Yet another rear window in-op post

It always seemed to me like the Volvo window retro fit was probably the best way of fixing the problem, but it does take a bit of modifying to make it work. It was a poor system from day one and reusing the old stuff doesn’t seem optimal. I’m sure a man of your talents could handle the retro fit without issue.
Mine still work, but they make the most apocalyptic noise imaginable when under load. I’m sure the end is nigh...

 

Have you attempted a cleaning? I pulled my bad motor out about two years ago and cleaned it. It was not nearly as hard to do as all the posts would suggest. As long as the motor works, cleaning the mechanism has such a reduction in friction that it makes a huge difference. It is a very convoluted design that is very prone to maintenance problems. You'll have to pull it out one way or the other, so you may as well try cleaning it.

If the motor didn't work, I would consider dismantling it all and seeing if a local electrical shop could rebuild it. I don't know if they could, but I have had motors re-wound before so I wouldn't give up on it. Mine seemed entirely dead but upping the voltage got it to move and with a good cleaning it's now more or less fine. It sounds different than it used to, but maybe it sounds how it should.

Somewhere there was a good post on removal, I'm trying to remember the exact sequence. The key was taking the air intake grille off and the cover underneath so you could disconnect the glass and lift it out, then removing the rubber window trim to make the slot wider. I think the window has to be in the up position to start so you can reach the connections that hold it into the track. The top mechanism had to be disconnected so that the interior finishes can be pulled away as well. the only real oddball thing is the lots of little steel balls that screw the spring down. I didn't have to deal with them, but they seem disaster waiting to happen.

If the motor is stuck in one position, you may be able to get enough current by bypassing the switch and connecting jumpers directly to the its wires, which can be accessed through the removed panel behind the grille. Good luck.

 

I agree with everything Peter posted, It isn't a tough job, at least on a 3.2. It took me about an hour to get the right side out of the car. The most nerve racking part is separating the glass from the regulator arm. There are two plastic ball sockets holding it together, and too much pressure in one direction or the other will surely break something. Chances are if you get it out, apart and cleaned, you may find new life in the old motor. That original grease gums everything up beyond belief. If the motors are truly cooked, then you are going to have to get creative. I have thought for awhile now about ordering a Volvo regulator and trying to adapt it before I really need it. They are only about $50 on rockauto, and since the cars they fit are approaching 20 years old, who knows how much longer they will be available. Best of luck!

 

Ron:

Good luck! My recommendation for the first step is to open up the access panel and get some lubricant into the loops that the spring slides in--there is an open slot in the tracks that you can spray into easily.

Combined with pulling the window up while holding the switch, and/or by-passing the switches, I'd give you good odds of moving the window up. The wiring is probably lying down in the very bottom of the body, and it has a press together connector on it that will leave the part connected to the motor long enough to hang out of the access panel.

 

If you can get availability to that motor connector, and you have a twelve volt battery nearby, hook it up directly and the motor may grunt to life. The factory harness drops the voltage substantially under normal circumstances. If it won’t work hooked up one way, reverse the wires. Ya might get lucky!

 

Yes, thats why getting the window popped loose from the regulator arms is a bit nerve racking. Reach down with a flat screwdriver and gently pop the plastic rollers loose from the regulator. One in front and one in back. I didn't have the disadvantage of having the window stuck all the way down. That most likely complicates things considerably.

 

Going by memory I think there’s a nut on the back of the bolt going through the plastic roller and I got one off but not the other, so I had to pop that one apart. It’s easiest then with the window about 2/3 up. Is the motor working at all?

I hope you checked power at the switch, and to the motor first?

 

Hi Ron, long time.
I just went through getting my rear windows to work properly.
I have a "T", so you may need a different solution.
The main issue I had was very slow rear windows that occasionally stalled mid way up/down. If you let it deteriorate, the motor will stall and burn out. The rear windows in the "T" do not use a relay to carry the current, the switch carries the full load and is under rated for the current draw, so they arc and build up carbon.
The first thing I did was remove the window switches and get some Deoxit-5 spray into the interior of the switch. I had replaced the switches when I got my car in 2012. I swear by Deoxit-5 for any electrical contacts to get the corrosion or carbon (from arcing) removed. Just don't use it in high temp areas, it gets gummy over time. Deoxit worked very well, I didn't need to take the switch apart. I have disassembled Ferrari switches to clean and burnish contacts in the past but this time just spaying a liberal amount of the cleaner and slowly working the switch on/off about 25 times did the trick for me. I also sprayed AeroKroil penetrant into the split tube that holds the flexible shaft to "rehydrate" (I use that term loosely) the existing grease. Now my windows are back to full speed. I plan to spray some lithium grease into the tube in about a week when the Kroil evaporates.
I hope your motor did not burn out, that would require extraction. As I understand it from old posts, it is not an easy job.
Best,
DavidJ

 

Here:

I found a vote of confidence for the window motor rebuilderhttps://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/help-for-rear-window-motor-repair.486040/#post-143997232

And here is the thread with complete instructions and photos https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/mondial-rear-windows-stuck-in-down.339623/#post-141095349 I followed this and it all went pretty smoothly.

If you've got the time a cleaning would probably be good, now with it working you can do it when you want, though. When I tested mine in the car the voltage dropped to zero against the load of moving the window, so while your switch is now working, the lift assembly is probably still gummed up.The way it works was a surprise to me: The window is pushed up and pulled down by the spring in the housing. The spring does not rotate. but it acts as a "screw" when it goes through the center of the motor. The motor has little ball bearings in slots that grip the windings of the screw and when they rotate, it "screws" the spring up or down. It bends about as tightly as it can going through the loops, so it has a lot of friction against the interior of the track.

 

Glad you got it going, Ron. Many switches Ferrari used in this period are really badly designed. They are not self cleaning and are usually under rated for the current. I have replaced many in my car. Some were totally broken, some had dirty contacts. The switches used for the solenoid hood/engine cover/boot releases on the "T" usually stick in the "on" position and burn out the $900 solenoid. Ask me how I know. I was able to find a pair of solenoids for cheap on UK eBay and solved my problem.

DavidJ

 

Had the same slow or inoperative rear window issue on my 3.2 Cabriolet. Found the solution was to remove and thoroughly douse the switches with electronic cleaner and then recycle their operation several times. As noted above, the switches are the place to start before disassembling the motors. Fingers crossed that won't be necessary, at least for now!