Power vent window issue

[Parccent65]

My 65 Riv has power vents and the master switch seems to be worn out or something. I would have to press abnormally hard to get the passenger side to operate but the driver side seemed fine. Lately the driver side motor either will just click or open/close the window BUT the motor keeps running after the window finishes it's travel as long as you hold the switch (but if you let go of it and press it again the same direction it doesn't continue to run). I got a new double switch and pigtail (came with it but the switch fits without it). The new switch corrected the passenger side issue but so far it' s not affecting the driver side consistently. I'm wondering why the motor keeps running on the driver's side. Hopefully it's not the motor. At least the window works fine — most of the time. Any ideas?

Edited September 5, 2020 by Parccent65
To make it clearer. (see edit history)

[RivNut]

The last tooth on the gear is broken off. When the motor gets the window to a certain point, there's no more gear to close the window all the way.  CARS sells new bronze gears.  Have fun 😁

[Parccent65]

The window does close all the way. 🙂 Seems like it just started doing this after I sprayed some WD-40 inside the door. I read in another thread on here that can solve some PW issues. The main window does go up and down more smoothly and the vent turns faster as well. Good to know where I can get a gear. 

[RivNut]

The old grease in the windows hardens and needs to be cleaned off and new grease applied.  There are older threads that deal with how to remove the door skins and clean and re-grease the gears and tracks.

[awk409ak]

On 9/5/2020 at 4:32 PM, Parccent65 said:

The window does close all the way. 🙂 Seems like it just started doing this after I sprayed some WD-40 inside the door. I read in another thread on here that can solve some PW issues. The main window does go up and down more smoothly and the vent turns faster as well. Good to know where I can get a gear. 

Not sure I totally understand what you are asking or saying.   It sounds like a switch issue but...... 

I just had my 64 driver's side power window apart a few weeks ago.  Spraying wd-40 will do absolutely nothing for the vent window(IMO).  The motor and drivetrain are a sealed unit and you must take the outer skin off at least part way to get the motor out and then replace the one gear.  Picture #1 gear housing apart, the top gear usually damaged.  #2 Motor and geartrain mounted on door.  #3 new gear to replace that damaged top gear in picture #1

Art

Edited September 7, 2020 by awk409ak (see edit history)

[Parccent65]

The vents on my car will open and close tightly with no problem.

Then, the next day or later the same day they will just make a clicking sound and after a few attempts, they operate normally again (today is the very first day the passenger side vent just clicked and wouldn't open). Mine ALWAYS open and close all the way with no "help". The next step will be to replace the top gear. 

[awk409ak]

Here's a picture of what mine was like.

 

Art

[XframeFX]

Art, your middle image shows bolt threads protruding. I imagine access to the hex heads of those bolts will require removal of the entire vent assembly or there's room in behind for a wrench?

No inner door panel removal I hope?

 

Also, I'm not happy with my patched-up control panel now that I have it installed. Anyone have have one with the power vents?

[awk409ak]

9 hours ago, XframeFX said:

Art, your middle image shows bolt threads protruding. I imagine access to the hex heads of those bolts will require removal of the entire vent assembly or there's room in behind for a wrench?

No inner door panel removal I hope?

 

Also, I'm not happy with my patched-up control panel now that I have it installed. Anyone have have one with the power vents?

If you are not a purist, here is what I did to remove the vent window motor.  I elected to leave the vent assembly in tact.  I did remove the inner door panel (that's pretty easy).  I ended up drilling 3 holes (actually 4, but you only need 3) in the inner metal panel where the bolts are to make it easier to remove/install motor, afterwards then I installed plastic caps in the holes.  I don't think a lot of people liked what I did (nobody will really know anyhow when done), but Buick did not design for replaceability of the motor.  I have the dimensions of where the hole should be drilled.  You need the 2 holes on the right and the one that is partly covered by the larger cap on the left.  The larger cap hole is a factory hole fyi.

Art

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by awk409ak (see edit history)

[kegart]

17 hours ago, XframeFX said:

Art, your middle image shows bolt threads protruding. I imagine access to the hex heads of those bolts will require removal of the entire vent assembly or there's room in behind for a wrench?

No inner door panel removal I hope?

 

Also, I'm not happy with my patched-up control panel now that I have it installed. Anyone have have one with the power vents?

