This is an easy repair, even I could do it, and it has a lot of bang for the buck.
A power window switch, driver's side:
Use a small flat-blade screwdriver to gently pry the side away from the circuit board so that the circuit board will release and start to tilt out:
Once it starts to come out grab it to keep it from popping out of control, else little springs will fly everywhere:
This is what awaits you. Yech!
The various parts, note the orientation of the switch terminals as you disassemble the switch, so that you can reassemble it in the correct orientation:
After a trip through some solvent-soaked towels, note the dark oxidation discoloration and the pitting on the terminal contacts:
A couple of minutes of work with some 2000 sandpaper, though any fine grade will work and so will a Dremel with a wire brush:
Nice and shiny, the big dimple is wear, but it won't present a problem for now, the main thing is to get rid of the oxidation:
The sliders are as good as new!
The only grease I had handy at the house for this write up, it's actually going to be used on my brake sliders, but you know what they say, any grease in a storm.
Insert the plastic carrier and the two springs, they only go in one way:
My favorite automotive tool, the trusty paper clip. Bend it into a U as shown and run it through the notches in the side of the switch housing to retain the two sliders:
Lube up the contacts, a little goes a long way:
Remembering the orientation of the switch terminal board, snap it back into place:
Pull the paper clip out, you're good to go!
Man, between picture posting limits and flood control cutoffs, I didn't think I'd ever get this posted.
JazzMan
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12:54 AM
SplineZ Member
Posts: 952 From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Registered: Nov 2002
..bows to statue of fiero god........Thank you almighty jazzman fiero god of the road............and humbly crawls away..................................................jazzman as always your are tops.............. ................cant give another plus +++++++++++++..................
takes about 10min a switch to thru-outly clean the switch, clean contacts, and reassemble. (i did both tonite) Definatly easier than rippin out your door guts!
While your at it, pop off the top part of the switch and clean the garbage thats collected there.. mine was absolutly disgusting... hahah
James Z
[This message has been edited by SplineZ (edited 04-09-2004).]
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04:02 AM
jelly2m8 Member
Posts: 6107 From: Nova Scotia, Canada Registered: Jul 2001
Do I ever feel dumb. I've taken a bunch of those apart. Get ready to put them back together, and do the balancing act with the springs & slides, and hope it all stays in while I snap the board in. A PAPER CLIP!!!! Ah---- Kain't----- Believe!!!! You & Phil are just Fiero Gurus Extrodinaire-that's all there is to it. Is the house next door to you for sale by chance??
------------------ Semper Fi 1. 84 SE auto 2. 84 SE 4 spd
[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 04-09-2004).]
Jazzman mentioned in another thread that di-electric grease would be the perfect solution.. but most any grease as long as its not conductive will work fine.. You dont need any shorts do ya? hehe
James Z
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01:09 PM
buddycraigg Member
Posts: 13597 From: kansas city, mo Registered: Jul 2002
it's funny i just did this last night to an indy. too bad it didn't help the speed of the windows. and the paper clip trick is great. i use allen wrenches because i can never find a paperclip.
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01:36 PM
JacobHaley Member
Posts: 269 From: Columbus, OH Registered: Feb 2003
Yep, it doubled. It's still a tad slower than new I suspect, but now it take about 7-8 seconds full up or down compared to the old 20-22 seconds.
JazzMan
Cool, I'll pull mine tomorrow and tear it apart.
I replaced the drivers door on my T-Top the other week, and went over the window regulator and tracks with a fine tooth comb.
I found 2 rollers that had flat spots on them,and the rest didn't spin freely. I replaced the flat spotted rollers, and freed them all up that they spun nice, but the window was as slow as ever. Maybe cleaning up the switchs will do the trick.
One thing about the T-Top cars is that you need to have a little more inboard window pressure, and have the window run a little higher up than the non -T Top ones. This doesn't help the window speed any as it does have to work a little harder.
[This message has been edited by jelly2m8 (edited 04-10-2004).]
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12:31 AM
Jun 27th, 2004
topcat Member
Posts: 5486 From: Charleston SC Registered: Dec 2001
My window were really slow and the gray rockers on top were badly oxidized, so I decided to just replace the whole switch. After replacing them, I decided to take a look at the insides of the old switches because I remembered this thread. My old switches looked worse than Jazzman's pics in this thread. I cleaned them up, and put them back together. However I still would not use them because of the dirty oxidized gray rocker on top.
Sooooo.... I decided to try wet sanding and polishing them. I first used a 1500, then 2000 grit paper. I followed that with a polishing compound, then regular car wax applied with the buffing pad attachment on a dremel. The results were amazing; they look nearly new.
Anyone want to buy some window switches real cheap?
Thanks Jazz... You already had a positive, so I can not give you another.
[This message has been edited by topcat (edited 06-27-2004).]
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06:59 AM
LZeitgeist Member
Posts: 5662 From: Raleigh, NC, U.S.A. Registered: Dec 2000
Good pictures etc. I have to do mine again sometime soon. The location makes them collect crap no matter how careful you are.
The only thing I worry a bit about is your grease choice. Many greases, even high temp ones, don't hold up for electrical contacts. They can actually burn when the contacts open. (There is a fairly large amount of current in that switch.) It isn't usually a fire hazard but the burnt grease will stop the switch working. If you end up having trouble, try a silicone grease. I'm not sure if "Lamp socket" grease will work.
