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slow power windows 1991 LeSabre

fordnightmarefordnightmare Member Posts: 40
edited March 2014 in Buick
All 4 windows go up and down very slow. I find it hard to believe that all 4 motors are bad, but I guess it's possible.

I was thinking I may have a voltage problem. I Haven't measured the voltage though.

Any ideas?

Thanks..
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Comments

  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    for the randy halibut, I would also check the battery voltage at the terminals when the windows are being operated in accessory position of the key. they might be telling you the battery is down to dust and will soon fail you. those motors working against load (dry gears, sticky dirty rails that needed lubrication 3 years ago, etc.) will draw a LOT of current and make a fairly good "battery pile" to test the old acid jug against.

    which brings up the question of whether you feel adventurous enough to take the inside door panels off and clean and lube up the running gear of the window assemblies. it's work, but that might be exactly what is wrong in the first place.
  • craniumcranium Member Posts: 40
    I have a 1989 Buick Century with the same problems. All 4 windows go up and down, but very slowly. I installed a brand new battery 3 months ago, and no improvement. I'll take a look at removing the door panels, but if it's too much work, I'll leave it be (considering it's my winter beater anyway.) Who needs to open the windows in the winter?

    If the door panels are not going to be too much of a hassle, what sort of lubrication should be used? Grease? WD-40? Triflow?
  • avalanche325avalanche325 Member Posts: 116
    I had a car with the same problem. What it was was that the tracks around the edge of the glass were "sticky". Put the window down and then spray some silicone (NOT WD-40) in the tracks that the glass slides up and down in. It might be a cheap fix. Be careful not to get too much on the glass as it smears really badly.
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    any rube who goes across the (foot or more of solid) ice without the windows open deserves to drown when the vehicle crashes through somebody's mistake.
  • jgmilbergjgmilberg Member Posts: 872
    My brother has a '91 Olds 88 Royale. It has the same problem, and it got so bad on the drivers front thatthe window would only go up 1/2 way and stop, thenafter 2-3 mins the window would go up the rest of the way. We changed the motor and it all went back to the way it was when it was brand new. The other 3 never got changed, but they all work, just painfully slow.
  • jgmilbergjgmilberg Member Posts: 872
    Just so you know, if you drive onto the ice to go fishing or whatever that the second that one of your tires hits the ice on a frozen over lake that the insurance policy is voided, unless it's an actual accident. Just another thing to consider before venturing out onto the ice with your nice new truck. Not to mention that you will also be responsible for the recovery cost and the environmental impact fines if your car/truck crashes through the ice.

    Another thing is that if you wait until the water level inside the car is the same as the outside you can open the door because the pressure is equal inside and out, basically 3/4 of the interior will have to be flooded. Of course you will be under water, so be ready to swim. This is not only or ice fishers but for the people that might have the unfortunate opportunity to slide off the road and into the drink.
  • craniumcranium Member Posts: 40
    Well, I guess you're right.. Ice fisherman, should beable to open their windows in the winter. But since I am not an ice fisherman, nor will I be driving on any lakes (at least not on purpose), opening my windows is not a huge problems in the winter. Eventhough, I would still like to resolve this problem.

    I know I have some silicone spray kicking around my garage, so I will try that (on the passenger side first, of course :) ).

    Any other suggestions? I am definitely NOT shelling out $$ to have new motors put in.
  • jgmilbergjgmilberg Member Posts: 872
    I got the replacement motor for my brothers car from autozone for $45, and installed it myself. If you are not sure what/hot to do it a glass shop can do the job, but I don't know how much. I wouldn't pay more than $100 labor to swap out the motor.
  • fordnightmarefordnightmare Member Posts: 40
    Did you try running the original motor with no load? How did it spin? I'm wondering if my motor is gummed up. I've seen shafts on smaller motors (non vehicle) get so gummed up from old grease that they can hardly spin. If this is the case on our window motors I wonder if they can be taken apart, cleaned, and relubed.

    I guess I need to tear into one of the doors.

    Thanks for all the info...
  • jgmilbergjgmilberg Member Posts: 872
    It was really slow, I ran them both before I installed the new motor just to make sure that the motor was bad. It wasn't caked up with old grease, I drilled out the rivets that held it all together and the inside had grease on it, but not old gummy stuff. I cleaned it up and ran it again and it was the same speed. The Autozone motor also has a lifetime warranty.
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