Dodge Diesel - Diesel Truck Resource Forums - Intermittant window lift motor, A look inside.

This is intended for our 1st. Generation door motors but like I have said, all motors are on the same principal and with this knowledge it can be applied to probably any year.

Power windows are sure a nice luxury to have on out trucks but over time and thousands of up’s and down’s over the years the just don’t seem to work very good as they used to do when the truck was new, or for a lot of us we just got the truck and they have never worked good.
There are several reasons why they stop working:
1- The switch is defective that is located at each door panel,
2- Check for broken of frayed wires in the harness that passes from the edge of the door into the door jamb. These wires are folded over every time you open and close the door.
3- If the motor does run but the window either jumps up and down as the button is held or it does nothing and just goes CLUNK, CLUNK, CLUNK, CLUNK,
Then that repair is covered with this article:
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=100536
But if the motor seems to be intermittent and maybe works for a few times after the door is slammed in frustration then take a look here.
The motor will have to be separated from the regulator and removed from the door so for those instructions, follow the removal instructions in this link: https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=100536

Now after you have the motor out and disassembled this is what you should be looking at.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ta/546/115.jpg

What makes the motor intermittent again is either one of two things,
First the brushes are stuck or worn down to where they do not make contact any more or,
Second the thermal circuit breaker is defective or the contacts are corroded or maybe just covered with greasy film.
This breaker is designed to open and break the circuit if the motor draws too much current like when the button is held up or down after the window has reached its destination, this will open and stop the motor until it cools down and resets itself.
It is the shiny piece of metal mounted to the brass base at the top of this picture.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/546/2.jpg

I found an easy way to hold the motor is to get a piece of 2X6 lumber about a foot long, then drive in a 16 penny nail, then cut off the head with a pair of dykes.
Now slip the base of the motor over the nail and it will hold it like an extra pair of hands.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/546/3.jpg

Now it would have been too easy for the manufacture to drill a small hole in the brush holder to cage the brush and spring so I took a length of gas welding rod and fashioned a spring to retain the springs and brushed while I worked on it. This is not needed to disassemble the motor BUT it will be almost impossible to reassemble the motor without it. See how I bent the tips downward and ground them flat on the sides, if they are not it will keep slipping out of the brush holder and you could loose the small springs, so BE CAREFUL.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/546/4.jpg

Use the spring clip and load the brushes against the springs like this, now the armature can be worked on easily.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/546/5.jpg

After it was apart, I cleaned everything using a carbonated parts cleaner made for cleaning ELECTRONIC CONTROLS or “TUNER CLEANER” I would not use a spray carburetor cleaner here because I do not know how it would react with the plastic so this is what I RECOMMEND. You can get the control cleaner at Home Depot, I think it is called "Motor and Control Cleaner" and I think it is made by CRC and is in the Electrical Department.

These brushes were OK for now but I took the dimensions and I am going to find a source for some replacements.

At this time also check the circuit breaker. You see where the shiny strip of metal folds back on the brass base there will be what looks like a set of points. VERY carefully lift these apart and spray them clean, then slide a piece of business card between them and them let them spring back together then pull out the card to burnish them. (Do this several times) They should be held together tight and should not be pitted or discolored ie blue.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/546/6.jpg

Wipe down the armature and clean the commutator carefully with some spray, BE CAREFUL. After it is all cleaned up, I took a cut off hacksaw blade and cleaned up the insulator in-between each of the segments (but that is just me) then I polished the commutator with a very fine crocus cloth.
Then I reassembled the motor, it is in the exact reverse order and remember what I said about caging the brushes back using the spring clip.
There should be a small brass thrust washer at the end of the shaft that might be stuck in the bearing well. Use a small dab of good grease on the tip of the shaft and the washer will stick to it so it is easy. Drop it back into the end cap then after you are sure it is all there and it spins OK then release the brushes and remove the clip.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/546/7.jpg

My gear finally broke so I will be replacing it at this time. I finally got the right part from Auto Zone

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/546/8.jpg

This part is pretty much self-explanatory

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/546/9.jpg

At this point it is a good idea to connect it up to your battery with a few jumper wires and be sure it works.
Now you have the motor tested and completed it is just a matter of reinstalling it back into your truck,
but if you need help then go to https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=100536

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ata/546/10.jpg

It is nice to have power windows again.
I hope this will help someone.
Jim