Fitting door solenoid.. advice/experience?
Discussion
I've heard is a pig of a job but as my drivers side has now totally given up, it's getting interesting to use the car!
I've bought one of these http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-part-m0599...
and from speaking with Racetech, it's basically the same unit as the original except it will need the spring put in place so that it returns to the closed position.
So.. any tips? I've already taken the interior panel off and its clear that the connectors are different so I'm guessing some chopping/soldering is needed to get the right connector on.
Anything else for me to watch out for?
Thanks in advance!
MrChips
I've bought one of these http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-part-m0599...
and from speaking with Racetech, it's basically the same unit as the original except it will need the spring put in place so that it returns to the closed position.
So.. any tips? I've already taken the interior panel off and its clear that the connectors are different so I'm guessing some chopping/soldering is needed to get the right connector on.
Anything else for me to watch out for?
Thanks in advance!
MrChips
Hi Mr chips. Is your door actually coming open when you are driving along? As mine did. Or are you having trouble getting in the car?
Its quite scary negotiating a roundabout,and the passenger door fly's open. I cured that by giving the red 'T' handle in the passenger foot well a good pulling and pushing for a minute or two.
Let me know if you sort it.
Dave.
Its quite scary negotiating a roundabout,and the passenger door fly's open. I cured that by giving the red 'T' handle in the passenger foot well a good pulling and pushing for a minute or two.
Let me know if you sort it.
Dave.
It's closing fine and staying closed but the solenoid is now so slow/laboured it can't open the door.
Currently doing a comedy routine of getting in the passenger side an dmr putting windows down to allow me to reach in and pull the red handle.
Unless the roof is off, then it's pure smokey and the bandit style jumping into the car.
Currently doing a comedy routine of getting in the passenger side an dmr putting windows down to allow me to reach in and pull the red handle.
Unless the roof is off, then it's pure smokey and the bandit style jumping into the car.
You can dismount the old solenoid and drill out the rivets.
Then you can clean all parts inside and refit them with a bit oil.
Then your old opener will work well again. Instead of the old rivets you can use
tape or glue!
I had same, was rusty inside, everything cleaned,derusted and oiled, all ok now.
Uwe
Then you can clean all parts inside and refit them with a bit oil.
Then your old opener will work well again. Instead of the old rivets you can use
tape or glue!
I had same, was rusty inside, everything cleaned,derusted and oiled, all ok now.
Uwe
I did this a few weeks ago when my driver side solenoid died with a burnt-out motor (day before an government technical check which I had to cancel ...). On my dead solenoid there were no rivets, just plastic clips to hold it together; as my motor was definitely a crispy critter I replaced the whole solenoid instead of reconditioning it.
The most useful tool is a small stubby cross-head screw-driver for the solenoid screws.
Push the seat as far forward as you can and fold it forwards.
Remove the single allen key bolt for the interior trim that hides the solenoid, etc (i.e. the one with the speaker in it).
I found the best way to get the trim out was to pull the bottom towards the front of the car and jiggle a bit... YMMV.
Unplug the speaker and put the trim somewhere safe (I replaced the speaker "while it was out"
).
Remove the three screws from the door striker plate (mine were different sizes).
Remove the two allen bolts on the lock (be careful if there's a washer between the lock and the fibre-glass because it will fall out of place if you don't put it back then the lock will be stiff).
Unplug the solenoid's electrical connectors.
Take a note of which way around the solenoid is because you need to screw it back in that way around (the bit that sticks out is the motor).
Unclip the G shaped piece of metal from the plastic retaining clip.
Unscrew the two screws on the solenoid from the large plate (which should now move enough to get it where you want it).
Twist the solenoid around and unscrew the other two screws that mount it to the emergency release cable (plate) to release it completely.
For the new solenoid:
there's a two-pin connector and a three pin connector, usually. The three pin connector can be ignored as it's "only" switches to tell a controller that the solenoid is at the end(s) of its travel. On mine the connectors on the two pin plugs were different between old and new so I cut both off and spliced/soldered the old connector onto the new (remembering to cover it with heat-shrink plastic!).
Attach the G thingy to the new solenoid.
To get it back in, do the reverse. The worst bit is trying to get the final two screws in the solenoid and screwing them in. To get the allen key bolts in the plate put the bolts through then move the plate around until you feel the first hole then screw it in a bit then do the other and screw it down properly.
It was a pain working around a corner but in the end I didn't find it all that bad to do (but then I have relatively small hands).
Hope that helps.
The most useful tool is a small stubby cross-head screw-driver for the solenoid screws.
Push the seat as far forward as you can and fold it forwards.
Remove the single allen key bolt for the interior trim that hides the solenoid, etc (i.e. the one with the speaker in it).
I found the best way to get the trim out was to pull the bottom towards the front of the car and jiggle a bit... YMMV.
Unplug the speaker and put the trim somewhere safe (I replaced the speaker "while it was out"
).Remove the three screws from the door striker plate (mine were different sizes).
Remove the two allen bolts on the lock (be careful if there's a washer between the lock and the fibre-glass because it will fall out of place if you don't put it back then the lock will be stiff).
Unplug the solenoid's electrical connectors.
Take a note of which way around the solenoid is because you need to screw it back in that way around (the bit that sticks out is the motor).
Unclip the G shaped piece of metal from the plastic retaining clip.
Unscrew the two screws on the solenoid from the large plate (which should now move enough to get it where you want it).
Twist the solenoid around and unscrew the other two screws that mount it to the emergency release cable (plate) to release it completely.
For the new solenoid:
there's a two-pin connector and a three pin connector, usually. The three pin connector can be ignored as it's "only" switches to tell a controller that the solenoid is at the end(s) of its travel. On mine the connectors on the two pin plugs were different between old and new so I cut both off and spliced/soldered the old connector onto the new (remembering to cover it with heat-shrink plastic!).
Attach the G thingy to the new solenoid.
To get it back in, do the reverse. The worst bit is trying to get the final two screws in the solenoid and screwing them in. To get the allen key bolts in the plate put the bolts through then move the plate around until you feel the first hole then screw it in a bit then do the other and screw it down properly.
It was a pain working around a corner but in the end I didn't find it all that bad to do (but then I have relatively small hands).
Hope that helps.
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