Fixing Power Window Electrical Issues - 65 Thunderbird

[@vintagethunderbirdrepair9426]

Hey Alvin, great video. I think that was a very good observation to point out a bad ground. I dont usually look for those but in the future, Ill certainly keep that in mind. Its very common for the windows to stick like that and I have usually attributed that to a power drain and or the wrong window motor gear. Ive tested these quite a bit and Ive found that by the time the power gets to the window motor, its a few volts lower than battery voltage. Next time you have the door panel off, test the voltage at the window motor, see what it is. The passenger front window in my 66 sticks all the time, Im just too lazy to fix it. In some cases, Ive gone as far as run a power wire from the battery to the window motor and install a relay into the door so the motor gets full battery voltage. One thing Ive noticed over the years, if a window motor is stuck, once you unstick it, it will go up and down nicely until the next day or so, then it sticks again later. In other words, once you applied battery voltage to the window motor directly and unstuck the motor, it will continue to work for a while and now you dont know if the ground was truly the problem. If you had not unstuck the window motor with the battery pack and only worked the window motor with the window switch after you fixed the ground, would the window motor still have worked? Youll find out in time if the window stick again. Thanks for the video.

[@J_R_Shop]

Hey Nick, I wish I had thought checking for voltage drop 😔, I'm sure there will be a next time. Lol I like the idea of adding a relay, that would be a simple fix for the voltage drop, I'm thinking I'll do that regardless. 👍👍👍 I agree, by unsticking the motor with the battery pack, I lost the opportunity to see if there is another problem at play in the circuit...next time. Lol Thanks Nick, as always, extremely helpful information! 😊

[@servicetechnician3264]

Hello Nick and Alvin. At about the 3:16 mark of the video you are showing the schematic. If you look closely, you will see that there is a resistor shown in the ground legs of the motors. This would explain why you do not get full source (battery) voltage at the motor terminals. If the ground wire is actually a resistive wire, the wire itself may have increased in resistive value further reducing the voltage to the motor terminals. Evidently, the motors either are not designed for a full 12 volt source, or the resistive ground wire is designed to open if the motor gets jammed. It would be interesting to see what resistive value that ground wire is supposed to be on a known good example. George B

[@charlesdalton985]

Nice diagnostics, that wasn't obvious. So much better than loading up the parts cannon and firing away. Thanks for taking us along ~ Chuck

[@J_R_Shop]

Hi Chuck, No, it wasn't an obvious problem, but as Nick points out, this may only be one problem with the circuit, I have a feeling, I will be back in there again. Lol

[@dougabbott8261]

Good for another 59 years. Thx Alvin

[@J_R_Shop]

I wish that were true Doug, but I think I'll be back there again! Lol

[@SierraJohn]

Nice job tracking down the issue. Always good videos.

[@J_R_Shop]

@@SierraJohn thank you, it's always a learning experience with these old cars! Lol

[@walterjoncas12]

Well done Alvin. Great find. I noticed Nick commented too. Always enjoy your videos. Ah the fun of old cars.

[@J_R_Shop]

Hi Walt, Nick's comment is jam packed with very helpful information for all of us working on these old cars!

[@servicetechnician3264]

Hello Alvin. I really enjoyed your window motor fix. This seems to be a common issue with our Tbirds. There are so many things that can cause the motor not to work properly. George B

[@J_R_Shop]

Hi George, Yes, there are a few weak points in the wiring design, I think Nick explains a lot of the issues quite well in his comment.

[@servicetechnician3264]

Hello Alvin. Just to add on to this, I just measured the grey wire at the motor connector (motor disconnected) to ground. It measures around 0.5 ohms. I also looked at the schematic in my 66 manual and it clearly shows a resistor in all of the motor ground legs. George B

[@J_R_Shop]

Hey George, 0.5 is within range, I wouldn't want to see any higher resistance, but I'm curious about the resistors on the ground legs in the diagram. I do have a 1966 shop manual, and like you said, it appears that resistors are in the circuit...but they aren't in the 65 wire diagram, not in the one I have, so that's a little puzzling 🤔. I wonder if they are there to help the current flow at the motor? 🤔

[@Exit45Restorations]

Hey Alvin. Good video. I will be sure to test all my grounds as I go through my final assembly. It's alwasy the grounds.. lol

[@J_R_Shop]

Lol...yes Matt, the grounds are definitely a good starting point!.

[@johnsteinbeck4119]

Thanks for the info!

[@J_R_Shop]

You're welcome, and thank you!

[@sizzle073]

Hiya Alvin Thanks for the insight of the ground locations. I’m sure I’ll use that nugget of info when my son and I attack the driver’s window that was taken apart prior to our ownership.

[@J_R_Shop]

Hey Troy, If you haven't already, take a look at Nick's comment, I pinned it to the top, lots of great info in there, that also may help out with your son's window motors.

[@youngvintagecarlover]

Hey Alvin thank you so much for this video! Question on the 66 the passenger window works great from the switch up and down, but problem is driver window is getting no power at all even when swapping out to see if the switch was bad, not the case still no power. the vent windows have the same issue. is it a bad ground or is it the relay only supplying power to one window because it's bad? Thank you so much ! test light with switches off had no power at drivers window and both vent windows as well😆🙄😬

[@J_R_Shop]

There is only one relay that powers the window circuit, so I'm pretty sure the relay isn't the problem. You mentioned that there is no power at the motor with the switches off...check to see what is there for power when you push the switch, if you get power, then it could be a bad ground, or motor. Are you getting power at the switches for those two motors?

[@youngvintagecarlover]

​@@J_R_Shop Hey Alvin I am getting power at the passenger window switch it now works from the switch going up and down, but the driver side window has no blinking lights or anything when I try it going up and down from the switch itself. I wonder what that could be. thank you! sorry for delayed response :(

[@mikejohansson6711]

Hey Alvin, they are going to start calling you the Thunderbird whisperer... able to fix any Tbird around..... say, do you ever travel to Oregon? 😆

[@J_R_Shop]

Lol, I don't know about that! We have been wanting to do the coastal highway again, the last time was 2011, so it's definitely overdue, we most generally start or end the journey in Oregon...maybe sometime soon. 😎

[@442olds7]

50/50 warranty, 50 feet or 50 seconds which ever comes first. I have a few of those door handle tools that I doubt I will ever use again, ones a snap on too I believe or mac maybe. I likely would have just by passed the ground inside the connector with a jumper wire and bobs your uncle but that repair looks better hehe.

[@J_R_Shop]

Lol...this was several weeks ago, and the window still works! The original connection was actually a little loose, it took very little to get it back in order, mostly just re-crimped the original connection, some cleaning was required...this window most likely always had issues from day one.