Re: '89 Spider Power windows in alfa-digest V7 #1146

[Paul Weimer <pjweimer@domain.elided>]

Ron,

I am also challenged by the power windows in my '88 Spider.  The driver's side
just flat quit.  Window was all the way down and nothing would get it to move.
Tested switch vs passenger side switch... exact same readings.  Eventually I
removed the driver's side door panel, disconnected the wiring harness to the
electric motor and, with a 12V power supply, applied voltage directly to the
motor.  Nothing.  Nothing, that is, until I rapped the body of the motor rather
sharply.
Up started the window!  Slow, intermittent, but indeed UP!  I reconnected the
wiring harness, pressed the switch and performance repeated, slow, intermittent,
but UP!  Now I suspected the motor itself.  It was still just late morning, so I
decided to pull that little bugger out of the door and give it a thorough going
over.
Once I got the mechanism out (after pulling the window, observing the cable's neat
little path), I pulled the motor off the rest of mechanicals and opened it up.
And therein was the problem!  Rust, corrosion and generally in a very nasty
state.  Cleaned it all up, touched up the armature, checked the brushes, sealed it
all back up and installed all back from whence I found it.
Poured a cup of coffee, sat in the driver's seat turned on the key, and... went
for the window switch.  The window jumped to life, not with the speed that I had
hoped (figured I may need to adjust the tracks; binding up, I thought), but it
traveled up and back down rather smoothly.

Happy ending one would think.  But I have learned something about all my beloved
Spiders.  Just when you have fixed that final annoyance, it will come up with
another challenge.  I think they just love to be tinkered with.  My wife drove the
car the following Saturday morning.  When she returned the window was down and has
once again refused to come up.
It's still in the garage, with the window down.  My work schedule got crazy.
Maybe this weekend...

Paul Weimer
'69 Spider Boattail
'84 Spider 2.0
'88 Spider Veloce

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