I got a 7 in reall,y bad shape, and I'm working on reviving it. Today, I put in a new driver's side window (from an 83) which now doesn't seem to fit its mounting points. Anyway, to get the power window motors working, I tried to use a wire as a jumper on the power window connector - the switch is missing. However, it didn't do any good at all, the window didn't budge at all. I know it's not the motor, since I got the window mount to move up and down just fine when I ran a + and - wire directly from the battery to the window motor. Also, I don't get any lights on on the dashboard when I turn the key, but I can raise and lower the headlights and turn on the lights. Any ideas?

 

First I would start with the fuses??

 

could be your ignition switch or fusible link under the hood...

 

trochoid has the FSM D/L in his sig. i suggest d/ling the wiring diagram and going to work.

 

I can't understand how the fuses are supposed to match up to the fuse diagram, it doesn't seem to work any way I try to turn it.

I've worked through the FSM for the starter and ignition for a bit. It looks like the center fusible link burned out, but then the previous owner tried to repair it by twisting the leftover ends together. I have no idea what that one is responsible for, though. Gonna go buy some clear-top fuses and replace the links tomorrow. And rewiring the ignition just doesn't sound like fun...

 

Usually the problem with the dash lights is a bad dimmer switch which is located in the console below the instrument cluster on the right side. You can remove the switch and bypass it at the electrical connector. Are both power window switches missing?

 

Yeah, the entire center console is missing. All I've got there is the brake handle, some carpet, and random connectors. But they left the stereo joystick.

 

You could always play with your Joystick. Sorry, couldn't help myself.
Just go to the FSM for the wiring diagram and find which wires make the window go up and down. There will be a way to jumper to make them go down and one to make them go back up. Of course, first thing to do is make sure the fuse is good.

 

Maybe the glass is stuck. Maybe it got cocked in the channel, or slipped outside the channel. I have one like that right now that I'm going to fix this morning.

Don't keep trying to operate the motor if the window is jammed, the motor will burn out. In fact, that's a common problem with all DC motors: when they stall out there's no back EMF and you can burnout the windings. High quality cordless tools have an internal circuit breaker that will trip when too much current is dumped into the windings, but I don't think the little cheap motors on the PW have a trip.

You can test the motor with an ohmmeter to make sure it isn't burned out and open.

 

The glass isn't stuck. There was no glass in the door. The reason I needed to move was to put in the glass. I tried the jumpers, but that didn't work, and I did go to the FSM for that. The window motor works, since I moved it up and down plenty, I just had to do it the manual way - hook the motor up directly to the battery and reverse the polarity to make it move up or down. I was wndering if anyone had had a similar issue and if it was some weird common ground that gets loose often. Or if the previous owner was a 7 abuser and cut wires for no reason.

 

The wiring for the power windows is somewhat complicated in that the switch is a lot more than a couple of contacts that close,and make the window motor spin.What you notice first is that the motors only have 2 wires on them,so how does it work.Well the switch actually takes one of the wires,and makes it the power wire,and turns the other one into a ground to make it turn in one direction(say down),and then as you rock the switch the other way it take the wire that had power on it,and makes it a ground,and sends power over the other wire to turn the motor the other direction(up).

I know all this because I had a manual,and I converted my 83 LE to power windows(big mistake without relays).

You really need the diagram,but once you do it is nothing more than grounding one side,and sending power(+) to the other side to move it in one direction.Good luck,and let us know how you make out.

Chris

P.S. I have a entire set of power window motors,and the wiring needed to convert a non-power window car.I would never do it again though,but some on here may.

 

You can never tell what the PO was thinking.

Some gadgets on a car are wired "hot". That is, the hot lead from the battery goes directly to the gadget and then it is actuated by a switch that grounds the other side of the gadget. The classical instance is the horn: since the wire up the steering column might wearout by abrading against the column and thus short out the whole battery resulting in lots of sparks and maybe a fire, they wire the horn "hot" so that the wire that goes up the steering column is just a potential ground, so that if it abrades and shorts against the column it just turns the horn on! That's why one used to sometimes hear a horn go on for no apparent reason (before burglar alarms).

The "hot" horn is good because the battery can't short out direct to ground, and when the horn button wire shorts it just bleeps the horn continuously until you go and fix it.

But since then the auto engineers have wired some other circuits "hot", and the window motor is a good candidate because the wire that goes from the door to the chassis bends and wiggles and may abrade against the door jam. So maybe the PW motor is "hot", but I haven't checked.

"hot" gadgets can complicate debugging, so watch out! get a voltmeter. In fact, get a multimeter ($15 at HD), etc.). Altho sometimes it's easier to use a light, so I have an old taillight bulb to which I soldered two wires with alligator clips. Sometimes it's easier to see a light than read a dial, especially at night. Put one in the glove compartment.