Removing window motor - any advice 'blackspider'?
Discussion
I'm hoping that 'blackspider' may be able to give some advice here...
I am about to replace both fron door locks and the n/s electric window motor (unless it turns out to be a window regulator fault).
In order to get the locks out the door glass needs to be removed, and my Haynes manual says to adjust the window so that it is 20cm above the door thereby enabling access to the allen screws which hold the glass in place.
Unfortunately, because the electric window does not work I cannot lower it to get access to the allen screw. Is it possible to remove the window motor without removing the glass, so that I can either manually lower the window or fit the new motor and lower it electrically?
Car is a 2001 Mini One.
I am about to replace both fron door locks and the n/s electric window motor (unless it turns out to be a window regulator fault).
In order to get the locks out the door glass needs to be removed, and my Haynes manual says to adjust the window so that it is 20cm above the door thereby enabling access to the allen screws which hold the glass in place.
Unfortunately, because the electric window does not work I cannot lower it to get access to the allen screw. Is it possible to remove the window motor without removing the glass, so that I can either manually lower the window or fit the new motor and lower it electrically?
Car is a 2001 Mini One.
To remove the glass when the motor has failed(which they do alot)is a bit of a pig.And the haynes manual is crap.
Firstly remove the outer scaper seal(chrome strip that runs the legth of the door panel and cleans the glass as it drops).If you then look from the outside down where you have taken the seal from you will see 2 large knowled wheels-they hold the glass on-using a long screw driver gently tap the wheels to undo(you can use a hammer to tap the screwdriver but dont smack it one).Once they have become loose you should be able to spin them.
The problem you have now is that they will go up against the body of the panel-if the window was working this is not a problem as you lower the window and pull them off.What you now need to do is with the door card removed is to undo the regulator(2 10mm headed bolts underneath,2 10mm headed bolts towards the top of the door panel one hidden behind handle/speaker and the 3 screws holding window motor.Release the window motor electical connector.It also helps to remove mirror electical connector-remove the mirror by undoing the 3 5mm allan headed bolts from the outside-fold the mirror in or out and you will see them.
This is the not so pretty part-you need to force the regulator to make the window drop about 30mm,so move the regulator away from where it was bolted and move it about.The wheels that hold the glass need to be in a position where they can then be spun til loose and with a bit of help from a screwdriver will pop off(they are clipped into glass-this stops them dropping off if the wheel was to ever come loose).
Once you have the 2 wheels off the glass will just lift out.
Only take one glass out at a time-this will make it easier for you to understand how the window needs to be when refitted and realigned.The 2 10mm headed underneath are for the glass tension against the seal and the wheels allow up/down/forward/backwards.Alignment needs to be exact to prevent water leaks,trapped glass,wind noise,rattles and so on.
Once you have the regulator out you need to undo the torx screws holding the motor to the reg.BE CAREFUL here,when you start to separate the motor from the reg the splines may be stuck together-if you dont prise gently then the regulator cables will come out-reg is then dead.
When you have got the 2 apart and ready to fit the new one,slide the regulator glass mounts down to half way,so the regulator is set as if the glass was half way down(basically moving the cables),then fit motor.It doesnt matter about timing the motor all you do is igntion on,window up and hold switch for 3 seconds,then window down and hold switch down for 3 seconds.
The door locks are easy ish,you just need to look inside the door panel at the lock and check how the cable is routed from the outside handle to the lock-this is the most fiddly part of the job.
They are replacable with the glass and regulator in place but for a first timer its best not to try this short cut-you could end up with small dents in the door.
Also,with the offside door you need to make sure you when refitting the lock mechanism is to be sure you feed the key lock bar back in(it extends the lock barrel to the lock mechanism).
Hope that helps a little
Firstly remove the outer scaper seal(chrome strip that runs the legth of the door panel and cleans the glass as it drops).If you then look from the outside down where you have taken the seal from you will see 2 large knowled wheels-they hold the glass on-using a long screw driver gently tap the wheels to undo(you can use a hammer to tap the screwdriver but dont smack it one).Once they have become loose you should be able to spin them.
The problem you have now is that they will go up against the body of the panel-if the window was working this is not a problem as you lower the window and pull them off.What you now need to do is with the door card removed is to undo the regulator(2 10mm headed bolts underneath,2 10mm headed bolts towards the top of the door panel one hidden behind handle/speaker and the 3 screws holding window motor.Release the window motor electical connector.It also helps to remove mirror electical connector-remove the mirror by undoing the 3 5mm allan headed bolts from the outside-fold the mirror in or out and you will see them.
This is the not so pretty part-you need to force the regulator to make the window drop about 30mm,so move the regulator away from where it was bolted and move it about.The wheels that hold the glass need to be in a position where they can then be spun til loose and with a bit of help from a screwdriver will pop off(they are clipped into glass-this stops them dropping off if the wheel was to ever come loose).
