Re: Window motor

[lmcstst@LMC.ericsson.se (Stamos Stamos)]

> My passenger side window motor seems dead. And I tried to 
> get it out by taking all the side panels of the door away. 
> But I didn't succeed. Anyway, anyone have knowledge 
> of how complicate to replace it and how much would it
> cost? Oh, by the way, mine is an 84 Coupe. 


Any knowledge?

Why not ask:
Professor-Audi-Under-Rated-Electric-Motor-sucker.

One winter both my windows froze up (85 Coupe).
When the summer came round they still didn't work.
They were stalled, as the volts would drop if you tried to open
a window. I decided to take them apart. (as the dealer wanted
$400 cad each). The motor is held to the door with 
three rubber mounted screws and nuts that hold it to the door.
You will most likely break the rubber mounts when removing,
so be careful. With the nuts removed mine was flexible enough get
it half way out of one of holes in the door. 

Once there, the motor(magnet part) case is held on with to screws and
"positioners". I removed these and slid the case down about 1/2". The
bushings and that remain in place. I then sprayed the inside of the
motor with grease and oil. Sprayed some grease inside the cables and
the exposed cables and pulleys.

Put it all back together. Pressed the button and bingo, it worked.
This lasted for about two years. I then repeated the process.

In the meantime one of the cables got frayed and broke.
I picked up a motor and cable/pulley system for $50 at a breakers yard.
(It got frayed and broke because the 'outer' cable stop is made of
PLASTIC!!!!!! and of course it broke. This is the plastic car.
Did you know it has PLASTIC engagment/wheels in the STARTER motor,
that break off piece by piece jamming the motor so it stays engaged
when you relase the key and makes horrible screeching sounds,,,,, but
I digress..........)

Anyway the motor is held (boy would I like get my hands around the neck
of the  BOSCH person who designed that starter motor, aarrrr) to the
cable system with about five star ( * ) type screws. (I was able to
remove these with a small flat screw driver, but it took some effort).
Once removed the motor and it's cog disengage from the drum thing that
the cables rap around. If you remove the motor do it very carefully and
make sure you have some tape or rubber bands etc.. to keep the drum in
it's case. If that falls out and the cables come off you will need 20
fingers, 2 pairs of hands, 4 eyes and a bottle of Ouzo to put it back
together.


Reading your question once more:

The side panels? 

I hear you ask, well thats the easy bit:

Remove all screws along the lower edge of the panel and
pocket/map holder thing.
Remove two large screws in handle.
Remove a small screw in the door latch and take off the 
plastic latch cover.
Pop out the screw cover on the plastic plate behind the side
mirror (on the inside of the car), unscrew the screw remove
the plastic plate, and unscrew the screw holding the panel.
Now unscrew the plastic lock thingie, the panel will now
come of, it has a few press fit connections near the top(sides).
Remove the plastic sheet and you should be able to see the 
motor pulley system.

Happy Audiing.

Stamos <lmcstst@lmc.ericsson.se>            ZZR11            Ellas
Ericsson, Cellular Design
Montreal, Canada.


A little techie note:
----------------------
these little motors are under rated for the job of opening
and closing windows for ~>5 years. The way that they are turned off when
they reach top or bottom is that they draw too much current, ie stall.
So as they get older and tired any small increase in resistance is enough 
to cause the current to rise above the level it's switched off at so the motor
never gets a chance to 'start'.

As a side note, I was talking to one of the dealers/salesmen at a
come-to-see-our-new-cars show. He was telling us about the wonderful
3 year pay-nothing deal on a new Audi. Then he went on to say how some people
abuse it and thats why new Audis were so expensive. -HA
Curious, we asked how they were abusing it. He said that people
open and close their electric windows and sunroof in the winter time
(-25c up here) and the motor burns out and Audi have to replace it.
I told him I should bloody hope so for a 50k car.
If Volvo can make electric windows that open and close in the winter
why can't Audi. What would you do in your 50k new car at -25c when you
come up to a toll booth?