Power Window Motor Replacement

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Formula White Hawk
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Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by Formula White Hawk » Fri May 14, 2010 7:43 pm

My passenger window stalls on the way up. Seems worse if it was just put down. I can get a new motor for $27 or the whole assembly for $97. Anyone have any experience or input on replacing one?

Thanks,

Mark

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BLACK-HAWK
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Re: Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by BLACK-HAWK » Fri May 14, 2010 8:56 pm

take the 3 or 4 screws out and pull your door panel... i paid to have my driver side done twice
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Formula White Hawk
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Re: Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by Formula White Hawk » Fri May 14, 2010 9:26 pm

You make it sound easy, why did you pay to have it done?

wu6fiend
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Re: Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by wu6fiend » Sat May 15, 2010 10:55 am

BLACK-HAWK wrote:take the 3 or 4 screws out and pull your door panel... i paid to have my driver side done twice

Uh, no.

If your power window motor has never been replaced before, the original motor is held in place by several rivets (not screws). These are hidden behind the fiberglass inner door structure. You first have to locate the rivets, drill access holes exposing the rivets, then drill the rivets out themselves. Do a search for the template on the net. The job itself is relatively simple. Once you have removed the old motor, replace it with the new one, attaching it with nuts & bolts. The job can be done in about an hour. Both motors in my Hawk have been replaced now (one by the dealer, the other by me), so when (not if) they fail in the future, the job will be that much easier.

You can do this job yourself, it is quite easy.

Also, be careful when removing and reinstalling your door panel. The bottom is held in place by several plastic clips. If you are too rough, you can snap one/more of these clips off. The door panels are no longer available from GM, so it pays to be cautious and gentle when working with them.

The motor was about $100 from the auto parts store, if I recall. There is a core charge (so don't throw out the old motor, it is worth about $25).

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96AZHAWK
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Re: Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by 96AZHAWK » Sun May 16, 2010 6:31 pm

Not difficult to do at all. After you do a few of them, you start taking note as to how fast you can do the job. :lol:

NyteWzrd
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Re: Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by NyteWzrd » Fri May 21, 2010 8:22 am

I am almost at that point, passenger goes up real slow, drivers side goes up crooked. So I bought 2 new motors and assemblys. If I'm taking it apart I replacing it all. Now, for the concern, both doors are "virgin" I'm guessing holes have to be drilled. I'm taking it all out and putting in new. Anyone know where the template is to drill these holes? Second, since they are riveted, where do I purchase the replacement nuts and bolts?

I've printed numerous "how-tos" from various sources and read them. I've read the manuals (I hate factory manuals). Mentally, I think I'm ready but I need to know where to gets the bolts/nuts ( my rivet gun isn't big enough for the required rivets).


NyteWzrd
1994 #347

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BLACK-HAWK
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Re: Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by BLACK-HAWK » Fri May 21, 2010 9:30 am

i think all you have to do is drill out the rivets and replace them with bolts & nylon lock nuts available at any hardware store
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Ratchet831
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Re: Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by Ratchet831 » Sat May 22, 2010 9:17 pm

NyteWzrd wrote:Anyone know where the template is to drill these holes?

NyteWzrd
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http://shbox.com/page/windowmotor.html

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99' Cajun Firehawk 157
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Re: Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by 99' Cajun Firehawk 157 » Sat May 29, 2010 12:27 am

The motors go out because the power wires going to the motor do not carry enough current and the motors overheat, a few vendors make kits to solve this issue. However you can do like I do and just live with it until it goes out all together, 10 to 1 if you swap out motors the new one will be that way shortly unless you do the wiring mod too, IMHO.

look here: http://www.autotrix.net/Catalog-93-02-Firebird_1.aspx
Regards,
Todd

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96AZHAWK
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Re: Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by 96AZHAWK » Wed Jun 02, 2010 11:12 pm

99' Cajun Firehawk 157 wrote:The motors go out because the power wires going to the motor do not carry enough current and the motors overheat, a few vendors make kits to solve this issue. However you can do like I do and just live with it until it goes out all together, 10 to 1 if you swap out motors the new one will be that way shortly unless you do the wiring mod too, IMHO.

look here: http://www.autotrix.net/Catalog-93-02-Firebird_1.aspx
You are correct about the passenger side window motors going bad again. On our LS1 car I thought the window motor was going out but was convinced by my friend who owns a shop to try adding the harness first before replacing the motor. I replaced the harness and now the passenger side window goes up faster than the driver's side. That was almost 2 years ago that we did this and it is still working fine. So if you are lucky and do the wiring upgrade soon enough, it may save you the trouble and money of replacing the window motor itself and on such a regular basis.

There are much better window wiring kits available than the Autotrix product. With that Autotrix kit you still have to do splicing and such. I have installed about 5 of the window harnesses from Innovative Wiring that are completely plug and play and much better quality in my opinion. Check out Innovative Wiring here http://www.innovativewiring.com/Pontiac ... acPage.htm although I did not see the window wiring kits on the site, we have ordered them many times thru a local shop. I have also installed their battery cables in LT1 and LS1 cars and those worked out great as well.

Firebrian
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Re: Power Window Motor Replacement

Post by Firebrian » Mon Jun 29, 2015 10:04 pm

There are much better window wiring kits available than the Autotrix product. With that Autotrix kit you still have to do splicing and such. I have installed about 5 of the window harnesses from Innovative Wiring that are completely plug and play and much better quality in my opinion. Check out Innovative Wiring here http://www.innovativewiring.com/Pontiac ... acPage.htm although I did not see the window wiring kits on the site, we have ordered them many times thru a local shop. I have also installed their battery cables in LT1 and LS1 cars and those worked out great as well.
I couldn't find those kits either. How much time is involved in doing the wiring kit? Are all the connections located either in the door or door jamb area? Or are there tougher to get to connectors under the dash? This is the first time I've actually heard the reason why these window motors fail.....thanks!

It would seem the original firm that was making the splice kits has been gone for years. Some good write ups on LS1tech.com on how to make the upgrade.

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