Questions about power window motors

Doctor Shifty · 14-08-2011, 12:44 PM

The driver's window of my wife's 97 V6 Hardtop has decided not to play any more. It is fully up and does not move with a bit of hand pressure on it.

The other three windows work fine on their own switches and on the driver's master switch.

I've taken the inner door panel off and connected the switch block again. When I lift or depress the switch I can hear a very slight click that sounds like it is coming from the motor.

So it seems I am looking at either a jammed cable mechanism, a faulty motor, or a faulty switch. I'm about to hotwire the motor to see if I can eliminate that as the fault.

So here are some questions for those who've been inside their doors.

Q1.
Are the mechanisms the same for all windows? Can I swap the driver's mechanism for a rear one as a quick fix?

Q2.
If I go to a wrecker for parts, do all 323s from this period have the same cable mechanism in them? Or do I have to look specifically for Astina?

Q3.
Same question about the switch block. Are they the same as other 323 models or specific to Astina?

Q4.
I've been searching for a workshop manual that covers these parts but have come up with nothing but dead links. Anybody know of a downloadable disassembly diagram that will help me navigate the door innards.

I will also need directions for glass adjustment if I have to remove/replace a mechanism. (I had no problem finding workshop manuals for my 200SX, the invisibility of Mazda manuals is a mystery to me.)

Thanks

Doctor Shifty · 14-08-2011, 02:27 PM

OK, an update.

I hotwired into the motor connector. I can run it down about halfway and it jams.
I can then run it up to top position OK.

If I run it down with the hotwire I can run it up again with the master switch block. Yesterday it wouldn't run down from the full up position on the switch. So it seems something has freed up a little.

My guess is that the inner cable has frayed and won't pass through the outer sheath. Is this what normally happens?

And that brings me back to Q1. If I get a mechanism from a wrecker what models can I choose from?

And a new Q2.
Is it possible to run a new inner cable into the existing mechanism?

Thanks.

Doctor Shifty · 14-08-2011, 04:06 PM

Update 2 - it's fixed, I don't know how. Maybe it felt sorry for me.

I checked inside the door with a mirror to see if the top and bottom plastic cable guides were damaged, and noticed that when the window jammed half way down it was because I'd managed to get the cable on the wrong side of a midway guide. With that freed up it worked OK.

So I put it all back together again and it's working fine.

My guess is that originally something jammed in there at one point at top position and all my fiddling loosened it up.

Two hours yesterday and four hours today (lots of that time was looking for assembly pics) and not a cent spent on parts. I wish everything was so easily fixed.

14-08-2011, 12:44 PM	#1
Doctor Shifty Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Newcastle NSW Car: V6 Hardtop & Outback Posts: 36	Questions about power window motors The driver's window of my wife's 97 V6 Hardtop has decided not to play any more. It is fully up and does not move with a bit of hand pressure on it. The other three windows work fine on their own switches and on the driver's master switch. I've taken the inner door panel off and connected the switch block again. When I lift or depress the switch I can hear a very slight click that sounds like it is coming from the motor. So it seems I am looking at either a jammed cable mechanism, a faulty motor, or a faulty switch. I'm about to hotwire the motor to see if I can eliminate that as the fault. So here are some questions for those who've been inside their doors. Q1. Are the mechanisms the same for all windows? Can I swap the driver's mechanism for a rear one as a quick fix? Q2. If I go to a wrecker for parts, do all 323s from this period have the same cable mechanism in them? Or do I have to look specifically for Astina? Q3. Same question about the switch block. Are they the same as other 323 models or specific to Astina? Q4. I've been searching for a workshop manual that covers these parts but have come up with nothing but dead links. Anybody know of a downloadable disassembly diagram that will help me navigate the door innards. I will also need directions for glass adjustment if I have to remove/replace a mechanism. (I had no problem finding workshop manuals for my 200SX, the invisibility of Mazda manuals is a mystery to me.) Thanks

14-08-2011, 02:27 PM	#2
Doctor Shifty Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Newcastle NSW Car: V6 Hardtop & Outback Posts: 36	OK, an update. I hotwired into the motor connector. I can run it down about halfway and it jams. I can then run it up to top position OK. If I run it down with the hotwire I can run it up again with the master switch block. Yesterday it wouldn't run down from the full up position on the switch. So it seems something has freed up a little. My guess is that the inner cable has frayed and won't pass through the outer sheath. Is this what normally happens? And that brings me back to Q1. If I get a mechanism from a wrecker what models can I choose from? And a new Q2. Is it possible to run a new inner cable into the existing mechanism? Thanks.

14-08-2011, 04:06 PM	#3
Doctor Shifty Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Newcastle NSW Car: V6 Hardtop & Outback Posts: 36	Update 2 - it's fixed, I don't know how. Maybe it felt sorry for me. I checked inside the door with a mirror to see if the top and bottom plastic cable guides were damaged, and noticed that when the window jammed half way down it was because I'd managed to get the cable on the wrong side of a midway guide. With that freed up it worked OK. So I put it all back together again and it's working fine. My guess is that originally something jammed in there at one point at top position and all my fiddling loosened it up. Two hours yesterday and four hours today (lots of that time was looking for assembly pics) and not a cent spent on parts. I wish everything was so easily fixed.