I think Riviera Bob had some Panels. 

Kevin 

[XframeFX]

8 hours ago, awk409ak said:

If you are not a purist, here is what I did to remove the vent window motor.  I elected to leave the vent assembly in tact.  I did remove the inner door panel (that's pretty easy).  I ended up drilling 3 holes (actually 4, but you only need 3) in the inner metal panel where the bolts are to make it easier to remove/install motor, afterwards then I installed plastic caps in the holes.  I don't think a lot of people liked what I did (nobody will really know anyhow when done), but Buick did not design for replaceability of the motor.  I have the dimensions of where the hole should be drilled.  You need the 2 holes on the right and the one that is partly covered by the larger cap on the left.  The larger cap hole is a factory hole fyi.

Art

 

 

Thanks Art, I'm not a purist but I have all new vent window rubber as well. Will learn as I go.

Having owned my Riviera over 40 years, there have been previous owners before me that have had the inner door panels and veneer off & on plenty of times. Those nail strips and tabs won't stand for more!

I'll order-up a pair of those bronze gears, need a pivot arm as well.

[jsgun]

On 9/8/2020 at 12:00 AM, XframeFX said:

Art, your middle image shows bolt threads protruding. I imagine access to the hex heads of those bolts will require removal of the entire vent assembly or there's room in behind for a wrench?

No inner door panel removal I hope?

 

Also, I'm not happy with my patched-up control panel now that I have it installed. Anyone have have one with the power vents?

 

There's a pair of them on ebay right now. Ok quality, price is a little high. I'm shopping for the switches, but they're very expensive. 

[jsgun]

For whatever its worth, I installed vent window motors meant for a 57 chevy. I had to clock the shaft on the window a little to make it close fully, but other than that they were easy. Motors are a lot cheaper than the square ones meant for the Riv. The wiring connector is different, but i'm having to make a harness for it anyway so it doesn't matter to me.

[RivNut]

Have you checked with Gene G., Steve L., "Riviera" Bob, or one if the other vendors from the Riview?  If I remember correctly, the bosses for screwing the switch to the panels are on all of the pieces. You could cut out the space for your switch from the one you have.

Edited September 13, 2020 by RivNut (see edit history)

[awk409ak]

15 hours ago, jsgun said:

For whatever its worth, I installed vent window motors meant for a 57 chevy. I had to clock the shaft on the window a little to make it close fully, but other than that they were easy. Motors are a lot cheaper than the square ones meant for the Riv. The wiring connector is different, but i'm having to make a harness for it anyway so it doesn't matter to me.

 

So why the new motor?  Usually it is just the one gear.  Good to know though.  What is the part number and where did you get the motor?

 

Art

[XframeFX]

16 hours ago, RivNut said:

Have you checked with Gene G., Steve L., "Riviera" Bob, or one if the other vendors from the Riview?  If I remember correctly, the bosses for screwing the switch to the panels are on all of the pieces. You could cut out the space for your switch from the one you have.

Yes, the mounting bosses are there on my non-power vent panel. It has more micro-pitting then the original that had the door slammed on it, breaking it it 2. Cutting a rectangular hole will reduce the area of visual blemish.

So, you have me looking at this option again. Maybe roll-in replating as part of the process. Would replating be possible with that ribbed profile? As for cutting out an opening, my backyard method is to drill a hole at each corner and join-the-dots with 4 cuts. Not for a visible piece such as this. How to cut out the opening will help me to find a local shop to do it.

 

I like that alternate motor assembly idea. An alternative to those replacement gears which I hope remain available.

 

[telriv]

Those gears have been available through Hydro Electric for as long as I can remember.  Don't see them stop makingthem anytime soon.

[RivNut]

Although it's not original, I've seen a number of cars that have the pitted ribs where the grove between the ribs is painted black.  Painting the grooves black camouflages the pits.  Unless someone knows that the black is incorrect, it's not that obvious.

[jsgun]

On 9/13/2020 at 7:14 AM, awk409ak said:

 

So why the new motor?  Usually it is just the one gear.  Good to know though.  What is the part number and where did you get the motor?

 

Art

I had manual vent windows, I wanted to convert them to power like the rich people got. Not sure about part numbers, they seem to be generic for the lack of a better term. They were advertised to retro fit a 57 Chevy.