Tailgate Window Motor Rebuild?

[PWagon]

Alright, I'm spending another dime (or $80 for that matter) on another AutoZone or Orielly rebuilt window motor. The Chevy parts house tells me they discontinued the part too, so I'm s.o.l. Have any of you guys been in this situation before? I'm considering either learning how to rebuild mine or just taking it to an electric motor repair company. How hard are these things to rebuild? Suggestions would be appreciated.

In case you're wondering, yes my window gears have been properly lubed with white lithium grease, my cable was replaced, and my motor is properly grounded. My motor is getting good voltage and amps (measured with a volt meter), but it just won't get the job done anymore.

 

[dyeager535]

This help? http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=305246&highlight=rear+window+motor

 

[ktmoutfront]

I dont use white grease anymore. Turns to glue when dust gets to it. Mine would not move. Was even slow whith the new motor last year. Pulled the entire regulator out. Cleanned it to bare metal. Lubed it with gun oil. Thing flies up and down. Always had to have the engine running before. Not now. Orielly reman motor.

 

[rampage]

Please explain how it's properly grounded. The motor casing is the ground connection. If there's any corrosion by/under the hinges the connection might be suspect unless you already added a ground wire from the motor casing to the frame.
There's not much to rebuild inside the motor itself. I have one disassembled and will post pics later of the internals.

 

[PWagon]

I measured good volts and amps (don't remember the numbers off the top of my head) at the tailgate. My volt meter was grounded to the motor window mounting surface, so I know my ground is good. I've taken apart all connectors and even the dash mounted switch to clean terminals and lightly oil them for improved contact. I've eliminated everything but the dang window motor.

KTMOUTFRONT - When you say "take the entire regulator out", are you talking about removing the bolts of the motor and pulling the actual copper-wrapped motor spindle out? And cleaning it?

DYeager535 - Thank you for the link. I'll print it out and give it a shot.

I appreciate the help guys. Thank you.

 

[ktmoutfront]

Nope. Did not open the motor. The regulator is the gear mechanism for running the window up and down. Also cleaning the wheel tracks on the window brackets.

 

[diesel4me]

When we had some restored classic cars our boss owned at the junkyard with power windows,they often were problematic,from sitting idle too much--every summer he'd complain the windows would go up and down too slow,or not at all,the motor would just hum,and eventually trip the curcuit breaker..(yes,cars had them back when they had even glass fuses!)--we found out those can corrode internally and reduce the amps getting to the motors..his Packards with 6V systems were the worst!..

We had to take the door panels off and yank the motors often to get them working..after making sure the wires weren't damaged where they flex at the door to cowl opening,we'd check for jiuce at the motor,and usually it was OK,the motor just seemed too weak ..we'd often find the grease in there had turned into a wax like substance that was gummy,instead of slippery..we saw the same thing on many window motors we'd go to sell people that had sat "forever" in the yard too..

We tried white grease and it did the same thing after a few years,it got yellow and turned into a paste like crud that had little "slippery-ness" to it...we had some tubes of STP Gear Treatment someone found in a junk cars trunk that was thick like STP oil treatment and stringy,we used that stuff on the worm gear box on the motors instead,and they went up and down 100% faster..the boss almost cut a finger off the first time he tried the windows ,he couldn't beleive the difference..

The real test came the following year when the car was finally driven again to a cruise night...the windows still flew up and down just as good as the day we "greased" them...we had used wheel bearing grease before,but it proved too thick in cold weather --Drydene had a red hi-temp lube that worked pretty good,another old car restorer told us he only uses clear silicone grease on window motors and has not had any troubles..