sunroof motor

[944kido]

anyone know where i can get a used/new sunroof motor for the passenger side for my 88 944

[thekidd]

I have a motor from my 87 924S, but it was used on the drivers side. You might be able to just make a mounting bracket and have the motor, cable and all sit side sideways/upsidedown?

[toolboy62]

There is only one motor, it is on the driver's side in the trunk, behind the side carpet. If you pass. side arm is not working but the driver's side is I will bet you $20 that you have stripped the white plastic gear in the gearbox. I would recommend that you read up at Clark's Garage how to fix this, but here's the Cliff's notes:

1) remove the padded roll bar cover thing right in front of the rear hatch opening.

2) Run the sunroof motor so that the motor thinks it is in the closed and locked position.

3) Slit the vinyl headliner under where the roll bar cover is installed, so that you have access to the two gearboxes (my car was already cut here, the PO just made two flaps that fall down for easy access)

4) disassemble the gearbox that's not working. Identify stripped gear (usually pretty easy.) Clean everything and put a light coat of grease on the bits. Reassemble. Set the arm so that it is in the appropriate closed and locked position. Reinstall the cover. I think I posted before that that position on my car was with four teeth sticking out the back of the gearbox but when I just redid it earlier this month I ended up setting them both with five teeth sticking out; it seems to work best there.

5) Do the same thing to the other gearbox. I'd probably replace that gear as well, as it is probably stripped and you just haven't noticed it. (Order three gears now, so that you have a spare. The first time you do this you will probably inadvertantly strip one while testing.)

6) Adjust the slip clutch looser so this doesn't happen in the future. Do this BEFORE trying to unlock the sunroof for removal, otherwise, see above about having three new gears on hand. You will need a 13mm tappet wrench for this as the locknut on the slip clutch is thin. I just made one by taking a cheap 13mm combo wrench and grinding down the open end so it would work on the locknut. Apparently the slip clutch is all that keeps the gears from stripping when you unlock the sunroof - so if a) the pins don't hit the gearboxes simultaneously or b) the slip clutch is set too tight, you end up with stripped gears. I dunno why there is no limit switch to stop the motor in the "unlocked" position, but there isn't one. There's a spec for the torque on the slip clutch, but I just adjusted mine so that it slipped when trying to raise the sunroof, and then tightened it back up until it just stopped slipping. I figure that's probably the safest way to do it (and I don't have a low-torque torque wrench, anyway.)

7) Duct tape the flaps in the headliner back up and reinstall the roll bar cover.

8) enjoy!

hopefully the references to various parts above will become clear after you check out Clark's Garage. I would avoid messing with any of the microswitches unless you have a clear indication that there's a problem with one of them; at least on my car I've never had to touch them, my problems have all been with the gearboxes and slip clutch.

good luck,

nate

(with a properly working sunroof now)

[mr. dude]

I've got one out of a 86 944 if it doesn't work out with thekidd.

[Icey1174]

+1 for Nate... Check the gears, they are easy to break. I know from experience. I ordered two sets! Adjust the slip cluth while you're there to keep them from breaking again.

www.clarks-garage.com is a great resource for repairs, as is Nate. Check it out!