328 Emergency window handle - How do I revert to electric control?

I used the handle for the first time on my '86 328 to make sure it fit and worked correctly. It seems that you must screw it in past a certain point for the electric window mechanism to disconnect so you can turn the handle and raise/lower the window manually. The problem I'm having is that this probably wasn't done during the past 39 years. It now seems that the "electric release mechanism" is stuck, so I can't revert to controlling the window with the electric motor - and the emergency handle is not at all convenient to use. Any help in remedying this would be greatly appreciated!