Windows not rolling up, but you can hear the gear turn?

[yucatec]

Dear Panthers,
I'm two time zones from home, in western north dakota dog trialing and the other day my driver's window wouldn't roll up. 4:30 on the Saturday of memorial day weekend, in a tiny dakota town. Well the window had to go up even if I had too leave it up. I have a tool kit but no ratchet so I raced to the hardware store for ratchet - and in case that failed, clear plastic and duct tape.

I've had motors fail before and usually they go slow and noisily. This went without noise. When I threw the switch I heard a faint click, no better. Well I got most of the panel off, enough to get a hand in there but the window wouldnt't budge. Enough is enough. I took everything worth stealing into my motel room and figured Sunday I'd ask the trial host if he had a ranch shop so I could disassemble the whole door.

On the way to the ranch I hit the button and it worked fine. Tried it a couple times, rolled up and down, silently, like a good window. Well, I'm a long way from home so I ordered a new motor from Pete Veitch and I'll leave the damn window up until I get home.

But I'd appreciate your suggestions what the trouble might be.

I hit a deer fifteen minutes after leaving home -3 am -three weeks ago and wrecked the front of the car. Radiators were okay and I had three headlights which are plenty going through West Virginia, so I kept on trucking. In Wisconsin I had a mechanic jury rig something so I had four headlights, more or less aimed. He told me I had a short somewhere in the front - kept arcing.

Might that have something to do with it?

Donald McCaig

[GoodSamaritan]

What year is your car? GM or CV? I have couple good 88-91 header panels with all the goodies still in them and a complete GM front end. Ive got a spare 88-91 front bumper, and a 79-87 hood too. If you happen come through central KY on your way home maybe we can work something out.

As for the drivers window not working. sounds like the motor or else just the brushes are going out, unless none of the other windows would work either.

Also a possibility isa band window switch but I have yet to run into one on a box. Best bet? Swap out the motor.

[yucatec]

Dear Panther,
Thanks for the offer but I've already got what I need from Pete Veitch - even correct paint. Yeah, I'll swap out the motor but, damn it, when motors go they whine and grind and will lift the window with an assist. I've never had one quit with no more sound than a switch click and then resume working perfectly again. I don't/can't trust it so will replace it but traveling long hauls with four dogs in the wayback, I wonder if there isn't something else I ought to fix. Don't want it happening again. The first leg out here was thirteen hours. The last leg going home will be 14. No fun with the window down.

Donald McCaig

[Freshmeat]

How cold was it? I could imagine it being possible that the motor or window assembly froze.

As for my problem... my front windows will roll up and down, but only a few inches, then they jam... almost like gears that aren't quite lined up properly... but once the big window is up I can hear a pop and the quarter window shoots up like nothing else.

[GoodSamaritan]

When the motor fails you won't hear diddly squat since nothing is even trying to move.

Btw, you are quite welcome.

Freshmeat. I don't know what your problem is, but you might look at the window guides to make sure they are ok. Then roll the window up and lubricate the tracks inside the door with a heavy dose of silicon lube.

[Lincolnmania]

donald
are you near bismarck? monterey62 can help you out i'm sure

[gadget73]

Window motor's brushes wore out. My back window does that, works when it feels like it. Slamming the door fixes it for a while. Might be able to get some more time out of it by sanding the commutator a little to clean it up, but when it gets to that point a new motor is probably the best solution.

[Lincolnmania]

sounds like the brushes in the window motor went south
sorry to hear about the deer damage mang.....i have a grand marquis front end if you need it.....just stop by and pick it up on your way home.....you can have it
scott

[yucatec]

Dear Panthers,
Thanks for your good advice and kind offers of help. Although I had to scrape the windshield in ND, that was the morning the damn window worked. I'm convinced that it's the motor and I have a new one plus front end coming from Pete. I'll be home in ten days and until then I'll keep the window closed and duct tape on the switch.

Some sheepdog trialers who travel as far as I do have brand new aerostars or suburbans. Most have RV's.

I waited overnight to borrow a farm shop to take the door apart, the trial hosts (2000 acres) surely had one . As it turned out, as I was coming down their lane, I hit the button and the damned window rolled up. No point bothering the hosts - all I had to do was put the door back together. As I was wrenching away a friend, a top sheepdog trainer, paused and said: "Maybe it's time you upgrade."

That was kindly meant but no I won't. With Scott who can do brilliant upgrades and Pete for parts, I can keep on trucking. Nobody at the North Dakota trial would have kept on coming after a serious deer accident and a frozen window woud have meant they missed the next trial.

Earlier, on this trip I was a passenger in a brand new loaded Toyota van. It's got itunes, I've got itunes. It's got GPS, I've got GPS. My gauges, handling (thanks Scott) and leg room for an all day run are better. Push come to shove, I can load more dogs than the van can.I'm sure the van gets better gas mileage, tinted windows and a moonroof (important for dogs ventilation) and it has sonar (don't bump into things backing up). But so far, I'd bet my costs, comfort and speed/distance covered are better and easier. I will get my rear windows tinted and sonar. Pete put a moonroof on one of his wagons and that'd be nice but I'm not ready for anything that trickey. I do think I'll put a new windshield in with the front panels, maybe have the body guy do some more customizing, later get the windows tinted (dogs) and a backup sonar.

I know no better vehicle for my purposes and I'm becoming mildly notorious amongst long haul sheepdoggers.

Jesus Christ, at 67 years old am I becoming COOL?

Not without this list and your help.

Donald McCaig

[roompainter]

I learned a trick from an ol school mech long ago when you have a window that will not go up or down. b4 you start tearing shit apart, get in the car, hold the up or down button whatver is applicable - while holding button down with the door open, slam the door shut (hard) while still holding button down - Youd be surprised how many times this will get it going again.

[88MercWagon]

I learned a trick from an ol school mech long ago when you have a window that will not go up or down. b4 you start tearing shit apart, get in the car, hold the up or down button whatver is applicable - while holding button down with the door open, slam the door shut (hard) while still holding button down - Youd be surprised how many times this will get it going again.

Or whack the door panel, which works even better. The driver's window on my mother's Taurus gets funky once in awhile, and it never fails.

[85crownHPP]

yep... that will get it up sometimes but eventually it will quit completley.
When they behave like that its usually the electric brushes (different part than the bushings mentioned in this thread) are worn out enough to fall out of place, and jarring them gets them to make contact again for X amount of time.

[cld783]

this is what i do.

bend out the weather stripping a bit in between the glass and door, look straight down for the motor and while holding the button, slide something down there and bang on it. works every time.

[saiyaneye]

Door panel comes off in like 10 min... I have had all of mine off multiple times for sound deadening. Use a pickle fork or an upholstery clip remover, as it will make it easier not to ruin the clips and where they slide into on the door panel itself. I usually use a screw driver and try to be very careful and get it off, which works too.

[spaceblonde]

Ok guys is there a kit like the one for the older cars for a 94 gm?? or do I have to do the motor and window regulator??