| Author | Message | ||
     Glen Poolen Frequent User Username: wgipps Post Number: 249 Registered: 03-2018 |
Hi Been advised to put some graphite powder down the window glass channels in the doors to help them run smoothly. Is there a way to do this without pulling the doors apart? Can i somehow get it down the channel as it stands at the moment? Thanks G | ||
| Jeff Young Frequent User Username: jeyjey Post Number: 427 Registered: 10-2010 |
FWIW I used silicone spray lube from a can with a little tube (like a WD40 can). It was moderately successful. | ||
| Robert J. Sprauer Frequent User Username: wraithman Post Number: 614 Registered: 11-2017 |
Graphite for window channels? No way. It is for locks. Recommended procedure is to use spray silicone with a straw tube for the channels. If the window binds within the channel, the cause can also be a slightly bent frame. The window glass has to be unbolted (one bolt) from the elevator and manually moved up and down to check warpage. Check voltage at the motor, yellow cables, one solid, one striped. If the motor moves the window up and down with no effort, you have a voltage drop and part of the cure is clean contacts at the sockets and clean ground points. | ||
| Glen Poolen Frequent User Username: wgipps Post Number: 250 Registered: 03-2018 |
ok - silicon spray it is. an auto electrician suggested it. The windows have had the upgrade recommended. But they still move a little slow - he was recommending other possible fixes to take the drawn and pressure of the motors. maybe i heard him wrong. The next step is window motor rebuilds so im looking to try things before i get to that point. | ||
| Stephen Bardwell New User Username: cobard71 Post Number: 12 Registered: 03-2020 |
Hi. I have same issue. Front windows go down fine but going up is just not happening. This is with replacement motors. I have just let it on hold and put door cards etc all back together. It was a nightmare. Strange as rear windows work fine, no problems. I replaced drivers door multi switches and the passenger door switch. There are various electricial fixes.. But I'm not that good with electrics.. | ||
| Jeff Young Frequent User Username: jeyjey Post Number: 428 Registered: 10-2010 |
Also check the chains. I had one that was really rusty and causing a lot more friction. I tried rehabilitating it which helped, but ended up replacing it in the end. | ||
| ross kowalski Prolific User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 1385 Registered: 11-2015 |
Glen, I would caution against adding grounds and wires as a fix because there is fundamentally nothing wrong with the OEM design and wiring if everything is working properly. Also, don't forget the rotor bearings on the motor, rotors turn fast and a little friction at the rotor shaft makes a big difference up the line. Good Luck | ||
| Robert J. Sprauer Frequent User Username: wraithman Post Number: 615 Registered: 11-2017 |
Also. The round cylinder on the opposite side of the motor is a brake with a rubber pad with fingers. These are also a problem. The brake case is held with 2 fasteners. Remove one of them and rotate the solenoid. You will see the round disc with rubber fingers, remove it and re-assemble the motor. The brake pad is for when the window is raised (closed) the brake solenoid would prevent the glass on its own weight from dropping. In reality it would never likely occur due to the worm gear design. Again, if powering upward is slow, the window channel may be skewed or slightly bent to prevent wind noise. | ||
| ross kowalski Prolific User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 1386 Registered: 11-2015 |
Stephen, A garage should be able to check the current to the window motors in front and in back. If the back (fast) window current is less than the front (slow), it tells you your wiring is fine and the window motor is just working hard against some friction somewhere. This way you would know which problem you have before doing a fix on the other. Good Luck | ||
| Robert J. Sprauer Frequent User Username: wraithman Post Number: 616 Registered: 11-2017 |
Ross. I believe you mean voltage. I would check the voltage at the window switch on the door. If the voltage is low, I would suspect bad connections and possibly a partially broken cable routing thru the door jamb conduit. When the motor struggles, it will pull more CURRENT due to the effort in lifting the window. Voltage remains constant at approx 12v or so, the current will change depending on load and it's the load that trips a fuse or circuit breaker. Early Shadow window motors had permanent magnets and will lose their strength over time. | ||
| ross kowalski Prolific User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 1387 Registered: 11-2015 |
Robert, I do mean current. DC motors use the most current when they are stalled and the least when spinning faster. If a window is moving slow it is either trying to go normal speed but prevented by friction (That would be a slow movement and a high current) or moving slow because there is no current flow and the motor just isn't doing much (That would be a slow movement and a low current) Stephen has properly operating rears so that is a baseline to determine "high" and "low" current. One could test by comparing voltage drop at the motor under load I suppose. I grab the clamp on DC ammeter for problems like this. | ||
| John Kilkenny Frequent User Username: john_kilkenny Post Number: 326 Registered: 06-2005 |
Some years ago there was a lot of discussion about windows slowly dropping when the safely cutout operated after the UP button continued to be pressed when the window had fully closed. General opinion was that the weight of the window was causing this. My car (SRH 1405)still exhibits this property even though you would think it is not possible for the weight of the window to cause the driven gear to turn the worm in the window drive train. It was eventually shown to be due to a design error in the window circuit which allowed a partial current to flow in the DOWN direction. If you are interested, this investigation is explained in a Silver Shadow thread opened by Chris Miller (Last Activity July 24 2015). Search under Window Lifts | ||
| ross kowalski Prolific User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 1388 Registered: 11-2015 |
John, I just read that thread which was pretty interesting. It seemed to be mostly about what happens when a window motor is stalled for 20~30 seconds. I think that is a different issue than slow raising windows. But thermal cut offs.... Hmmm. I don't know what kind of thermal switch is used, but if it is a bimetallic point kind, the current for the motor goes through those points. If those are inside the rubber rain housing they might get overlooked, corroded, and subsequently high resistance. That would lead to low current low power and slow up, fast down windows. Is there a picture online of the thermal shutoffs for those motors? I don't remember what was in mine, but if it had points I would have cleaned them as a matter of course. | ||
| John Kilkenny Frequent User Username: john_kilkenny Post Number: 327 Registered: 06-2005 |
Ross, Yes, it's a different issue, but interesting. The thermal cutout seems to be bi-metallic. You can hear it click when it resets. With regard to slow raising windows, I think early Shadows generally did not have this problem. I believe it is due to heavier gauge wiring inside the doors. Here is a diagram showing the measured voltages on my car during door window operation.  | ||
| ross kowalski Prolific User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 1389 Registered: 11-2015 |
John, Is that 10v with the engine running or off? | ||
| John Kilkenny Frequent User Username: john_kilkenny Post Number: 328 Registered: 06-2005 |
Ross, I can't remember, however I think it would be with the engine stopped. | ||
| John Kilkenny Frequent User Username: john_kilkenny Post Number: 330 Registered: 06-2005 |
Ross, I'm not sure it matters whether the engine is running or not. What is important is the voltage drop. Does the window go up quicker when the engine is running ? The aforementioned thread also shows that the brake solenoids are not necessary and can be removed which would reduce the circuit load and allow more current to the motor. This should help in raising the window. | ||
| ross kowalski Prolific User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 1390 Registered: 11-2015 |
John, 10v on a running car is a 4.2 voltage drop and 10v on battery only would be a 2.1 ish voltage drop. 10v on battery only seems reasonable. Maybe when I get back I can get some numbers on mine for comparison. I think I still have the brake solenoids. |
