.
Your instructions are detailed and the photos very helpful!
This is definitely on my 'to do' list now, (my poor windows are super-slow!)
Dan
08-17-2014, 09:36 PM
#6
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Bertrand, Jim, and MainePorsche, I'm glad the directions look ok to you. I would certainly trust your opinions over mine. 
I hope these are useful to those (such as I) that may be intimidated by the getting into the window transmission. It is very simple on our cars.
Next weekend, I will delve into the flag mirrors. The electrical adjustments don't work well on my '87, and the mirrors rattle when driving.
I hope these are useful to those (such as I) that may be intimidated by the getting into the window transmission. It is very simple on our cars.
Next weekend, I will delve into the flag mirrors. The electrical adjustments don't work well on my '87, and the mirrors rattle when driving.
08-17-2014, 11:16 PM
#7
Race Car
Thanks for risking your fingers on this, that's saying something!
Messing with the door guts/window is something I wish I could pay someone to do.
What's current thinking on felt replacement, THought I read the new ones were not working out due to bulk of the material and folks were resorting to mcgyver tactics, is that incorrect?
Messing with the door guts/window is something I wish I could pay someone to do.
What's current thinking on felt replacement, THought I read the new ones were not working out due to bulk of the material and folks were resorting to mcgyver tactics, is that incorrect?
Trending Topics
05-17-2016, 04:48 PM
#8
Rennlist Member
Window motor "relaxes"
Hi All
I followed these and other excellent threads to replace my passenger side window motor and lubricate the mechanism. The previous motor was rusted inside beyond repair.
I've just battled for 90 minutes getting everything back in (I'm not a natural mechanic) and was over the moon that the window sprang into life and went up and down at great speed!
But....a couple of things I noticed...
Firstly, the motor and complete mechanism seems to relax back a little when the window reaches the top? I'm struggling to upload a video!
Secondly, one touch works on the way down, but not on the way up. Not a biggie, but related to the above issue?
As ever, thanks for the advice!
John
I followed these and other excellent threads to replace my passenger side window motor and lubricate the mechanism. The previous motor was rusted inside beyond repair.
I've just battled for 90 minutes getting everything back in (I'm not a natural mechanic) and was over the moon that the window sprang into life and went up and down at great speed!
But....a couple of things I noticed...
Firstly, the motor and complete mechanism seems to relax back a little when the window reaches the top? I'm struggling to upload a video!
Secondly, one touch works on the way down, but not on the way up. Not a biggie, but related to the above issue?
As ever, thanks for the advice!
John
05-18-2016, 03:10 AM
#11
Rennlist Member
Bump.
More info, it's as if the motor doesn't know that the window has reached the top - how does this work normally?
The door also flexes as the motor tries to push the window up further....
More info, it's as if the motor doesn't know that the window has reached the top - how does this work normally?
The door also flexes as the motor tries to push the window up further....
Last edited by jchasty; 05-18-2016 at 08:08 AM.
05-24-2016, 05:50 PM
#13
Rennlist Member
Something sounds a bit oddball. Obvious things to check are that the carrier is bolted onto the inner door skin correctly and that the motor is seated correctly in the assembly.
The common wear item is the nylon collar that rolls up the lift guide rod- no idea if wear at that point would explain your symptoms- did you check for this?
Fact is the driver side window generally gets more clog than the passenger side mechanism but that may have been replaced earlier.
Not sure how the system decides the window is up-if it sticks I would expect it to knock itself off as it should do when it reaches full travel- maybe it looks at the amps being drawn? If the window drops back a bit this suggests to me that something mechanical is not quite right.
I have had problems with window actuation failing but invariably pulling the mechanism and giving things a clean and grease does the trick as the grease tends to dry out.
Hopefully someone will have some brighter ideas for you.
Rgds
Fred
The common wear item is the nylon collar that rolls up the lift guide rod- no idea if wear at that point would explain your symptoms- did you check for this?
Fact is the driver side window generally gets more clog than the passenger side mechanism but that may have been replaced earlier.
Not sure how the system decides the window is up-if it sticks I would expect it to knock itself off as it should do when it reaches full travel- maybe it looks at the amps being drawn? If the window drops back a bit this suggests to me that something mechanical is not quite right.
I have had problems with window actuation failing but invariably pulling the mechanism and giving things a clean and grease does the trick as the grease tends to dry out.
Hopefully someone will have some brighter ideas for you.
Rgds
Fred
05-25-2016, 04:03 AM
#14
Rennlist Member
Thanks Fred
Strange indeed.
I had taken the mechanism out, greased it and checked operation including the white 'wheel' - all OK.
Did exactly the same on the other side and that works perfectly.
The side in the video also works beautifully mechanically, and stops when it reaches the top - BUT pressing 'Up' again makes the motor operate again briefly.
Oh well, I guess it's a 'feature'! :-)
Strange indeed.
I had taken the mechanism out, greased it and checked operation including the white 'wheel' - all OK.
Did exactly the same on the other side and that works perfectly.
The side in the video also works beautifully mechanically, and stops when it reaches the top - BUT pressing 'Up' again makes the motor operate again briefly.
Oh well, I guess it's a 'feature'! :-)
