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Detroit, 9:08 PM
Tue Dec 8
28 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of dolo54 blows minds and blows engines! dolo54 blows minds and blows engines!
    12/07/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    Whoa rivets? dude... I've had to repair the roller on the track in my car window, but thanks to it being japanese, never had to deal with crazy rivets. On a side note, can anyone direct me to a tutorial on how to align a car window properly? I've tried googling it and looked at the fsm for my car, but nothing really describes the process. I've got it pretty much good just through trial and error, but would love to hear what a dealer tech would do exactly.
     Reply
    dolo54 blows minds and blows engines! was starred dolo54 blows minds and blows engines! was unstarred
    Image of Mad_Science Mad_Science
    12/07/09

    In reply to Mad_Science Brings Us A Los Angeles DOTS-O-Rama!
    Whoa. These shots are approaching classic status.

    The strip that contains the Studebaker seems to have a constant rotation of cool classics. I'm trying to figure out who lives there that keeps owning oddball classics for 3-4 months at a time.
     Reply
    Mad_Science was starred Mad_Science was unstarred
    Image of AustinMiniMan AustinMiniMan
    12/07/09

    In reply to DeLorean DMC-12 Down On The New York Street
    From my understanding, DMC painted a small number of cars from the factory. I think most were red, some were black. There were less than 50 total. One popped up on eBay a few years ago with documentation to prove the factory origins. So, it's likely this is a factory job, and if not, a recreation of a car that could have been. So really not blasphemous at all.
     Reply
    AustinMiniMan was starred AustinMiniMan was unstarred
    Image of Tanshanomi Tanshanomi
    12/07/09

    In reply to DeLorean DMC-12 Down On The New York Street
    I like it!
    [/Lina Lemont voice]
     Reply
    Tanshanomi was starred Tanshanomi was unstarred
    Image of Tanshanomi Tanshanomi
    12/07/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    Thanks, Murilee! I've been putting this exact operation off in my '92 Town Car for about a month now, because I wasn't sure how involved it would be. BOTH front power windows are nonfunctional, and the passenger side slides down at about the rate of about a half-inch every 20 miles.

    And when I took the inner cover off, I DID have old rivets in the bottom of the door.
     Reply
    Tanshanomi was starred Tanshanomi was unstarred
    Image of Jeb_Hoge Jeb_Hoge
    12/07/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    My '97 Contour SE did that too after a few weeks of driving it over some cobblestones. It never did have a lot of suspension compliance. Fookin' aces going around corners but in a poorly maintained downtown environment, it shook fillings loose.
     Reply
    Jeb_Hoge was starred Jeb_Hoge was unstarred
    Image of mytdawg mytdawg
    12/07/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    Not just the Fords. My boss's regulators have popped several times in his 325ix. Apparently it's a distinctive sound.
     Reply
    mytdawg was starred mytdawg was unstarred
    Image of DoctorNine DoctorNine
    12/06/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    I usually develop unreasonable emotional attachment to my vehicles, that requires extreme engineering if something breaks more than once. In the case of plastic bits which are woefully under-engineered, I have been known to make aluminum replacements. Or even construct completely alternative designs, which can be easily maintained. In the case of the hardware holding the plastic onto the inside of the door, I almost never re-use the clips. I will pony up for new ones if I can find them on the cheap, or if they are some obtuse design, I will redo the interior panel, to include inset screws.

    This very situation, is why I HATE electric windows. They fall into the same category as pneumatic suspensions as far as I am concerned.
     Reply
    DoctorNine was starred DoctorNine was unstarred
    Image of Jesda Jesda
    12/07/09

    @DoctorNine: I've never had a power window break, but I did have a manual window in a Nissan bind up. Had to use glue to keep the window shut. :(
     Reply
    DoctorNine promoted this comment Jesda was starred Jesda was unstarred
    Image of DoctorNine DoctorNine
    12/07/09

    @Jesda: Ha!
     Reply
    DoctorNine was starred DoctorNine was unstarred
    Image of dwegmull comments for the purpose of obscurity dwegmull comments for the purpose of obscurity
    12/06/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    Wouldn't it be easier to swap out the entire door?
     Reply
    dwegmull comments for the purpose of obscurity was starred dwegmull comments for the purpose of obscurity was unstarred
    Image of chrystlubitshi still güntered and dieseling chrystlubitshi still güntered and dieseling
    12/06/09

