Power Window Motor Cleaning?

[lil nikki]

Originally Posted by Gambler68

dirt and dust kill power window motors. I'd try cleaning the heck outta it when you get back and see if it still works.

I have the door panel pulled off ready to get started. Any recommendations on what I should clean it with? If Possible instructions on how to go about it?

Is it worth the time cleaning it, verses just replacing the motor?

[drlocke]

Originally Posted by lil nikki

I have the door panel pulled off ready to get started. Any recommendations on what I should clean it with? If Possible instructions on how to go about it?

Is it worth the time cleaning it, verses just replacing the motor?

First off you need to be familiar with DC motors, how they operate, and how they are constructed before you start tearing things apart.

Biggest enemy is corrosion which can cause armature cores to "bulk up", jamming them effectively in the field structure, effectively seizing the works. These little window gear motors are essentially a miniature version of a typical windshield wiper motor, and the same basic considerations are addressed for both.

I pulled an inoperative wiper motor out of my I-bird truck when I first got the vehicle and dismantled the entire assembly and flushed it with brake cleaning fluid from an aerosol can, followed by blasts of compressed air. I then chucked the armature in the lathe and proceeded to cut away caked-up rust on the laminations. I also took a very light cut at the commutator while I had it in there to give the brushes a clean working surface. (Doesn't hurt to assess how the brushes are at this point.) I then took a small wire brush to the inside of the stator assembly to get it as clean as possible short of going through the rigmarole of chucking it into the Logan and seeing if I could make a reaching inside cut. I reassembled the motor with oil on the motor bearings and a fresh dab of grease in the cam mechanism end. Works like a charm now.

Same procedure with a few subtle differences should do ya in your correcting the errant ways of your power window motor.

The concept of replacement of the motor assembly also has its charms.

[H Callaway]

This site is always a good check on how little I really know about things.

[aerocorey]

Wow. That sounds like alot of work we don't have the tools to do. Have fun with that one Nikki! If you do a good job on that one you can go ahead and clean up the other 3 just for good measure.

[kel]

Hi I cleaned a window motor in the past and it worked well, that window hadn't worked in years.

Take the motor out of the door.
On the end of the motor opposite the gears there is a retention method.
I say it this way since I can't see what you're working with. On the one I did (from 85 chevy) some metal from the housing was formed into tabs and then bent over the end to hold the cap in place.

Once you figured out how to loosen the end slowly take the cap off. You should see large chunks of graphite attached to springs. These are the brushes. The part where they touch the motor is the shaft for the motor. Dr Locke knows the correct term for that shaft. Use some contact cleaner on the shaft where the brushes hit. Clean it with a scotch brite pad to get the dark oxidation off, or at least reduce it.

When putting it back together you will have to figure out a way to hold the brushes back from the spring tension in order to get that shaft back in between them. Many times there are hole in the end cap to stick some unbent paperclips or whatever down in there to hold them. Then after you get it back together you can pull the clips out and the brushes will snap back against the shaft were they are supposed to be.

I used a wrench for the motor bolts, screwdriver, cleaner, q-tips, and maybe a scotch brite pad. Took about an hour. If you get stuck post some pics.

Good Luck