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The windows on my NA hava always seemed to take forever to go up and down .. until now!! Heavy rain in the past 24 hours and driving in it, now the windows go up and down much quicker, and I mean MUCH quicker!!

Everyone has always said to me it's the window motors, I'm now thinking it's something to do with the channels being dry

Anyone else noticed this?

have you cleaned the contacts in the switch. mine were completely covered in crap and after i cleaned them they are like new now.

zero00 wrote:Everyone has always said to me it's the window motors, I'm now thinking it's something to do with the channels being dry

You won't believe the gunk in there when you do clean them out!

G

gslender wrote:

zero00 wrote:Everyone has always said to me it's the window motors, I'm now thinking it's something to do with the channels being dry

You won't believe the gunk in there when you do clean them out!

G

GS - torrential rain coming home yesterday and also this morning, but yes, they shot up as fast as the NB, maybe faster!! Wonder if 'dry lube' in the channels assists? Someone will know

Yep, or even better is the silicone spray, it doesn't attract gunk like the dry lube can and is the first thing to get E series and AU ford windows working, they are even moore notorius than NA windows for running slow and stopping.

Best thing is to remove the existing gunk / old grease.... Adding more will help in the short term (like the water has) but will only make it worse in the long term.

Permanent fix = clean them out and relube with silicon grease.

vrmmmpshhh wrote:have you cleaned the contacts in the switch. mine were completely covered in crap and after i cleaned them they are like new now.

Not as yet!! It's weird but then given the rain we are expecting here next 48 hours lol

Thanks guys, comments really appreciated!!

The guys on the US forum swear by Honda Shin-Etsu grease. I have ordered a tube and will see how effective it is. My passenger side takes forever, doesn't rattle (so guides must be ok) and contacts are clean. Will clean and Shin-Etsu when it arrives.

In the NAs you really need to do both regularly - clean out and lube the channels and dismantle the console switches to wipe the oxide off the contacts.

One of my windows has the same problem, so incredibly slow to go down!! Will try cleaning the switch contacts tommorow. Does anyone have quick access to a link that shows in detail how to remove the door cards without breaking any 22 year old clips/plastic so I can access the window motor etc..

The contacts are in the switches in the centre console. No need to touch the doors for this job.

First time around it takes an hour or two. After that it's a 10 minute job. Just be careful not to bend or pry any plastic because there isn't any plastic that you have to do that with, just screws. It pays to prepare yourself for dropping small things around the console while you're doing it - I lay a white towel across the console area and seats before I start dismantling the switch proper.

One set of instructions is at http://www.miata.net/garage/CleaningSwitch.html but try searching that site a bit more, I'm sure there's a better set there somewhere.

Because you may have to do this a few times it's a bad idea to use anything abrasive like steel wool or emery paper on the contacts. I just clean them with a cotton bud soaked in carby cleaner. If any oxide is still stuck to them after that then I just pick it off with a sharp scribe.

Found it. http://www.miata.net/garage/powerwin/index.html

yeah I know about the switches in the centre console and I’m pretty good at pulling it apart now since I have done it about 10 times since I purchased the car, seems that no matter what the job, I always find myself starting off my removing the centre haha

I was referring to getting access to the motor mechanics inside the door if they need some oiling/cleaning if I find the switch cleaning doesn’t help?
cheers.

The rollers on my windows were so full of old grease that the were no longer spinning.

There's nothing special about removing the door cards. Remove the 2 screws holding on the door pull and the little screw holding the inside latch cover. Then just pry the card off. The press studs they use are pretty good quality and pop up without damage providing you lever them slowly with a screwdriver working as close as you can to the stud itself. Once the studs are off then the card lifts up off a little ledge on the top of the inside of the door.