Live from Los Gatos

[corsachili]

For the first time in a long time I spent most of the day in the garage, tinkering with the CSL. Kurt came over to help me with adjusting my doors, striker plates, and replacing the window motors. I cleaned both window actuators in the solvent tank, and greased the pivot points. Based on some advice from Carl Nelson, I removed the springs, which certainly had no negative effect on the windows. I still have some work to do, but the doors open and close much better now, and my windows are super speedy.

For those of you contemplating upgrading to the later E28 window motors, you'll need to shorten the bolts that mount them to the door actuator. If you don't, they'll hit the internal gear and prevent the motor from turning. I took about 3 or 4mm off with a belt sander.

 

[pmansson]

Sounds like a very nice day and useful day. Living in sunny CA, I hope you make use of the sun and do some work like that in the open air. I find that the sun beats any lamps, white painted walls and ceiling when it comes to proper illumination.
One point I must make though; I cannot understand the popular window electric motor upgrade with all the cost work it entails. I have 6 coupes and they all run on stock motors (except the CSL). Slow or not working to start off with, but after a thorough removal and clean off the old grease, and very generous application on new grease as well as thin oil down the axle carrying the cog wheel, I have very quick action up and down.
I always keep the engine idling when "running in" the new grease, and align the rubber end stops carefully (often needing to replace them in fact). The end result is reliable and fast enough for my needs.

 

[PaulinPa]

Why remove the springs?

 

[jmackro]

I am FAR from an expert on CS window mechanisms. But, here's what I do know:

- Those big hare springs seem to do more harm than good. I guess this is classic hysterisis (sp?). In theory, the spring should absorb energy when the window is lowered, and return it when the window is raised, counteracting the force of gravity. In practice, the spring absorbs energy on the "downstroke", and just dissipates it. Take out that big, heavy spring, remove the caked on grease from the mechanism, use fresh lubricant - your windows will be much happier.

- I stuck with my original motors, but added relays in the doors. I ran 10 gauge wires directly from the battery to these relays - with circuit breakers at the battery end, naturally. Now my switches are just handling a few ma of current to operate the relays, and the motors get a lot more voltage. It's amazing how much faster the windows operate.