G body power window motor

[michaelluscher]

So after an evening drive, the right window on the project Grand Prix stuck about an inch from fully closed

No amount of wire wiggling and door slamming would coax it back into life (it used to )

Applying power and ground to the motor (after using the wrong wires and blowing some fuses) yielded nothing

After a week of heavy rain (didn't get that wet) I got two new motors, and both switches because they were kinda sticky, also cheap $

That door panel is a *censored* and a half to remove, let's put it that way
It's also 37 year old quality GM cardboard with pretty felt glued on (read: fragile)
It's not like any other G body door, so not like I had any instructions
I ordered a Fisher body manual, it's fairly useless on the matter as well

Then I find out you've gotta drill 3 holes in the inner door skin metal to access the bolts that hold the motor onto the regulator

So, I thought I'd do a nice job and pick up a hole saw

WRONG

Your cutting through such thin metal, with a hardened steel bolt right behind it, there's no room for the pilot bit to sink in, which sends the hole saw chattering across the door panel (into your pant leg)

I ordered one of those nice drill operated metal nibblers, thought that would make a clean cut

ALSO WRONG

It too requires clearanc that wasn't available

In the end, I wound up sacrificing a drill bit and just drilling several holes in a circle, then prying with an implement, I was so fed up

It's not pretty, but it's completely hidden internal to the door, I'll probably clean it up with a burr on the M12 die grinder before reassembling the door

ACDelco motors are $35 new, oddly they used the same motor in a '04 Cavalier

Leave it to GM to get their money's worth out of a design

It's faster, so it's got that going for it now, also reliable

I'm not even gonna bother on the functional drivers one yet, because both doors need anti rattle kits, both inner outer dew wipes, and glass adjustments into new weatherstripping

Slowclap for the hardtop bodystyle

Window

 

[86cutlass307]

Job well done...I remember that task well. I still own my G-Body Olds; my window motor replacement years ago seemed to generate 15-20 additional tasks it seemed. I remember the entire mechanism not having much lube in the travel path; the grease guy must have been on break when they closed up the door interior. Did you experiment with any new curse words? I certainly did!

 

[350Rocket]

I wish I had this problem. My g body has roll up windows, which I've had my own set of problems. (Mainly from me being locked out of the car and prying my way in past the window that has no door frame)
My first g body olds (87 Cutlass I bought used 19 years ago) had power windows and no issues up to 200k miles 18 years old when it was rusted out.

 

[92saturnsl2]

I hate servicing window motors / regulators that require drilling out rivets or additional holes. Seems to have been a staple of the 80's, as was the cardboard door panels (not just GM, my Fords had them, and a cardboard headliner too!)

 

[GMBoy]

87 Grand National owner here - I feel you. I still have the original window motors in mine but they are slow Car has 65k miles so age will get them before miles. I installed the anti rattle clip kit from Kirban performance that works great.