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Topic: Power window motor and regulator questions... (Read 2232 times) previous topic - next topic

Power window motor and regulator questions...

On my 88 Cougar, I am attempting to fix the power windows, and I could use a little help from some of you knowledgable experts around here!

  It appears that the window is held to the regulator, glued inside two plastc clips atop the regulator bar. The window is not inside the clips, having pulled loose. Where the clips used to be glued to the window, there is a film peeling off the glass, but it doesn't look like it is just from the glue used to hold the window in. It looks like some kind of film on the entire bottom portion, if the whole thing, of the glass. Are these windows plastic laminated or something?
 Anyway, what kind of glue should be used to re-attach the window to the clips?

Power window motor and regulator questions...

Reply #2 –
Hmm, it looks like this IS a common problem. I called all the local glass shops in my area, and they were of no particular use. They knew nothing specific about these particular window problems.
 Thanks, Kit Sullivan

Power window motor and regulator questions...

Reply #3 –
I removed the glass from the door. Surprisingly, it slipped right out the top of the door, considering the clips weren't attached!
  I thouroughly razor-bladed the glass where the clips attach, cleaned it real well, especially the areas that always stay dirty inside the door, and wiped the clip areas down with alcohol.
 I cleaned the clips and removed all traces of old glue and crud.

  I also thoroughly cleaned the regulator track, and lubed it up with a generous spraying of white lithium grease and moved it up and down a few times to spread it around.
  I then sprayed a LOT of silicone spray into the entire inside section of the window run/channel.

 I slipped the glass back in the door, and then mixed up some epoxy and filled the clips with it. I screwed the clips back onto the regulator, and then lowered the glass back into them. It is amazing how easily the glass slides up and down the window channels now that it is all lubed up.
 I pressed the glass as firmly into the clips as I could, and rolled it up hard to hold them in place 'till the glue dries.

I'm hoping it works well...I guess we'll see!

Power window motor and regulator questions...

Reply #4 –
I ended up re-doing mine after the "goop" lasted about 1/8th of a second. I used GE clear silicone (the best GE makes, according to the label on the tube) and it's been holding for a few months now. The window was held in those clips with silicone from the factory, and mine lasted 18 years, so hopefully it's got another 18 to go :D

The "coating" you referred to in your first post is either road grime that has built up over the years or aftermarket tint. Mine had a layer of the grime too, but it wasn't peeling.
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Power window motor and regulator questions...

Reply #5 –
Yeah, the 'goop' was just a thin film of glue from tha last attempt to fix it. It was spread a good 6-8" all around the clips, which I thought was a little overkill. I removed the glass and razor-bladed it all off.
  I just this last few minutes talked to a friend of mine out-of-state who is a window guy, and he said that I should use some black windshield stuff made by 3M. He said it is disgustingly gooey and sticky, but NASCAR approved. He said that is really the stuff that lasts forever.

Power window motor and regulator questions...

Reply #6 –
OK, I bought the metal replacement clips and a tube of the eurathane windshield adhesive from my local 'Safelite' glass location. It cost me $40 for 4 clips (2 for each window) and a tube of the adhesive.
  It was actually incredibly simple to fix them:
  I pulled the glass straight out through the top of the door slot and set it on my bench to easily work on it. I carefully marked the location of the clips with tape, then thoroughly cleaned the window with a razor-blade and alcohol.
 I put the adhesive on the clips and a little on the edge of the window and pushed them on, aligning them with the tape guides I laid down.
 The after-market aluminum clips have little plastic set-screws on them that will firmly hold the clips in place, so I tightened them up once they were in place.
 So I wouldn't smear adhesive all over the dew-wipes trying to put the glass back in through the door opening, I covered each clip and the surrounding glue with masking tape temporarily.
 I angled the glass back into the door, working the clips carefully through the dew wipes, and maneuvered the glass back into the glass run/channel.
 As I held the glass from falling down into the door, I reached in and pulled the tape mask off each clip and inserted the clip's bolts through the regulator holes. Installed and tightned the clip nuts and rolled the window up to let sit for a couple days. I was told 48 hours is the best before using the window.
 After reinstalling the door panel and all it's trim, the whole thing took less than 1/2 hour for each door. Very easy to do.
 Hopefully, I won't have this problem with the windows again!

Power window motor and regulator questions...

Reply #7 –
That 3M goop sounds like the  that's all over the otherwise-pristine headliner of my '89 LSC.  me off to no end. No idea how to clean it without wrecking the headliner. Can't use a windshield shade when I park it, because it just gets on the shade and spread all over the place. Even dripped down around the shifter once or twice.. fortunately not landing on the shifter itself.

An auto-glass guy I talked to recommended trying some kind of automotive wipe, but the sample he gave me at the time wasn't terribly effective.

Separated windows.. blah.. both the windows on the '88 LSC are off the clips, and the driver's side window on the '88 T-bird pops easily unless you never roll it more than 2/3rds down.

Power window motor and regulator questions...

Reply #8 –
Wow there is an LSC at the junkyard with that black goop all over the top of the windshield.
One 88

Power window motor and regulator questions...

Reply #9 –
My first Fox-body car to repair extensively was a Mark VII, and I now have three of them. When I needed to repair the power windows in the new-to-me 88 Cougar, I assumed that since the Mark/Bird/Cougar are all essentially the same car, the mechanical components within the doors would be near, if not completely identical.
 I was surprised to find out that the inside of the doors on the Cougar are extremely different than those on the Marks. I just could not figure out why Ford would mount the window motors on the very bottom of the door in the Marks(pr0ne to water contamination), and up high in the Cougar doors. And the motors are different too!
 Then it hit me: Every Mark VII came factory-equipped with power windows, so the location of the motor had no bearing on where a manual window crank woulod be located on a manually equipped version.
 The Cougar, of course could have either manual or electric windows, so the gear drive for the regulator needed to be where a manual regulator could be conveniantly placed on the door panel: Up high.
 Unfortunately, the up-high location of the window crank/motor precludes any decently-sized door speakers being installed in a good up-high location on the Cougar.
 The Mark, however, has nice big speakers (6 1/2") located up high in the doors, possible because the window motor is low in the door.
 I love figuring out things that seem to make no sense!