RE: '89 Spider power windows

[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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