Window regulator brought back from the dead

[mc-ca]

Last weekend my passenger side window regulator let go - dropping the window down. The dealer estimate was $800 to fix it. I bought the window fix it thingies from Dali and decided to see if I could bring the broken one back from the dead.

After a couple of hours, It's back but needs major assistance to roll the window up (me pulling as the motor pushes). Does anyone have any ideas? It worked fine befor the plastic part broke. I also used the special Honda window lube and lubed anything that moved. The wires are really tight - much tighter than the driver's side. That side luckily has the new style regulator in it.

I have it in the rolled up position so it's fine for now but I'd eventually like it to work. I'm banking the $800 for now.

 

[Ojas]

After a couple of hours, It's back but needs major assistance to roll the window up (me pulling as the motor pushes). Does anyone have any ideas? It worked fine befor the plastic part broke. I also used the special Honda window lube and lubed anything that moved. The wires are really tight - much tighter than the driver's side. That side luckily has the new style regulator in it.

Is there any sign of the cable "binding" when you now roll it up or down? I'm curious if it's "spooling" correctly and if the cable is straight and free of kinks/bends. Since you mention the cable is very tight, I wonder if it's not wound correctly on the spool.

When I tried to repair my buddy's regulator, we had a similar outcome. After the first try, it worked, but required some manual assistance. I rewound the cable on the spool, which helped. But, it still did not operate smoothly. In my case, the cable was damaged (from him trying to move the window up/down after the part failed) which resulted in the cable being less than straight.

 

[mc-ca]

Yes, I used a small mirror and the cable routing was fine with no kinks. The cable end was not seated well in the "window fix-it thingy" but after some wiggling it seated lower. This did improve the situation a little.

 

[jlindy]

There are posts on this site for used regulators for $100-150 all the time. That way, you can put the window thingies on or buy one that has already been updated.

 

[nsxtasy]

Beware of used regulators. Heck, beware of buying ANY part used when that part has a tendency to fail. (Even new-style regulators can fail if not kept properly lubricated.)

$800 is ridiculous. You should be able to get a brand new regulator for $350-400 if you're a member of the NSX Club of America and use your club member discount at dealers like Niello Acura in Sacramento or Goodson Acura in Dallas.

 

[mc-ca]

Thanks for the tip on the NSX club discount. I thought it was a much smaller discount than 25%. The $800 was $500 for the part and $300 for the labor. Since I have put in the window thingy, I am assuming the whole regulator is easier. My local dealer in Santa Rosa seems to be charging me more of a premium each time I go in. I think I'll start going down to the dealer in Marin that give discounts for the NSX club.

Having fixed broken speakers, cracked exhaust, broken water hoses, broken fog lights, broken brake light, and replaced a 6+ year old timing belt + water pump - I am due for a quiet period. It's been a rough 6 months of ownership. I expected much of this and the purchase price reflected a discount for future failures.

 

[nsxtasy]

Yes, you'll probably find that, once you take care of everything that needs attention, the demands for repairs should diminish. Just make sure to follow the maintenance schedule after that.

Too bad you live so far away from NSXPO 2003. Otherwise you could show us all your car in October.

 

[whiteNSXs]

You might want to take a look at what i wrote a few years back.
>[SHO - 99/8/9] Please do yourself a big favor. If you have a 1991 or 1992(some) car, buy a set of Dali fix BEFORE that thing snaps. I was up all night helping a fellow NSXer fixing it. It just snapped while he was driving. Boy, when the plastic clip breaks and cable flying, there are additional damages too.

When we tried to replace the broken plastic clip with the Dali piece, we found that the one metal prong holding the clip was broken. Also the cables no longer meet the new clip. It was 2 inches too short no matter what we did. We tried brute force, playing with the window motor, prayed, swore (a lot), and danced while swearing. A desperate call to Joon Lee (thanks, Joon) revealed that when the 2 cables lose tension due to the snap, the cable inside the motor assembly goes
out of track. This results in kinking of the cable, overlapping, and sometime jamming. So we opened up the motor/spool. There was a spring like the ones in automatic watches that swung out and hits your face if you are not careful, two-piece spools that were impossible to pull out without damaging them, and loads of grease.

There it was. A cable that was kinked, flattened, and totally off track. We spent the next 3 hours just trying to fix the SHAPE of the cable so that it fits the grooves of the spools again and then through numerous fine adjustments to find the exact mating point of the 2 spool halves so that that was enough gives for the 2 cables end to meet at the new Dali clip.

The next thing to do was the damn spring. There were 18 revolutions but the best we could do was 16 before the damn thing snapped right out. So now we ended up with a broken prong, a kinked cable, a damaged plastic spool, a partially wound spring, and a less than perfect motor mechanism. We are still afraid that this motor/spool will eventually fails. Then we finally put the regulator back on the car and the operation was quite flawed with the top 2 inches of travel clicking.

