NA window speed fixed!

Audio, Electronics and Lighting questions and answers

Moderators: timk, Stu, zombie, Andrew, -alex, miata

manga_blue
Forum Guru
Posts: 4897
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:27 pm
Vehicle: NA8
Location: Moruya, NSW

NA window speed fixed!

Postby manga_blue » Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:34 pm

30 minutes of tinkering just fixed 2 years of frustration. Windows now go up and down at normal speed, every time. :shock: :shock: :shock:

1. Disconnect battery.

2. Remove centre console.

3. Unscrew and remove window switch and unplug it from the loom.

4. Undo tiny brass screw that holds the switch (white bit) to the holder and rockers (black bits).

5. Holding in something containing like a pillowcase, gently bend back each tab of the holder with your fingers and free each lug of the switch.

6. When all tabs are off separate the switch and holder. More than likely the 4 little metal rocker arms will fly everywhere when you do this (hence the pillowcase).

7. Check the photo. All the positive contacts are blackened and covered in oxide and muck.

8. Clean each contact with metho then polish lightly with about 800 wet n dry.

9. Do the same for the metal rocker arms.

10. Re-position all 4 rocker arms in the switch. Don't force them, they only go in one way and they fall into place easily when you've got it right.

11. Clip the holder back on over the top of the switch. Replace and tighten the brass screw. Good idea to test with a multimeter now. Test for 0.6 ohms max across each position.

12. Put it all back together again and re-connect battery.

13. Watch in awe as windows go up and down when you want them to. :D :D :D

Image
’95 NA8

User avatar
redwards
Fast Driver
Posts: 244
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 8:43 pm
Location: Melbourne, Victoria

Postby redwards » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:22 pm

Thank you, manga blue! That's one for the file...
Image
Former owner of a white 1994 NA8 Clubman

User avatar
Locutus
Racing Driver
Posts: 879
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:39 pm
Vehicle: NB SP
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Postby Locutus » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:10 am

spraying some silicon lubricant along the window tracks also helps speed things up considerably.

User avatar
Okibi
Speed Racer
Posts: 10898
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Contact:

Re: NA window speed fixed!

Postby Okibi » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:15 am

manga_blue wrote:.. 8. Clean each contact with metho then polish lightly with about 800 wet n dry.

9. Do the same for the metal rocker arms.


I seem to remember reading somewhere that you should coat the bare metal with something like this:
http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=T3064
If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away? Neither would I.

User avatar
Garry
Speed Racer
Posts: 3481
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SP
Location: God's Country
Contact:

Postby Garry » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:32 am

Enjoy it while it lasts. It wont be long till the contacts are carboned up again. But at least you know how to clean the contacts now.
Shiney black one with added red bits. Member of the fart club. Now with extra doof and Sunlong. - deceased and gone to heaven

manga_blue
Forum Guru
Posts: 4897
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:27 pm
Vehicle: NA8
Location: Moruya, NSW

Postby manga_blue » Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:57 am

You're probably right about it gumming up again. Next time I'll try running silver solder onto the contacts.
’95 NA8

tjcool
Fast Driver
Posts: 111
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:10 pm
Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
Location: Blue Mountains NSW

Postby tjcool » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:57 pm

yeah the black up again quick smart
tried solder but had a lot of issues trying to find the right flux to stick the solder to the copper contacts

anyone know what i was doing wrong there ?
sh*t solder?
sh*t solderer?
leave the gun.... take the canoli's

tjcool
Fast Driver
Posts: 111
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:10 pm
Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
Location: Blue Mountains NSW

Postby tjcool » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:57 pm

yeah they black up again quick smart
tried solder but had a lot of issues trying to find the right flux to stick the solder to the copper contacts

anyone know what i was doing wrong there ?
sh*t solder?
sh*t solderer?
leave the gun.... take the canoli's

manga_blue
Forum Guru
Posts: 4897
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:27 pm
Vehicle: NA8
Location: Moruya, NSW

Postby manga_blue » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:32 pm

Thinks ... maybe if we ran a relay across the switch we would reduce most of the current across the contacts.

Anyone care to sketch a wiring diagram for that which would work with one relay? Or do we need 4 relays, one for each output wire?
’95 NA8

User avatar
Wuey
Fast Driver
Posts: 284
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Melbourne
Contact:

Re:

Postby Wuey » Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:21 pm

tjcool wrote:yeah they black up again quick smart
tried solder but had a lot of issues trying to find the right flux to stick the solder to the copper contacts

anyone know what i was doing wrong there ?
sh*t solder?
sh*t solderer?


I'm afraid you belong to the second category. Solder sticks to copper like flies stick to sh!t. The trick is to clean the contact well, a little bit of very light sandpapering will help a great deal. A final touch is to rub the contact with cotton wool soaked with methol to remove any traces of finger grease. Clean your iron tip with a piece of wet rag after it has reached operating temperature to remove old traces of solder. Then tin your iron with just a bit of solder first, then apply heat onto the contact, feed the solder against the iron tip and let the solder flow onto the contact. I suggest you practice with a piece of copper scrap or stripped copper wiring first.

Oh, normal lead solder isn't that crash hot for this job. Lead-free solder works much better against oxidation than leaded solder.
Image 2004 SE

tjcool
Fast Driver
Posts: 111
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:10 pm
Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
Location: Blue Mountains NSW

Postby tjcool » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:17 am

thanks wuey
leave the gun.... take the canoli's

Fatty
Speed Racer
Posts: 3175
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 10:39 am
Vehicle: NA6
Location: Melbourne

Postby Fatty » Wed Apr 02, 2008 2:25 pm

here is another way to fix those pesky little electric window gremlins...

Image


saves a few precious kilos this way too :)

manga_blue
Forum Guru
Posts: 4897
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:27 pm
Vehicle: NA8
Location: Moruya, NSW

Re:

Postby manga_blue » Wed Apr 02, 2008 4:21 pm

Fatty wrote:here is another way to fix those pesky little electric window gremlins...

Image


saves a few precious kilos this way too :)

You're just showing off the fact that you still have one doorskin intact. :D
’95 NA8

User avatar
Okibi
Speed Racer
Posts: 10898
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Contact:

Postby Okibi » Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:50 pm

looked better with the vicegrips :mrgreen:
If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away? Neither would I.

User avatar
green_comet
Car Detailing Guru
Posts: 1848
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 1:41 am
Vehicle: NA8
Location: Melbourne

Re:

Postby green_comet » Thu Apr 03, 2008 1:00 am

Okibi wrote:looked better with the vicegrips :mrgreen:


:shock: hahahaha...

I just ordered a couple Momentary (on)off(on) toggle switches to replace my power window switch. Ill be wiring them up in a week or two, so ill post up how they go.... very easy to wire them up, and they will go with the retro look im after. :D

Going to be similar to the Nielex setup but not mounted like that..

Image

They are going into the carpet centre console im making.. 8)


Return to “MX5 Audio, Electronics & Lighting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 90 guests