Power Window Issues

HISTORY:
70 Buick Estate Wagon - Car parked for a little over a year - Both front windows operated when I parked her (had too put them up) Now that I have it back on the road (no ac) The front windows will not operate, however the 2 rear windows still do! I pulled the switch from door panel it has warped at plug connection and contacts have rusted. I cleaned the connections and have good contact between switch and plug.

Question:
Has anyone ever experianced both motors going bad at same time from sitting?

Is there possibly a fuse or relay that seperates the front from rear after the switch?

Is there a way to use a jumper at the motors?

Thanks in advance!!

 

The circuit breaker controls them all. So if just the fronts are out, then I'd look at those rusty contacts again. Grab a test light and run some checks. Of course you could also try jumping a hot wire to see if the motors work.

 

I did clean the contacts and checked wiring with test light - i havn't been able to get to the motors to find out if power flows all the way yet.

Thanks for the heads up on the circuit breaker

 

While holding the switch give the door a good hard, perhaps several, rap(s) with your fist in the area where the motor is.


Does it work now?

For whatever reason the motors get stuck from disuse. I suspect light corrossion on the commutators that just needs a jiggle to conduct once again.

 

Here we are trying to trouble shoot and Ross is the only guy with the best solution...... if it don't work, HIT IT AND KEEP HITTING THE THING TILL IT WORKS!!!!

This is a good point, In the past I have had a few power window and seat motors that did just need a few taps/wacks to bring them back to life.

 

Allready tried that (used to have an old ford truck) Guess I'm pulling them out!

 

As they say "Get a bigger hammer"

I think you can them apart and get new brushes too.

 

Who said anything about tapping?
If they worked before, the switch is good and the rears work I can't think of a more likely scenario than what I described.

 

Some great designer decided to place the motor under the window stop support. I even used a continuosley on switch instead of the original momentary switch, I gave it the best hits available for the room around it. I'll try it again once it out with a bigger hammer!

 

After the door panel is off, un plug the harness from the motor. Take a battery or a booster box and connect 2 wires, about 16 gauge ones to it (battery or box). Plug one wire into the harness going to the motor and touch the other one to the other wire going into the motor. If the motor is good, it will either roll down or you will hear a bump. If you hear a bump, reverse the wires. Should go down now if motor is OK. It goes without saying, don't let the wires touch each other. Lots of amperage to burn fingers or scare the crap out of you.

 

I like your approach, Get a bigger jolt! Hope its not raining that day.

 

Having been a taxicab mechanic, I have had plenty of experience with power windows. In extreme cases, the wires will chafe and short out where they come through the jamb and into the door, caused by repeated opening/closing of the door.