Good morning, I removed the window motor and housing from both sides of my 1985 308 GTS in order to replace the grease in the housing. The motors and housing came out easily enough. The pax side went back in easily enough. The driver's side will NOT go back in. It is like the cable shrank during the time I had it out of the door. The cable does not fit like it did and I swear I didn't remove any of that. LOL I have spent hours trying to refinagle it back in. Does anyone have any insight about how to get it back in or what I may be doing wrong? I get the housing back in sometimes without the motor attached. Then when I reattach the motor to the housing and put it back it won't go. I am very frustrated. Please let me know any insight. Lee (703) 987-9208
Hi Lee, It sounds as if you didn't cut the cable, but left it intact? At first thought, I'd guess you need to check pathway of the cable and be sure it's going around all the guides/pulleys as intended, attached to the window correctly, and isn't binding in some odd fashion. How much further do you need to be able to move the motor to get it back into position? Are we talking an inch, or several inches?
Are you saying that you can get the motor in and mounted, but the cable is now too short? or you simply get the motor back in the hole?
I left the cables intact. I have checked and rechecked the routing. I finally got the housing and motor lined up but had to wrestle to get the cable over the tensioner. Now it is TIGHT. it surely isn't like it was when I started. I want to test is but am afraid it is too tight. The funny thing is that the pax side is perfectly installed. The driver's side is a B*^%$.
At first I could only get the mount in without the motor attached. And everything was perfect. Once I attached the motor to the mount and tried to reinstall it wouldn't work. I finally got it in (That's what she said) but the cable is super tight without using the tensioner other than its lowest position. It is tight (That's what she said again). I'm afraid it is too tight. I have no idea why it mounts easily without the motor attached. Very strange
1. I imagine you unwound the cable, as opposed to replacing the cable. The cable has to exit the pulley and go through two specific places as determined by the specific posts. Are you sure the cable is properly exiting the pulley? 2. The cable initially makes 4 wraps around the pulley, however, when each end of the cable exits the pulley as described above there are only 3 1/2 wraps, which leaves some of the pulley groves empty. Check your winding. 3. Check the cable when it crosses itself in the door. There is only one correct way, otherwise it will rub and bind. 4. Due to the hand made aspect of these cars, (mine is 78 308 GTS), my passenger door had the upper pulley (next to the door lock button) in a different position! There is hole in the inner door sheetmetal where the pulley should be (complete with threaded hole), but on mine there was another threaded hole just in front of the original threaded mount about 2" forward. Really through me for a loop when I did my windows. Luckily I took pictures. 5. Once the motor is installed, there is a vinyl covering inside the door that goes over the top of the motor and just drapes over the motor to keep the rain off the motor. Easy to position, if you remember while you're in there. Good luck.
Mine was just the opposite. Drivers side smooth and predictable, passenger side a B*^%$. These window repairs have to be one of the least desirable and frustrating job on the 308. Putting your hand inside the door usually draws blood and the cable routing is tricky, but the worst is trying to get the cable wrapped correctly around the pulley and keeping it wound as you mount it and then having the cable exit correctly while the wrapping stays tight as you route the cable. More hands are needed and more choice words need to be invented. It took me several times to mount an unmount the motor before I has success, but once done the windows do work much faster.
Thanks for your help. I double checked everything you mentioned. I checked the exit from the pulley. Looked correct. It has the proper wraps as you mentioned. It looks like it crosses correctly. I just don't understand it. If I take it out again (which I don't want to do) and remove the motor...I will be able to attach the housing to the door and the cable runs fine. At least it did just before I reattached the motor and reinstalled it all this last time. But once I reattach the motor things go haywire. I have done hundreds of car projects but this one is killing me.
When I did mine, I repaired everything and put the motor and housing together, passed it through the speaker hole and worked it into the correct position. There are three screws that secure the assemble. I think the motor and holes only line up one way. Is the motor oriented correctly? Are the motor polarity connections assembled properly?
It is assembled correctly. It is in. The holes are lined up w the bolts on the housing and it is secured. It is just that the cables are really tight now. Ive checked everything that I can think of and what you mentioned. I just cant figure out why the cable seems tighter now that I've reinserted it than it was before I took it out. I dont want to take it out again but I probably have to. Uggggh. I am glad youra worked more easily. This is super frustrating. Lee
It is assembled correctly. It is in. The holes are lined up w the bolts on the housing and it is secured. It is just that the cables are really tight now. Ive checked everything that I can think of and what you mentioned. I just cant figure out why the cable seems tighter now that I've reinserted it than it was before I took it out. I dont want to take it out again but I probably have to. Uggggh. I am glad youra worked more easily. This is super frustrating. Lee
Did you happen to mark the two spots on the cable where it attaches to the bottom of the window? If I recall, the location is important because the cable has to unspool then respool. I think I had to fine tune my cable placement even though I marked it.
No. I didn't undo them. When I took the housing and motor out I just loosened the tensioner and removed the 3 nuts. I then wiggled it out. I never messed with the cable. Thats what is killing me. I just can't understand it. Especially since the pax door went easily and perfectly. I might try a hammer. Lol
So, if I understand, you only removed the cable from the tensioner and not the pulleys. How did you keep the cable on the spool from not shifting? If so, my guess is that it shifted or it is not wound correctly on the spool. If the cable is too tight, then the only way it can get tighter is by winding on the spool or a different routing through the pulleys. One thing you can check on when the motor and cable is installed in the door is to use a cell phone and take a picture of the motor spool. You may see something that will help you figure out why it gets tight once installed. I'm running out of ideas here.
If you have a hard crank, I would connect it and try to cycle the window up and down several times. This may equalize the tension.
I really appreciate your time and thoughts. I will try to do as you described. I'd buy you a beer for your time but... I guess it is time to go back out and try once more. Or 320 times more. I'm so frustrated. Thanks again
I tried that too. But it is way too loose if I go that route. I think the wraps are right now. I just need a 1/4 inch of slack...if that. I'm going crazy. lol
have you played around with the small pulley on that vertical profile ? adjusting it a little downward could do the trick . Image Unavailable, Please Login
It seemed that way for me also but once I cycled the window everything was correct. Keep in mind, those or plastic rollers , you WILL break them. They're not meant to have the cable so overtight you can play a tune.
Yes. I spun it to take slack out of the bottom then the top was loose. I've gone crazy trying a lot of stuff. I know it is something really simple in the end. I just don't get it right now.
Is it possible you have the cable going outside one (or more) of the mounting bolts? I've attached a pic to illustrate the (incorrect) path I mean. Image Unavailable, Please Login