weird power window situation

[SOLSAKS]

my power window must have heard me say it was stinky !

all power windows have always worked fine, even tailgate.

all of a sudden, my driver door switch would not operate passenger front window, but the pass door switch would work it,.....

10 minutes later i try the pass side switch again, now it too does not work.

any ideas from you guys who have experience with them ?

ALSO, going to have some auto glass pros come in soon

to remove all 4 power window motors ( and assembly if necessary )

my plastic flex tracks are not broken but look original

so was thinking of getting all 4 motors re-built ,..........and installing new flex track.,....

where is the best place to buy flex track ? are all created equal ?

some seem to have a metal piece in one end, others do not.

P.S. (if there are reliable motors already re built, tell me best source )

advice needed.

dave in NC

[joe]

Before you go replacing window motors ($$$) spend some time diagnosing the problem. Check for connections, cleanliness and function of the switches. Also check integrity of the wiring inside the doors and the section of harness that goes from the body into the doors. I avoid cars/trucks with PW's but have owned a few. Never yet had to replace a motor but have had to clean-up or replace switches and replace broken/chaffed wires between the body and door.
Do yourself a favor while inside the doors, clean out the drains.

[SOLSAKS]

joe, thanx

i am ignorant about wiring, voltage, etc

but i can do a visual inspection as far as gunk on connections
and bent, worn, burnt, butchered wiring...

...and i have not seen any of that.

if i did want to spray elec. connectors, etc to get them x-tra clean
what is best ?

thanx
dave

[babywag]

the switches are a poor design IMHO, they should be sealed/protected better.
get some electrical contact cleaner and soak the switches & connectors.
the whole door harness can be unplugged/removed from doors.
the switches have decades of corrosion and old nasty grease inside.
soaking them overnight will do wonders.

window motors rarely fail...99% it’s wiring/switches.

[ShagWagon]

You can take the switches apart and clean with marvel mystery oil, qtip, metal pick, sandpaper. You can see all the buildup in there. Then put back together with some di electric grease.

Take em apart inside a box so you don't lose any of the very small pieces with a precision flat screwdriver. Just go slow. NP. You will see all the burnt looking metals. Clean em up and should be good.

[SOLSAKS]

thanx shagwagon
i just sprayed with elec connection cleaner

but i have not taken the pieces apart

i will see if i feel confident enuff to do that.

thanx again.


dave

[ShagWagon]

It's not that bad.

Maybe try one of the back ones that's a single first before diving into the front if your hesitant. They can be totally broke down and put back together again. They're rocker switches with copper rockers with small springs and contact needles. If they have corrosion on the outside pin connectors then they're probably burned and gunked up inside as well. They just pry open with a precision screwdriver or something.

[SOLSAKS]

10-4
i did take the black pods
out of the rectangular metal housing on pass side front
but did not go any further

the outside pins were in great shape on both driver and pass.
with only one or two pins having a little green corrosion at base

wiggled toggles
and sprayed behind those
as well as the holes on the plastic connectors from
harness that slide onto pins

dried in sun, re-assembled and walla,...they work again

thanx for the advice....a big help

dave

[ShagWagon]

Sometimes I just put some MMO cleaner on the pins and wiggles them on and off the electrical sockets, in and out a few times, wipe off the crud, put some more cleaner on it , repeat a few times till it wipes clean.

[babywag]

thanx shagwagon
i just sprayed with elec connection cleaner

but i have not taken the pieces apart

i will see if i feel confident enuff to do that.

thanx again.


dave

That's really all you need to do/best way. Anything like MMO/WD40 will just promote crud to stick/build up again.
Electrical contact cleaner dissolves the crud, and as you noted they work again. The other stuff may do the same, but I prefer elec. cleaner.
Sometimes it just takes a couple good soakings to get 'em nice & clean.

[SOLSAKS]

10-4 thanx to all who replied.

dave

[ShagWagon]

[QUOTE=babywag]That's really all you need to do/best way. Anything like MMO/WD40 will just promote crud to stick/build up again.
Electrical contact cleaner dissolves the crud, and as you noted they work again. The other stuff may do the same, but I prefer elec. cleaner.
Sometimes it just takes a couple good soakings to get 'em nice & clean.[/QUOTE

I own a electronics repair and restoration business for 20+ years. Marvel Mystery Oil we use above all to clean electrical contacts and it works better than anything else we've ever tried. It dissolves electrical corrosion without damaging other parts and is harmless to plastics and helps preserve against future corrosion. It's cheap, and most people already have some on the shelf.

Good stuff Maynard