Power window motor

[Mark Brokaw]

Has anybody had this problem??Rolled the windows down ,thought better cause it was hot,put the AC on. Drivers side went up normal, passanger side went up 3/4 of the way and stopped.Tried numerous time to roll it up,i could hear the motor turning but the window didnt move. took the panels off looked at the teeth and they look chewed up.I rolled the window all the way down,worked fine.tried rolling it back up,wouldnt move.Do I need a new motor? Can you replace only the gear?

 

[Red Regal T]

You need to replace the whole motor. I think most parts stores sell them for under $50. Your other alternative is a junkyard............about $10. Right and left side are the same. You just have to change the L/R bracket if necessary. Also possible that the teeth on the regulator are messed up........another vote for the boneyard.

 

[Mark Brokaw]

How do you get the old one out,it looks like it is riveted in.

 

[Red Regal T]

Take a hammer and sharp chisel and cut those rivets off. There are four. When you put the new motor in, get some USS 1/4" bolts and nuts, 1/2 or 3/4" long to fasten. Make sure you do something to hold the glass up because when you cut all the rivets the glass could fall. It's bolted to the regulator but best to prop up the glass. Just take your time. Not that hard of a job to do.

 

[ttypewe4jim]

Originally posted by Red Regal T
Take a hammer and sharp chisel and cut those rivets off. There are four. When you put the new motor in, get some USS 1/4" bolts and nuts, 1/2 or 3/4" long to fasten. Make sure you do something to hold the glass up because when you cut all the rivets the glass could fall. It's bolted to the regulator but best to prop up the glass. Just take your time. Not that hard of a job to do.

its not that hard of a job but its a pita to do. When we did ours it cut the $hit out of us

 

[Mark Brokaw]

thanks red regal for the advice.One more,whats the best way to hold the glass up? A buddys hand?

 

[markboss]

use Duct tape on the sharp metal edges of the door......save the skin....

 

[1of1035]

I just drill out the rivets. Its alot quicker and you don't get cut up.

 

[86gn]

Originally posted by 1of1035
I just drill out the rivets. Its alot quicker and you don't get cut up.

I agree take a hammer and a punch knock out the center of the rivet,then use a drill to take care of the rest.

 

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by Mark Brokaw
thanks red regal for the advice.One more,whats the best way to hold the glass up? A buddys hand?

If you're fortunate enough to have a helper, that'll work. If not, just put a screwdriver or extension across the inner door to stop the window from coming down when you take the motor off.

 

[JadeMonkeyStang]

There is also a "mod"of sorts that uses window motors out of another car (I can't remember which for the life of me) to speed up the windows considerably. I know it has been posted here before and I believe there is a writeup on what you need to do on www.gnttype.com. If you can't find it I'm sure some of the members here have done it as well. Thought I'd let you know since you've got one apart anyway.

-Jade

 

[Ormand]

Faster, faster, faster windows!

Two things to speed up the windows. Easiest is to "hot wire" the window motor. Kirban's has a wiring harness that you can use, or you could do it yourself. Like the fuel pump, you run a wire to the motor, from the alternator. Second is to use a bigger motor, out an older "A" body, don't remember the years. 79, 80?? Or you can do both..

 

[Red Regal T]

I bought into that faster motor theory about 4 years ago, because afterall, it was posted some where on the turboregal site and probably still is. Anyway, I actually got one of those motors and installed it. Guess what, absolutely no difference. Not too many of those motors around these days anyway so maybe someone else won't have to waste their time because of bad information.

One thing I did do that helped, was to install a window regulator from an earlier model, that included the round tension spring. There is no mount for it on the later Regal regulators. It winds tighter as the window goes down and then the spring tension helps the window motor going back up.

 

[digorok]

Different motor

I remember the windows on my Corvette went up really fast. Anyone know if older style motors will fit????

 

[kuku]

This is not my work but I copied it from someone else who posted it somewhere. So to whoever wrote this below I give all the credit to you.


Basically, you use the motors/regulators out of an early (78/79) A body (Regal, Malibu/El camino, Monte, etc). An easy way to ID the 78/79 Regal is that they have single headlights. These motors are overkill to say the least, so there's not much worry about getting stuck with a tired one. They also have counter sprung regulators (the '87 didn't) that really get the windows screamin'.
Before you run out to the local boneyard, be prepared. You need to use a cold chisel to cut 5 aluminum rivets that secure the motors to the inner door skin. It took me about 15 minutes per side to remove them "in the field" . The trick is to remove a small 6" track in the middle of the door first. Then, after you cut the rivets, the whole assembly can be maneuvered out of an access hole. You'll also need the short harness that runs from the kick panel to the switch/motor. The harness that runs across the dash is common - so you won't need that. I noticed that the '87 windows use a flip/flop type of switching on the motor (one line goes to ground - the other to 12V, then flips for the other direction). The early version just supplies 12V to one of two wires and gets the ground from the chassis.
After I cleaned/greased the "new" assembly and snaked it into the door, I realized that removing one of these and installing one is entirely different! If only I had someone to hold the window glass while I secured everything, it would have been a 30 minute job. Instead, it was a 3 hour job - complete with bloody knuckles. Not to discourage anyone - because it really would be routine if you had some help
Now that everything is buttoned up, I'm very pleased with the results. I timed the drivers side before the conversion at just under 4 secs. The new motors zip the windows up in less than 2 seconds. Imagine - 2 seconds off my WET (Window Elapsed Time) for a measly $40 at the junkyard

 

[JadeMonkeyStang]

The post above is the info I was referring to earlier. You did this and didn't see any improvement RRT?

-Jade

 

[Red Regal T]

I didn't do anything about the wiring as suggested. Did you notice if you use the passenger button, the window goes up much faster than if activated from the driver side. I forgot to mention, the wiring is the problem.......not the motors. Also, these earlier motors are not only scarce and old, but weigh twice what the stocker weighs. If you have a fresh stock motor, you're windows should be adequately fast. Because I've actually tried this remedy from the TR site, IMO, it's a waste of time. "Proofs in the pudding." If you'd like to see for yourself, all I can say is, HAVE FUN.

 

[Mark Brokaw]

Put the new motor in today.It was a drivers side so I had to flip that plate.Drilling those rivets were easy!I must have got lucky,the window didnt fall when i took the old motor out.Well,thanks for all the advice.

 

[BlackBandit]

Hey Mark, just curious as to what motor you used and how well it works. I'd like to do mine in the near future.

 

[Mark Brokaw]

i put in a used stock motor.Works fine.