Something else that helps.... scratch a mark in the board and the switch body so you can easily figure out which way it goes in. Makes it much easier if you get called away in the middle of them.
Many of the switches can be taken apart for cleaning using similar procedures. The only ones that are a real pain are the lighted ones. The way they are configured makes them hard to get apart without unsoldering the lamp in many of them.
------------------ The only thing George Orwell got wrong was the year.
On a recent trip to the junkyard I found some power window switches from an F body with the same mounting as ours but the button has a raised and depressed area on it indicating which way is up and down. Besides replacing my cracked/faded buttons now they look a little more up to date. They fell right in after removing the original buttons.
On a recent trip to the junkyard I found some power window switches from an F body with the same mounting as ours but the button has a raised and depressed area on it indicating which way is up and down. Besides replacing my cracked/faded buttons now they look a little more up to date. They fell right in after removing the original buttons.
what generation/year fbody was it??? i know that 3rd gen fbody has teh same style but ive never seen a raised/depressed section on the button...
I completed my switch cleaning tonight and your example was exemplary; a + for your help and my windows do roll up faster than before. Not stellar, but they of course are not these new systems. Galen EDIT: will provide a + after my thirty day waiting period. ------------------ Make it FAST or don't make it LITTLE RED BOMB www.velocityaircraft.com
[This message has been edited by stalen88GT (edited 10-11-2004).]
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10:22 PM
California Kid Member
Posts: 9541 From: Metro Detroit Area, Michigan Registered: Jul 2001
JazzMan, just wanted to comment that this thread was an excellent post !!! If I hadn't put new switches in my car a few years back, I would have followed your directions. It's posts like this that will earn a member positive rating, too bad I can't rate your twice.
JazzMan, just wanted to comment that this thread was an excellent post !!! If I hadn't put new switches in my car a few years back, I would have followed your directions. It's posts like this that will earn a member positive rating, too bad I can't rate your twice.
I appreciate the kind comments. I don't do what I do for the ratings, I do it because it's nice to see others benefit from my actions.
JazzMan
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11:47 PM
Oct 12th, 2004
TG oreiF 8891 Member
Posts: 776 From: Cleveland, Ohio; USA Registered: Aug 2004
Great post, you saved me $50. I just wanted to add that it looks like either switch could be used for either side of the car. While following your great advice I noticed the parts are all the same; the only difference is which way the circuit board is inserted into the housing.
I did this about 10 minutes ago. I broke one of the springs inside of the switch. HAHAHA So I cut a rectractable pen sping and it works pretty well now. In case anyone loses their spring you might want to try it.
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08:42 PM
Nov 15th, 2004
USFiero Member
Posts: 4873 From: Everywhere and Middle of Nowhere Registered: Mar 2002
<BUMP> this is a great thread! good idea to mark the body and the board since I'm painting the switches while I have them apart for the daughter's car that fake anodized yellow for her. I already blew the bux on mine, but there were holes in the switch there...
------------------ Custom 85 under construction, 87 Coupe in the driveway. I need parts!
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09:59 PM
fastblack Member
Posts: 3696 From: Riceville, IA Registered: Nov 2003
Great post Jazzman.....did some spares that I had, also wet sanded and buffed the rockers, darn things look like new. Now I hope I didn't turn the guts around on one of them. What will happen if I did?
Here's a BUMP o keep it near the top. Just did the switches for the 87, painted the rockers with Duplicolor Color Cast Yellow. I'm glad I am only doing very small peices with this stuff, it doesn't look like anodized metal as much as I'd like. So far it's just the window rollup, overhead light switches the metal bezel behind the speedo cover and the center vents. I have a set of door tabs I've considered painting and sending to Oreif for detailed paint. Anyway, back to this thread. If you drop the switch parts, the way to tell the orientation of the circuit board is that one of the electrical connectors must be on the end where the number 1 or 2 appears. I didn't have electrical cleaner around, but I used some spray lube to soften the gook inside the switch and an old toothbrush to scrub the innards with a little metal polish (I suppose toothpaste would work) and once again with the lube to claen it. I had some light bulb grease around the garage to reassemble the switches. The warning I wanted to put out there was that if you kept your switches in the garage and it's 20° outside you may want to let them get up to room temperature first. I broke the housing on one of my used switches, dang it.
------------------ John DuRette ***Custom 85 under construction, 87 Coupe in the driveway. The fun never ends!***
On a recent trip to the junkyard I found some power window switches from an F body with the same mounting as ours but the button has a raised and depressed area on it indicating which way is up and down. Besides replacing my cracked/faded buttons now they look a little more up to date. They fell right in after removing the original buttons.
more specific please - I like the raised and depressed buttons
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11:00 AM
musicman_L7 Member
Posts: 1149 From: Defiance, Iowa 51527 Registered: Nov 2002
more specific please - I like the raised and depressed buttons
If I remember correctly, the 1991 Camaro RS that I used to have, had the buttons described above. But, that particular year, used yellow writing on the radio, cruise stalk, switches, etc... I'm not sure if all of the '91s had the yellow, or just some of them, but I know it did have the "raised" buttons.
