Electric passenger window clicking but not moving

[milescook]

I have a 1988 2 door 320i, I have fiddled with the loom under the glovebox as it was a stupid mess with metres of cable doing sod all, it's a track car.

I wonder if it's possible something is unplugged? Like I say there is a click from the door but the window doesn't work.

Any tips or diagnosis pointers appreciated.

[Speedtouch]

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... ot_working

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... dow_switch

[milescook]

None of those help sadly. I know the switch is good I have swapped them around. Just wondering if there's any wires that could be unplugged to give me the above symptoms. Or, if the motor is clicking it's getting power and needs removing and servicing/replacing?

[Brianmoooore]

There is a relay in the glovebox area that is relevant to the electric windows, plus connectors associated with this relay plugged into the accessories socket that can be dislodged, BUT any problems here would affect all windows equally.
Does you window have the old type cable mech., or the more modern scissors type? A '88 car could have been fitted with the last of the early type, and if you have this, then it has probably failed. It can be replaced with the modern type with a very minor mod., but the glass will need to be changed as well. If you have green tinted glass, this shouldn't be a problem.
If you have the scissors type mech. already, it would be unusual for this to have failed, so I'd expect it to be a problem with corrosion in the passenger door A pillar plug and socket, although it would be unusual for the window connections to fail without the door mirror connections failing first.
There is a third possibility, that your car has the dealer retro fitted electric windows. Any blanked off holes in the door cards? These window mechs. are gutless and poor quality, and should be changed on sight.

[milescook]

Ta brian no idea what kind of mech it is so took a pic:




Leccy mirror works ok, not sure about blanked off door card holes they were sold! As you can see, wiring is a mess which needs sorting Spraying it all blue probably makes things more "fun" to diagnose...

[Speedtouch]

Wouldn't you want to fit manual winders instead on a track car, to save weight?

[milescook]

Good idea but they foul the cage unless I went with some kind of bespoke solution. Too much hassle and easier to press buttons for some cool fresh air on a slow down lap

[Brianmoooore]

That's the later type mechanism, which is normally 100% reliable.
Since you have the doorcard off, pull the motor plug and socket apart and apply a 12 volt battery direct to the two pins on the motor side. Connecting one way around should lower the window, and the other way around should raise it.
As you say, wiring is a mess, and I'm sure the car will still work fine with a good deal of it removed.

[milescook]

Just tried that now on the connector directly from the motor, same noise same result.

Dead motor...?

[Brianmoooore]

Either that, or the window has jammed somehow and the motor can't produce enough torque to shift it.

[milescook]

I'll disconnect the motor and see if it spins....

[milescook]

How bizzare...!

Took off the motor - literally... it separate from the spindle inside got it together again and pressed the window button, she span fast enough out of the mechanism in the door. Took off a bolt holding what I thought was part of the mechanism - turned out to be the up / down (I think) stopper. Only worked this out when I'd gathered escaping bits of plastic and a metal bit, just like the krypton factor managed to find out how they went together and where...

Put the lot back on temporarily except one screw on the motor, worked out I could get the mechanism to move by pushing the button and pushing the scissors giving them a helping hand. Still none the wiser I out the other screw on the motor tightened up and to my surprise the whole thing works perfect! 2 years later my passenger window works

Guess some jiggling around un-jammed it...

Cheers all!