Ok everyone, I just wanted to post my dilemma so I could add to the mix. Id just like eveyones take. So today I go to lunch from work and notice when I put my window up in my 03 coupe there is a shutter sound and the window chokes as it goes up. Forgetting it did this during lunch I roll it down after work with ease and continue home. When i get home I realize "OH ****" and the window now sits dead inside my door. I found this thread "awesome sticky btw" took my door apart and got to the motor. Continued to clean it as instructed. Re-assemble half the door to see if it's working properly and it still doesnt have enough torque to bring the window up "I have to help it" but the motor isnt completely dead. Now, I remember seeing on the invoice when I bought my car 2 years ago with 30,000mi on it "now 51k" it had the same passenger side motor replaced....i was working on a replacement. My question is, do I buy another Refurbished motor or should I look for a brand new one? Im positive I can install it myself and where is this window motor "reset switch" if it's even a switch....I just dont want to spend money where it isnt needed. Thanks alot guys and any information will help! Damn the window motors!

 

rebuilt motors are built to the same specs as new. The brushes wear out so all in all both a new motor and a rebuilt motor will eventually wear out (faster than it's supposed to on our cars).

I have found a way to rebuild these and can rebuild yours for cheap if you like. PM me.

 

^^^nice... what do you charge and where are located?

 

I replaced the brushes like binder did with RC car motor brushes, and the motor spins faster. Going to replace the bushing inside with a ball bearing.

 

As the brushes wear, they discard more junk that clogs the commutator shorting out the copper strips. That's one of the problems, the other being the fast wear of the brushes.

I suspect lift motors in other cars last longer because of the parts are bigger, including the spaces between the commutator strips. So they don't short out as easy. Plus, maybe the brushes are longer or made of a better wearing carbon compound. I don't know that for a fact, but the only differences I can think of right now.
I think replacing the brushes with something better is step in the right direction, at least a way to get them running again.

I don't think changing the bearings will do much to solve the real problems with these motors.
Sleeve bearings should be just fine for motors that are not run continuously or at high speeds.

 

hey guys i have a quick question i don't know if this was talked about already and i haven't searched anywhere else because i am looking to see if i get a quick answer here. i just recently bought a motor from a member here in the forum and installed it. it works it good the only problem is when i push (or pull w.e. you want to call it) the button once so the window can go up it comes back down about half way. but if i keep my finger in the button and wait till it goes up the way it does not do that. is there something i can do to prevent that from happening?? other than keep my finger there for like a million years. thanks

 

It's been discussed a "million" times. Seek and you shall find.

 

mnrg35 you have to do the window reset procedure

 

terre haute indiana.

i was thinking 50$ would be a fair price for the time invested in it. It's less than half the cost of a rebuilt motor and the same thing: cleaned armature along with new brushes. It would take a day turn around so basically i can have it finished the day i receive it and mailed back the next day. With priority mail USPS that should take a few days here and a few days back. So total you'll be without a motor for about a week. If i get a few burnt up motors and can replace the brushes and get them back to new then i could send them out faster and just swap out your old motor.

ball bearing would help reduce friction which is nice but it wouldn't help the brush problem. The rc brushes will last a lot longer though. Now that mine are broken in the motor is quick as lightning and isn't loud anymore. I think during the break in it was just slightly louder than stock but now it's normal.

 

Excellent write up! I'm trying to replace the door lock actuator on my '03 coupe and it looks like this DIY gets me part of the way there. Any idea how difficult it is and whether I need to remove the metal panel as you do?

 

I dont think you would have to on the metal panel because the metal panel only houses the window motor and regulator...the only thing I can think of is maybe you having to remove it to reach into the inside but I dont think so...

 

Dont know if this is covered, but my window wont go down or up with the door closed, but if i open past 45degrees the window goes up and down without an issue. if i push the button with the door closed, it makes a clicking/buzz sound. any ideas?

 

sounds like you might have a loose connection somewhere that shorts out with the door closed.

 

thats what i was thinking, looks like i will have to start disassembling

 

Newb question, but when performing the window motor reset, how do you get the window to go up or down when the door panel (and window buttons) have been taken off of the door?

I think my driver's side needs the reset, and my passenger side needs a new motor AND a reset. They should have made it so that you can do the reset without taking anything off!