Once you have the 2 wheels off the glass will just lift out.
Only take one glass out at a time-this will make it easier for you to understand how the window needs to be when refitted and realigned.The 2 10mm headed underneath are for the glass tension against the seal and the wheels allow up/down/forward/backwards.Alignment needs to be exact to prevent water leaks,trapped glass,wind noise,rattles and so on.
Once you have the regulator out you need to undo the torx screws holding the motor to the reg.BE CAREFUL here,when you start to separate the motor from the reg the splines may be stuck together-if you dont prise gently then the regulator cables will come out-reg is then dead.
When you have got the 2 apart and ready to fit the new one,slide the regulator glass mounts down to half way,so the regulator is set as if the glass was half way down(basically moving the cables),then fit motor.It doesnt matter about timing the motor all you do is igntion on,window up and hold switch for 3 seconds,then window down and hold switch down for 3 seconds.
The door locks are easy ish,you just need to look inside the door panel at the lock and check how the cable is routed from the outside handle to the lock-this is the most fiddly part of the job.
They are replacable with the glass and regulator in place but for a first timer its best not to try this short cut-you could end up with small dents in the door.
Also,with the offside door you need to make sure you when refitting the lock mechanism is to be sure you feed the key lock bar back in(it extends the lock barrel to the lock mechanism).
Hope that helps a little
Thank you 'blackspider' for your full and detailed reply, it's made me much more confident in tackling the job.
I have now replaced both of the door locks, so the central locking is working fine. As you said, the 'Haynes' manual could be better, but at least the pictures are helpful. The 'Haynes' book says that to change the drivers door lock you need to remove the door handle, which I did after much struggling to reach the pesky Allen screws. During the re-fitting procedure I realised there was no need to take off the door handle at all!
Now,the window. Without your advice I would have been worried about using a hammer and screwdriver to undo the knurled wheels, but it worked fine. Having removed the regulator assembly I then wanted to remove the motor. This was tricky because the slider was stuck and I couldn't get to the single torx screw securing it to regulator bar. I had to use a little force to release the four torx screws securing the motor. I gently withdrew the motor and, just as you had warned, the capstan wheen came out with the motor and all the window wires spewed out! Doh!
I reconnected the motor to the power supply and found that it still works ok. I have concluded that for some reason the regulator was seized. Once the capstan and wires had spewed out I found that the sliders could be moved up and down. After much fiddling I've managed to refit the capstan and wires, and the regulator appears to be working ok, though I have yet to refit/connect the motor to see if it works properly. If it does work I'll try refitting it to the car.
I'll post the next installment when I've tested the motor/regulator.
Thanks again for your advice - and for taking the time to write such a detailed reply.
Andrew.
I have now replaced both of the door locks, so the central locking is working fine. As you said, the 'Haynes' manual could be better, but at least the pictures are helpful. The 'Haynes' book says that to change the drivers door lock you need to remove the door handle, which I did after much struggling to reach the pesky Allen screws. During the re-fitting procedure I realised there was no need to take off the door handle at all!
Now,the window. Without your advice I would have been worried about using a hammer and screwdriver to undo the knurled wheels, but it worked fine. Having removed the regulator assembly I then wanted to remove the motor. This was tricky because the slider was stuck and I couldn't get to the single torx screw securing it to regulator bar. I had to use a little force to release the four torx screws securing the motor. I gently withdrew the motor and, just as you had warned, the capstan wheen came out with the motor and all the window wires spewed out! Doh!
I reconnected the motor to the power supply and found that it still works ok. I have concluded that for some reason the regulator was seized. Once the capstan and wires had spewed out I found that the sliders could be moved up and down. After much fiddling I've managed to refit the capstan and wires, and the regulator appears to be working ok, though I have yet to refit/connect the motor to see if it works properly. If it does work I'll try refitting it to the car.
I'll post the next installment when I've tested the motor/regulator.
Thanks again for your advice - and for taking the time to write such a detailed reply.
Andrew.
Job done! 
. I have refitted the window regulator & motor which works fine, so now have all door locks and windows fully functioning.
It appears that there was no fault with the window after all - I think that it stopped working as a result of the fault in the door lock, possibly something to do with the fact that the window should drop a few mm when the door is opened.
Thanks once again for your advice 'blackspider', you are a top PH'er
. I have refitted the window regulator & motor which works fine, so now have all door locks and windows fully functioning. It appears that there was no fault with the window after all - I think that it stopped working as a result of the fault in the door lock, possibly something to do with the fact that the window should drop a few mm when the door is opened.
Thanks once again for your advice 'blackspider', you are a top PH'er
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