A Window That Can Take Some Ones Head Off

[V8GrandMarquis]

Hey guys just the other day I was driving and them BOOM! My electric window on my drivers side just stopped working. I mean I can still hear the motor turning but when I push the windows down it bounces right up. I have no idea what can be cause it. I took the door apart a couple of times and lots some screws but was never able to fix it due to lack of room. THANKS

[GoodSamaritan]

There are three little dowels broken in the window motor, gearbox.

You'll need to remove it, and replace them with 6 1/4-20 nuts (the ones that take a 7/16" wrench)

Search for window repair, or the like and you'll find several threads detailing the process.

[sly]

it bounces back up? that's odd. I've never had a window that would go BACK up on it's own when the gearing was messed up. They would go down... I could move them up or down, but they would not bounce up. I guess if it's the cable style regulator, then it has an inch or so of bounce to it thanks to the springs around the pulley box, but I thought the box panthers all had the big metal levers.

anyhow, GoodSamaritan is probably spot on about the motor plugs being shredded.

[1990LTD]

it bounces back up? that's odd. I've never had a window that would go BACK up on it's own when the gearing was messed up. They would go down... I could move them up or down, but they would not bounce up. I guess if it's the cable style regulator, then it has an inch or so of bounce to it thanks to the springs around the pulley box, but I thought the box panthers all had the big metal levers.

anyhow, GoodSamaritan is probably spot on about the motor plugs being shredded.

plugs/bushings are gone in my window and it can bounce back up if you keep pressing the down button. it doesn't travel far but bounces a good inch or so

[86VickyLX]

What year is this car? If it's '88 or '89 then you can apply this to your problem

Sounds like the Window Regulator broke free. There's a coil spring on the old style scissor like regulators. If you say it bounces back up, then that's probably the problem. The spring is used to help the motor push the window back up.
If '90 or '91, you have a cable regulator.

[1990LTD]

its my 90. the motors interchange, don't they?

i don't understand the cable style regulator...i've had my 88 and 89 apart and have taken those motors out but i dont think ive ever had my door panel off

[V8GrandMarquis]

yes its a 89'

[86VickyLX]

yes its a 89'

It sounds like the scissor spring window regulator is bad. To be sure you'd have to take off the door panel and see if you see anything. Be careful not to get your hands chopped off.

[86VickyLX]

its my 90. the motors interchange, don't they?

i don't understand the cable style regulator...i've had my 88 and 89 apart and have taken those motors out but i dont think ive ever had my door panel off

No, the motors do not interchange. You got a newer style with a smaller motor. I don't even think that the big bulky ones will bolt to the newer regulators.

[gadget73]

The new replacement motors for 80s models are small. I suspect the motors will actually interchange.

[1990LTD]

there's a motor from the 89 in my passenger door, but i didn't install it.


i can always pull the motor out of the door and put nuts in it instead of the torn up bushings. i've just got spare motors laying around that i've redone and I was going to use one of them. No big deal just fixing the one that's in there.

FORD (1964 - 1997)
LINCOLN (1966 - 1996)
MAZDA (1991 - 1994)
MERCURY (1965 - 1997)

[gadget73]

yeah, 64-97. In 90 or 91, the motors got small, but the bolt pattern and regulator stayed the same. The little guys actually have more torque than the big mofos believe it or not. They're quieter too.

The motors did actually change sometime in the 70s, the electrical plug is different. The gear housing has a C4 (1964) part number, but the motors are a D3 (73) or something. The older motors had a round plug, later have a rectangular plug, but thats insignificant.