98-GT: Bad Window Regulator ... again

[BPMWare]

This will be the third time my driver's side window regulator has gone bad on me. The first time, it was a broken arm on the regulator unit so I picked up a replacement (from a 96) on eBay and swapped it out.

8 months later,the regulator motor on that unit went. I figured it was my bad for picking up a used part. I replaced that unit with an AutoZone replacement. So now, about 12 months or so after installing the new regulator, my driver's side window is stuck down.

I can hear the click of the blue electronic module that auto-stops the window from going down when I hit down on the switch. And just for the heck of it anyway, I swapped the switches between driver's side and passenger side. I even tried the old ... slam the door shut while the switch is engaged and giving the unit a whack with a hammer.

So once again my door skin is off. Very frustrating.

Anyone know if there are any years that I can use to put in a manual door window system? Being the third time ... something has got to give here. Either I put in a manual system or the door skin stays off for good since I know I'll need to be in there annually.

Any advice or suggstions would be appreciated.

- Brian

 

[nyuk98gt]

BPMWare:

Electronic/electrical items can be tempermental (imho). I suggest that you get an OEM part and put it in and I bet that you can put the door skin on and leave it on for a long time. The first motor was iffy (a used part) so you really can't count that as a frequent failure part. No flame intended, just telling you my experience with non-Ford elec parts.

HTH,

Chris

 

[BPMWare]

Thanks for the reply, Chris. That's good advice.

If I do end up putting another electronic regulator in, it will be OEM for sure.

My only other thoughts on the matter were:

1. Since this will be my 3rd regulator, maybe I'm fixing the symptom and not the problem. That just seems unlikely considering each one has lasted months+ before it went bad.

2. If I do end up going from electronic to manual, it's going to be a pretty big interior project. (I've done something sort of similar when I built my own custom rear-seat delete kit). I'd have to design me own interner door skin and most likely and retro-fit the existing regulator arms with a manual hand crank. Need to work that one out in my head a few times to see if it can be done. Might end up being a fun project.

Anyway, thanks again for the replay. Always hate to pay the OEM part prices but I guess you get what you pay for in some cases.

On a positive note ... with all the practice I can take a 4.6 door apart and put it back together in a flash!

- Brian

 

[GDawg]

Okay... I'm not real great at this, but first... you have a set of switches, a solid state auto down module and a window motor correct? What did you replace? The auto down module?

We know it's not the motor. And you swapped switches. And it fails in both regular down and auto down... so, have you checked your ground coming out of the module? Do you have wiring diagrams? I hate to just throw parts at something.

I think you were right in stating that you should be addressing the problem and not the symptom.

 

[GDawg]

Btw, if a "directional" wire in the independent switch is "open" then the over all circuit for that window will not work.

One other thing to check and maybe replace for not much but maybe the circuit breaker for that circuit.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I think I may know what is going on here. The rubber strips that the window passes in between have felt on one side (slippery) and rubber on the other (not slippery). Make sure that only the felt side is being exposed to the glass when the window goes down other wise you will get severe dragging on the glass that will lead to premature motor failure. Sometimes the rubber will "invert" and expose the wrong side to the glass. You can lubricate the felt with silicone spray, you should do so annually.

 

[GDawg]

I think I may know what is going on here. The rubber strips that the window passes in between have felt on one side (slippery) and rubber on the other (not slippery). Make sure that only the felt side is being exposed to the glass when the window goes down other wise you will get severe dragging on the glass that will lead to premature motor failure. Sometimes the rubber will "invert" and expose the wrong side to the glass. You can lubricate the felt with silicone spray, you should do so annually.

Interesting Kilgore! So do you think the drag from the rubber strip is causing his auto-stop relay to be tripping?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Hell yeah, seen it happen on my Mustangs. If you watch the window go down and this is happening you will observe the dragging. And this will absolutely trip the motor cutout when the motor gets overloaded.

 

[BPMWare]

Thanks guys.

The window was stuck down. All I had time to do over the weekend was pull off the door skin and remove the regulator unit (the arms + the motor). With that, I can force the window to stay up by propping an 18m wrench between the window and the cross-bar on the interior of the door.

I've never seen the weather strip get inverted like you mentioned but I'm still inclined to think it's the motor. Still ... no proof so I'll have to bust out the multi-meter this week and nail down exactly where the problem is.

Unfortunately, my passenger side tail pipe ... just behind the muffler fell ... off this morning on the way to work. So the door is going to stay naked until I get that one resolved. :/

Can't seem to catch a break lately.

- Brian