Fishv12

Good day all!

I have a nice 98Z28 and well my motors have been slow from the get go but now it's just unacceptable and I think they need some help. In all my cars I always replaced the whole regulator. I always figured they are old and why not for the price difference anyways. So my question is on these cars a quick search leads me to see this is alot more challenging as the panel is fiberglass. Changing the regulator seems to involve drilling out the rivet heads within the fiberglass which is difficult not to damage the glass at the same time. Drilling out the rivets for the motor seems a little more like the way to go if the regulator is good obviously as you are making access holes in the door but not really affecting the structural hold of the regulator. I am pretty certain my regulators are fine just the motors.

Anyways any inside thoughts on the subject would be good. I just don't want to cause any harm to the car if I can avoid it.

02SOMWS6TA

There's a YouTube video that shows a guy replacing just the motor on a camaro from start to finish. I'm sure you can just search camaro window motor replacement.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

If you replace the regulator, you'll need a special rivit to avoid enlarging the hole over time and damaging the inner door structure.

Personally, I see no reason to replace the regulator so long as it's working fine. If the window goes up straight, seals properly, and isn't loose, then I would simply replace the motor(s). My driver's side went bad about 2-3 years ago, all I did was a motor swap and the regulator has been fine ever since.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

^ +1. It's also impossible to keep for doing some damage to the fiberglass when you drill out the old rivets. This leads to other issues with keeping the regulator secure in its place.

For this reason, I've become a fan of the shbox method to replace the motors.

EdgarB

iTrader: (2)

Sorry to bring this back from the dead guys but I have a question. My window will go up and down. However, when I am going up I have to go on intervals due to it stopping on its own every 6 inches or so. Would that mean I need to replace the motor or the regulator? Thanks and sorry for the thread revive.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

If the window goes up straight, seals properly, and isn't loose, then the regulator should be fine. What you describe sounds like a typical case of a bad motor.

EdgarB

iTrader: (2)

Thank you I just wasnt sure.

FiredUpZ28

I like doing the regulator as one piece with the motor. I know it sounds strange, maybe its what Im used to, but I find its easier doing the regulator with the motor. And no extra holes need to be drilled into the door. The rivets are VERY important.

I've been told that the regulator is typically the cause of the motor going bad in the first place.

Zlow28

iTrader: (11)

What causes the motors to go bad on these cars? Ive already replaced 2 motors and im going on my 3rd one on 2 different fbodies. Ive never had to replace a window motor on any other car before.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

I used to do this to change my motors but went to shbox after the repeated drilling of the rivets started to damage the holes in the door. (You can't escape at least some damage every time.) I want to avoid having to install a reinforcing plate as long as I can.


My original regulator is smooth as glass and I've still had the motor problems over the life of the car. If the regulator was an issue, you could feel resistance/seizing after removing it. Did a part salesman tell you this?


Its just a very old design. You can look up P/N cross references and see that this part was installed on cars as early as 1969. Parts, motors, and seals have some a very since then! So far, we've had a lot more success with the Dorman motor, which is an updated design and said to be sealed better from contaminants.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I agree.

Like many, I have never replaced the regulator and the new motor has done fine with the original regulator for several years. I see no reason to replace the regulator so long as the window continues to go up and down straight with no binding, seals properly, and isn't loose.

The old regulator can also be lubricated while you're in there. Silglyde would be a great choice, as reminded to me by wssix99. That stuff is also great to have around for brake lubrication (caliper slide pins and drum brake component contact points).

pewterformula

iTrader: (2)

Doing a window motor on these cars is pretty easy and can generally be done in about 30 to 45 minutes. I usually drill a small access hole in the fiberglass door panel to access the bolts on the motor. It doesnt cause any problems and doesnt weaken the door, but makes it a breeze to replace the motors.

RockinWs6

Actually there is nothing wrong with the motor its self, the problem is in the circuit breaker inside the motor. You can bypass it and the motor will run like new again BUT If you bypass it and you stick your head out the window and close the window....IT WILL CUT YOUR HEAD OFF Jim..............Thank You Spock for that info.

RockinWs6

All they did was use a better designed circuit breaker.........

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

There's more to the Dorman than the thermal cutoff. The bearings are fully sealed, for one.

its not just the thermal cutoff that causes problems in the stock motor. They fail in a number of ways - the thermal cutoff is just one - and disabling that feature is not always a wise thing to do.

You don't hear a lot of the other failure modes because the result in sudden death of the motor:
- people mistake them for a switch issue
- its easier to understand that the motor needs replacing and folks don't need to post
- they die right as you have rolled down the window to pay the PA turnpike tool in a 20 degree blizzard (am I still bitter?) and folks are too frustrated to post about it (thankfully, we now have EZ Pass)
- people are so frustrated, they trow their computer out the window

pea_jay

Anyone have a p/n for the dorman motors? Im going to go ahead and replace both in my T/A since they are getting slow

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Dorman's web site has a p/n look-up where you can get that info.

pea_jay

742-101-Dorman Part # for reference. Just ordered two from rock auto for under 60 bucks!

zssman

iTrader: (9)

Good info guys, thanks.

RockinWs6

So what are the other ways it fails..................