    In reply to DeLorean DMC-12 Down On The New York Street
    there are three or four DMCs running around the Indianapolis metro-area...i always look.. but never think to take pics... i know i'll see them again... much like the all electric fieros (there are at least three running around the northwest side of Indy... red, white, & blue (blue is the one i see the most))
     Reply
    chrystlubitshi still güntered and dieseling was starred chrystlubitshi still güntered and dieseling was unstarred
    Image of LandofMinos, cast thou evil bum dragger to thy scrapyard LandofMinos, cast thou evil bum dragger to thy scrapyard
    12/06/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    What is it with Ford and dodgy power windows? An early 90's Falcon (Australian) has power windows that if not used often become stuck, then the motor strips it's nylon gears making the the window as useful as a solar powered torch
     Reply
    LandofMinos, cast thou evil bum dragger to thy scrapyard was starred LandofMinos, cast thou evil bum dragger to thy scrapyard was unstarred
    Image of skitter skitter
    12/06/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    I've come to believe in the car repair buddy-system after a similar repair of a Honda rear-regulator by four arguing engineers (arguing engineers are happy engineers). Between all the cursing, straining, fishing for parts, searching for tools, and failed patch attempts leading up to the eventual fix, we had a wonderful time. And during the project, we were not yelled at for a record-breaking couple of hours.
     Reply
    skitter was starred skitter was unstarred
    Image of LTDScott LTDScott
    12/06/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    Interesting, the door locks, window regulator, and hood latch have not needed to be replaced on my '97 P71 (which my dad currently drives). I guess it's a matter of time. I'd rather deal with any of those than have to replace another cracked intake manifold.

    The regulator on my Focus broke last year. Nobody makes an aftermarket replacement, there was no way to fix it, and there aren't many in the junkyard, so I had to pony up the money to get one from Ford. Luckily I have a friend who works at a dealer and I get a discount. Unfortunately I accidentally overtightened the bolt that holds the glass into the regulator and I shattered the window all over my laptop which I was using to read instructions. The screen on the laptop still has several nicks and scratches because of it. I was able to get a cheap used window from an auto glass company and did it again.
     Reply
    LTDScott was starred LTDScott was unstarred
    Image of smalleyxb122 smalleyxb122
    12/06/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    It makes GM's gear and lever regulator look really good. When a window fails to work, it's usually the motor, and seldom the regulator.

    However when the motor fails, the removal procedure is similar with punching out the rivets holding it in place and the motor is held to the regulator with rivets, as well.
     Reply
    smalleyxb122 was starred smalleyxb122 was unstarred
    Image of Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet
    12/06/09

    In reply to Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs
    Nice writeup. I feel like I could attack this blindfolded - and get deep into it before calamity ensued.

    I've found VW rollup cable systems to be finicky. But a lot can be fixed with generous applications of friction tape and white grease.

    And on my car, I generally muscle something wrong and break some of those delicate plastic trim bits before I find the right technique.
     Reply
    Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet was starred Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet was unstarred
    Image of skulldriveshaft picasaweb and youtube skulldriveshaft picasaweb and youtube
    12/06/09

    @Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet: WHY WON'T YOU BUDGE DAMNIT!?!?!?

    *SNAP*

    oh, that's why...

    but the Haynes Manual said to do it this way :(
     Reply
    Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet promoted this comment skulldriveshaft picasaweb and youtube was starred skulldriveshaft picasaweb and youtube was unstarred
    Image of Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet
    12/07/09

    @skulldriveshaft picasaweb and youtube: 'Prise' 'Lever' or 'Remove' all indicate that you'll probably be breaking something before long, or at least putting permanent scars or divots into your trim, generally in a highly visible location. If it says 'Simply', prepare yourself for an additional half day.

    I grew up on simpler machinery, where an assortment of screwdrivers, wrenches, pry bars and a hammer could accomplish most everything you needed to do. Now things are all edumacated, with clever hidden fasteners, and twisting, unclicky secret manoeuvers needed to properly disassemble the 85-part assembly around the thing you're looking for. They're nonintuitive (to me) but invariably fragile.
     Reply
    Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet was starred Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet was unstarred
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