Power window troubleshoot

[Tritium007]

Hey Folks! I've had the car ('81) two weeks and the driver's window(PW) is stuck in the door. I've got the door apart and I'm trying to identify what needs to be replaced if anything. I have power in both directions to the motor as I tested each lead. Anyone know what the minimum voltage spec is for this? I assume it's sufficient as the other side works fine off the battery. When the switch is actuated (either to open or close), I can hear a faint click coming from the area of the motor. I put a meter on the motor windings and get infinity readings for resistance across both leads and also from each lead to ground. I'm not much of an electrician, so I need some help interpreting my findings. :bash Does this mean there is an open in the windings or they're fine? The other thing I can't seem to really check is whether the window is physically stuck in some way. I do remember noticing some light scratches in the window glass along the bottom edge indicating some rubbing. I'm assuming that the motor has to be separated from the mechanism to raise the window manually. Some older posts indicate that this may be near impossible as the glass in the door blocks the motor removal fasteners. What's a newbie to do? :confused My manuals still haven't arrived! ad
I sure would appreciate any insights.

Mike

 

[Tritium007]

correction

I read my meter wrong. :duh The resistance readings on the windings are zero, and I believe that means the windings do not have an open. Which still leaves me with a non-functioning window ;help

Mike

 

[red70vette]

I had a similar problem with my 70. Tried everything and made the assumption that the motor was shot. Removing it with the window down looked like a real bear. Someone on the forum suggested tapping the motor with a hammer. This will work if there is carbon build up on the armitures.

I tried it and it worked. Window went up and I removed the motor and cleaned it up. So far so good.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

From the sound of your readings, you have power and continuity to the motor. And you have resistance through your motor windings. Try pulling up on the window while you engage the switch and hammer the inside of the door where the motor is mounted. You can make a window puller with a strip of packing tape taped to the window on the inside. You can pull it off when you get the window up.It sounds like the gear drive is stuck on the motor shaft. It can be disassembled and greased when you get the window up. The C3 windows are not fun. Wear a long sleeve shirt, the steel is very sharp!

 

[Tritium007]

Pull on the window, engage the switch & tap the motor with a hammer? :bang Even if I put my beer down I would still be a hand short. I guess the wife is going to have to catch the spirit and get in on the corvette experience. :L I can hear her now....the window on my side works, why do I have to do this? Thanks for the help. I will try these suggestions this evening and see where the chips fall.

Mike

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Sitting in the passenger seat and pushing a button shouldn't be too hard, right?

 

[celeryman22]

If you have the doors off of the car and you know the motor work how can I get the widows to roll up? Can I use my battery and jump the plug? Is there a voltage that I should use?
I'm getting ready to paint the car and the hardware needs to come out.
Thanks
Mike

 

[wishuwerehere82]

If you have the doors off of the car and you know the motor work how can I get the widows to roll up? Can I use my battery and jump the plug? Is there a voltage that I should use?
I'm getting ready to paint the car and the hardware needs to come out.
Thanks
Mike

You can apply 12 V to the motor harness to get the windows up and down. The black wire is ground. The other two are for up and down. Hook up the negative battery terminal to black and the positive to one or the other of the two wires to raise or lower the window.

 

[celeryman22]

You can apply 12 V to the motor harness to get the windows up and down. The black wire is ground. The other two are for up and down. Hook up the negative battery terminal to black and the positive to one or the other of the two wires to raise or lower the window.

Thanks I figured it was that easy, I just wanted to make sure.

 

[Tritium007]

Thanks to both of you guys, wishuwerehere82 and red70vette, for the tips on solving my window problem. It worked just as you said it might. :BOW This is something that even having a shop manual wouldn't matter. I don't have the time to disassemble right now, but will probably go into both doors next week sometime. I can't express myself enough about how important a forum like this is. I hope to contribute in the near future. Thanks again, and may all your roads be newly paved.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Hooray! Another success story.

You may now pick up your beer.

 

[Bill Coke]

Glad everything got worked out; one thing many people don't do is to clean and grease all the runners. Never hurts to take the door panels off, clean the runners, use contact cleaner on the electrical points and use a little light coat of lithium grease on the runners and in some places a little WD40 doesn't hurt. MOst people think motors first. I did this to a 77 I owned and both windows moved significantly better.
Bill