power windows

[jsomedaysoon]

my windows just ****. thats all there is to it. the drivers side is slow and slugish and only operates every now and then. the passenger side went down but now refuses to go back up. i'm not sure what the problem is. or if both windows have the same problems or one has one thing messed up and the other has something completely different mesed up. is there some order to what i should replace first? i found some cheap motors on ebay but i dont know if its actually the motor thats messed up or the switches or the regulator. not even exactly sure what the regulator is. so my question is what is the process of elimination on this. do i just start replaceing parts or is there some way to test them before i replace them? also is it posible just to convert them to manual crank windows? they seem so much simpler. oh and its an 86 if that matters.

 

[Jakes85bronco]

I would first check to see if you have power to the switch then the moter. I know that on mine 84 if the switch is pluged in then the other wont work, same with the locks. If they arent conected maybe a short in the switch that causes an incomplete circut... I dont know if this helps i have problems with mine to, thats the only reason I posted a response...

Hope it helps some...

 

[Justshootme84]

Yeah, you can use a simple test light, or a multimeter to test for power at the motor and switch. I had a problem with the anti-rattle strips on my doors on the 84. That's the piece or rubber and felt at the bottom of the window, inside and out, as well as the side channels where the glass rides up and down. Clean those out to remove any dust or dirt and **** the gear on the regulator. You'll have to pull the panel off the inside of the door anyway to test for power at the motor. The regulator is the big metal arm that moves the glass up or down, with the motor attached to it. It's also possible that the gear in the motor is stripped and can't roll up the glass. It's a PITA to change the motor, so I would only do that as a last resort or if it's getting power but doesn't work. Only way I know to convert to manual windows and locks is to change the doors out. That's what I plan to do, since I'm no longer going to use the power windows or pwr locks. JSM84

 

[Broncobill78]

Duno if it's your problem but for a long time Ford used plastic/nylon gears in the window motors. After a dozen or som years thy'd often strip a few teeth or just crumble completely leaving the windows semi-functional with good motors and bad gears. Autozone & a few others sell replacement gearsets but you have to remove the motor to confirm what the issue is.

 

[jsomedaysoon]

Duno if it's your problem but for a long time Ford used plastic/nylon gears in the window motors. After a dozen or som years thy'd often strip a few teeth or just crumble completely leaving the windows semi-functional with good motors and bad gears. Autozone & a few others sell replacement gearsets but you have to remove the motor to confirm what the issue is.

the mechanic that did the transmission swap said thats probably what the problem is(the gears in the motor) and it does make sense for the most part because sometimes i can hear the motor trying but the window wont really do anything. other times the motor doesent activate at all when i hit the switch. i do have one of those little test lights where exactly should i probe the switch and the motor to test for power?

 

[Justshootme84]

You should have a 12V power lead coming through the door tothe switch. Check your year model's wiring diagrams for what each color goes to. If you have no power to the switch, there's a blown fuse or a short in the wiring from the fuse box to the door. Also be sure to check the plug-type connector inside the bottom of the A-pillar, right about where the bottom door hinge attaches. Check for power on both sides of the plug. IF you have power to the switch, check the hot wire between the switch and the motor with your test light. It should light when you push the switch on. Check the ground wire to the motor, be sure it's not loose. If you have power to the motor and it doesn't spin or you don't hear it hum, the motor is bad. If the motor spins or hums when your turn the switch on, then the gear is likely stripped or broken. You'll have to pull the motor to replace the gear. The inner door panel is held on by some plastic clips, which you can undo with a special forked tool, or use a flat blade srewdriver to pry the panel away from the door. I like to start at a bottom corner, then work along the bottom. Once you get a few clips popped loose, you can run your hand inside the panel and help to undo the other clips up the side of the door. The armrest has one or two srews under the bottom that need to come out, too. The switch covers to the widow and lock just snap off or have a ***** in the middle. Most of this info is in a HAynes or Chilton repair manual, which also has the wiring diagrams, JSM84

 

[jsomedaysoon]

You should have a 12V power lead coming through the door tothe switch. Check your year model's wiring diagrams for what each color goes to. If you have no power to the switch, there's a blown fuse or a short in the wiring from the fuse box to the door. Also be sure to check the plug-type connector inside the bottom of the A-pillar, right about where the bottom door hinge attaches. Check for power on both sides of the plug. IF you have power to the switch, check the hot wire between the switch and the motor with your test light. It should light when you push the switch on. Check the ground wire to the motor, be sure it's not loose. If you have power to the motor and it doesn't spin or you don't hear it hum, the motor is bad. If the motor spins or hums when your turn the switch on, then the gear is likely stripped or broken. You'll have to pull the motor to replace the gear. The inner door panel is held on by some plastic clips, which you can undo with a special forked tool, or use a flat blade srewdriver to pry the panel away from the door. I like to start at a bottom corner, then work along the bottom. Once you get a few clips popped loose, you can run your hand inside the panel and help to undo the other clips up the side of the door. The armrest has one or two srews under the bottom that need to come out, too. The switch covers to the widow and lock just snap off or have a ***** in the middle. Most of this info is in a HAynes or Chilton repair manual, which also has the wiring diagrams, JSM84

awesome i guess thats what i'll be doing this weekend. i'm pretty sure i understood all that. my haynes is in a box in storage some where so i guess i need to spend some time looking for it.