From this experience, I think if it snaps, just buy a new regulator to ensure proper future operation and spare all the frustrations. But if you want to save some money and end up with a properly working regulator, do it before it snaps. If you do change the clip, make sure that the 2 cables maintain proper tensions at all time while being transferred to the Dali piece to avoid going off track inside the spool. Remember the motor/spool is not serviceable. We were just separate to pry it open.

My friend changed the other side the next day before it snaps. The entire job was much, much, much easier and the resultant operation ended up being perfect like new. Please, please change the clips NOW. <

Hope it helps.
Steve

 

[mc-ca]

Your description makes a lot of sense on why the motor boggs down and why the cables are so tight. What I found helped was to set the upper cable in first then take the masking tape off the window and let the weight of the window set the tension of the upper cable. It takes a leap of faith to take off the masking tape but that gave enough slack to force the bottom cable in the the Dali part.

I plan to join the NSX club and buy a new regualtor at the discount.

 

[NSXLuvr]

does this regulator issue and plastic clip issue occur in 97+ models? My driver's side window makes a popping sound as it goes up. I was wondering if i need to go ahead and invest in the dali metal clips.

TIA

 

[Larry Bastanza]

No, not on 1997 models, but it sounds like you need to have the regulator lubed.

HTH,
LarryB

 

[Tony Montoya]

does this regulator issue and plastic clip issue occur in 97+ models? My driver's side window makes a popping sound as it goes up. I was wondering if i need to go ahead and invest in the dali metal clips.

TIA

My 91 was popping like yours when rolled up. This went on for a few years and then I experimented with rolling the window part way down and up and after about ten times at different levels the popping has gone away. In order to get out of my garage I have to roll the window down all the way and I have gone out maybe fifty times in two years with no popping. The window regulators are most likely original as I got the car at less than 3 years with under 10k km.

 

[nsxtasy]

My 91 was popping like yours when rolled up. This went on for a few years and then I experimented with rolling the window part way down and up and after about ten times at different levels the popping has gone away. In order to get out of my garage I have to roll the window down all the way and I have gone out maybe fifty times in two years with no popping. The window regulators are most likely original as I got the car at less than 3 years with under 10k km.

I strongly, strongly, strongly recommend that you get the fix-it thingies installed in your car. That $16 expenditure can save you $400-500 per side (including labor) if the regulator fails. What I was told by Acura's top NSX expert about the regulators is, "If it hasn't failed, it will - it's just a matter of time." Do it now - don't be sorry later.

 

[4AU4LIFE]

Yes,yes,yes, check them NOW and fix as needed.

 

[whiteNSXs]

The popping sound and the clip are actually two different issues but can be related. The popping is due to the white plastic/Teflon cylindrical thing that slides in and out when the window goes up and down. The popping is caused by dragging of the cylinder due to lack of lube. So lubing the white cylinder will solve the popping. And because the dragging cylinder puts extra resistance and hence higher tension on the two cables, perhaps it accelerates the demise of the clip. So put in the Dali thingy now regardless if there is popping.
Steve

 

[cpmoran]

Is it possible to lube without taking the door apart? What would it cost to have the dealer lube both windows?

 

[mc-ca]

Is it possible to lube without taking the door apart? What would it cost to have the dealer lube both windows?

I can't think of how you could without taking the door panel off. Even with the door panel off, you have to really stick your arm inside the metal parts of the door to get at the tracks. The special high temp grease is an Acura part and $15 for a very small jar of it. It makes a huge difference on how smoothly the window operates. I would guess that a dealer would charge you for an hour's worth of labor.

 

[whiteNSXs]

Is it possible to lube without taking the door apart? What would it cost to have the dealer lube both windows?

It might be actually possible to lube without taking the panel off if you have something long enough to spray the grease and something wedgy to spread the rubber trim. I have not looked at it but I will.
Steve

 

[Edwardo]

Where can I buy this window lubrication? I have me door panel off me car right now.

The FAQ says that it is High Temp Urea Grease part # 08798-9002

Would Pep Boys have something like this?

 

[mc-ca]

I went to two auto parts stores on the way to the Acura dealer and they all had no idea what High temperature Urea grease was. The Acura dealer only found it via the part number in the FAQ.

 

[john576]

I lubricated my window assembly with high temp white lithium grease which is available at any auto parts store. Or you can try to get the urea grease at a Honda dealer.
HTH
-John

 

[Edwardo]

John, MC,

Thanks for the response guys. I made a new thread before you guys posted to get more attention. Guess I should have been more patient.


Just excited to get the materials I need to complete my work. I am replacing my Bose amplifier. I thought while I was in there I could check the window regulator and lube the Window guides.

Thanks again guys!