Siezed window motor replacement

[big911fan]

There is another poster here with the same problem I'm having. His problem is the drivers side motor and mine is the passenger side motor. We can both use some expert help here from somebody who has actually replaced their seized window motor.

All the instructions I've found say to lower the window half way down to access the window motor (of course all the door panel removal work has been done).

That's the problem, our window motors are seized. How do we lower a seized window motor?

Do I need to remove all the window regulator bolts to accomplish this? Won't the seized motor prevent the window regulator from lowering?

Last, is the window glass "glued" to the window channel frame or will the regulator come down if the glass is taped in the closed window position?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Dmitry at Pelican Parts]

Hello - I'm attaching a link to our site's DIY tech article on this procedure. If you have any additional tech related questions, please feel free to post a Comment just below the article and one of our techs will get back to you with details. Hope this helps you a bit and best of luck!

Porsche 911 Window Regulator and Motor Replacement | 911 (1965-89) - 930 Turbo (1975-89) | Pelican Parts DIY Maintenance Article

[big911fan]

Thanks for the Pelican DIY article. I had already seen that article but like I mentioned in my post most instructions, including your article, say to lower the window. That's what I can't do unless the regulator can be lowered by removing the regulator bolts with the window in the closed position and the motor seized. My window is stuck closed.

Maybe I'm missing something.

[david dolan]

Hi,
I've had this problem and while it's not as easy to do when you can lower the mechanism it can still be done.
What I did was remove the 4 bolts holding the window regulator to the door first, that gives you additional space if you push the regulator towards the outer door panel to see the 3 bolts holding the motor to the regulator. You then have to sneak your 10 mm wrench between the door inner panel and the regulator to undo the bolts. Unfortunately, this can mean you only get about a 1/4 turn before you must re-position the wrench to turn it again. The additional trouble with this job is that you would ideally have 3 hands, one to hold a light, one to push the regulator away from the inner panel and another to turn the bolts.

[david dolan]

Additionally, once you have your motor out you can attach a 12 V energy source across the terminals and see if the motor will turn. Doesn't matter which side you attach the + and the - to as it will just run in the opposite direction. If the motor doesn't turn you can remove the lower cover to reveal the electric motor and inspect the brushes, if they are worn you can replace them a lot less expensively than buying another motor. The upper part of the mechanism houses the geared wheel that turns when you activate the window switch- this can be opened up and inspected as well to verify it's OK and to give it a fresh coat of lubricant.
Obviously, you can then try with your 12 V source again afterwards to verify the motor works before putting it back in the car. This will work to also determine if the motor is the real problem rather than the window switch.

[big911fan]

Thank you. I think you answered my question. To make it clear in my mind, you only removed the four door regulator bolts holding it to the panel correct? You didn't remove the top two bolts holding the regulator arm support to the panel. correct?

To access the motor with the 10mm I assume you did it through the circular access hole that's in the front mid-door area. Correct?

Since the motor is still up in the door panel you're pretty much unbolting the three motor bolts almost blindly I assume.

Thanks again.

[david dolan]

Originally Posted by big911fan

Thank you. I think you answered my question. To make it clear in my mind, you only removed the four door regulator bolts holding it to the panel correct? You didn't remove the top two bolts holding the regulator arm support to the panel. correct?

To access the motor with the 10mm I assume you did it through the circular access hole that's in the front mid-door area. Correct?

Since the motor is still up in the door panel you're pretty much unbolting the three motor bolts almost blindly I assume.

Thanks again.

On my SC I only have 4 bolts holding the regulator to the door panel, you may actually have 6. If so you need to remove all of them to allow the regulator to move enough so you can reach in with the wrench. I think the hole you are referring to might be only large enough to look through to guide your hand to the bolts. I used the speaker hole to reach up and over to the bolts.
Not quite blind, as I said use the small round hole to peer into the door to see the bolts. Remember you can now move the regulator further into the door towards the outside of the car in order to better access the bolts for removal of the motor,

[big911fan]

Got it. The circular access hole I was referring to is the large speaker hole so we're talking about the same thing.

[WMichelsen]

After several years of a worsening slow opening/closing window, it finally stopped moving at all. And, today I finally got to digging into it. Turns out the motor was getting good power, but it was seized. After seeing the prices of replacement motors, I figured nothing to lose, so let's crack it open.






I hope the pictures cleary show what I found.
The shaft was rusted and crudded up in the deep end.
It got that way because there is an open weep hole in the bottom of the casing. There's one on top, also. But the top one has a plastic plug.



So, I cleaned up the shaft a bit, wiped and blew out the bushing, put a little grease on it and in the bushing, and reassembled. Seems to work just fine now. I don't know how long it will last, but if I even get another year out of it, it's worth it to me.




Wayne
'87 911 Targa

[WMichelsen]

BTW, while I was in there, I found this thingy at the bottom inside the door.
Any ideas what it is? It's about the size of a 3/8" nut.

Wayne
'87 911 Targa

[dannobee]

That little thingy is part of the window regulator. Pelican sells a replacement. Without it, the motor is working without the help of the spring.

[WMichelsen]

Ah, ha. I see, holding the coil spring. Hmmm.
I guess I'm not as done as I thought I was.

[Reiver]

Originally Posted by WMichelsen

BTW, while I was in there, I found this thingy at the bottom inside the door.
Any ideas what it is? It's about the size of a 3/8" nut.

Wayne
'87 911 Targa

Any way to replace that spring fixer while the motor/unit is still in the door? My motor works ...slowly and this is why.

[RWebb]

nice pics - do you have a scale you can weigh it on?

[WMichelsen]

Reiver,
Regarding replacing the spring retainer with the regulator in place, I dunno. I suspect not. But, I'll be looking into it this weekend.

[Uwon]

Subscribed.
Johan

[RFP]

I faced the same decision about replacing the spring retainer or not. I finally decided on "not."

Here's a short thread on my decision-making: Question about window regulators (G body)

[vinny c]

I have removed 3 bolts holding motor but to unable loosen from regulator frame.

Vince