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My new 1988 T/A

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  • #46
    Parts arrived yesterday. Were actually at the post office the day before, just wasn't able to get into town to pick them up.



    And that one extra part sneaked it's way into the package.
    DynoDave
    POCI # 72200



    1988 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

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    • #47
      OK, I have all 4 Kicker speakers installed in my daughters Saturn. Wait, wrong forum.

      Sadly, the bird has to compete for my time. Had just a few minutes last night. Went through all the parts Lon shipped to me, and to keep the old grease out of the new grease, I cleaned all of the parts up that will be reused.




      And a quick electrical test of the motor...smooth as silk. Cleaned up the worm gear, and we're ready to start reassembly. Tomorrow.


      DynoDave
      POCI # 72200



      1988 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

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      • #48
        So what ultimately was the problem? I didn't really catch it prior.
        Gone but not forgotten: 1986 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z

        "You shall ride eternal. Shiny and chrome."

        Comment


        • #49
          Well...I wish I had found a smoking gun. Something CLEARLY broken. But I never really did. The guides are very worn, for no more miles than are on the car (and therefore likely a low number of hatch openings and closings). But they are worn and cracked, and a chunk is missing. The two parts that the guides separate didn't "seem" loose to me, but who knows.

          I also found one small crack in a screw hole/boss in the gear housing. But not the catastrophic fracturing of the housing that is more typical. And my gear nut looks like new. Motor tests good, reversing switch tests good. Just not sure.

          So I'm refreshing the assembly (new, reinforced housing, new guides, new gear nut, new grease), and hoping that the answer is in there somewhere.
          DynoDave
          POCI # 72200



          1988 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

          Comment


          • #50
            If the guides are cracked/missing, it's likely those caused it...I was lucky enough not to have any issues with the pull-down motor in my IROC.

            Hopefully the new parts fix it!
            Gone but not forgotten: 1986 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z

            "You shall ride eternal. Shiny and chrome."

            Comment


            • #51
              It failed on our color tour last year. We were parked in a field along a rural road at a cider mill. As a result, the flexi-flyer t-top T/A was sitting on uneven ground, and the chassis was flexed. The doors were slightly hard to open. So that may have created enough of a side load on those worn guides to jam it.
              DynoDave
              POCI # 72200



              1988 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

              Comment


              • #52
                Finally had a few moments to put some of this back together.

                Assembly laid out with new parts, and everything greased. New gear nut installed at 7.5 turns per Lon.




                Going back together.



                Reversing switch is next.



                Aligning the electrical contacts...



                ...then held in place with a single screw.



                Fully seated.



                Switch set in down position between the metal tabs.



                The switch lever and tabs were something I didn't really understand, until I had taken it apart and reassembled it.




                Guides are next, but that will have to be tomorrow night.
                DynoDave
                POCI # 72200



                1988 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

                Comment


                • #53
                  Tough to find even a few minutes in the garage the last week.


                  I did get the motor bolted up.





                  As described in the instructions, the guides are a little snug. Will play with some different combos, and resort to saanding-to-fit if required, per the instructions.
                  DynoDave
                  POCI # 72200



                  1988 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

                  Comment


                  • #54
                    OK, the original guides were too tight, and I just wasn't sure about sanding that much material off. So Lon graciously sent me another set.

                    They were tight too, but I now had 4 of the thinner "I" guides.



                    Time to break out the belt sander.



                    The coarse belt left the guides pretty rough. A little finish smoothing with a file did the trick.



                    It took several passes to get them right. My tracks seem to be particularly narrow. Also took a hair off the top of one of the guides. By the time I was done, one of the grooves had broken through the face, and the others were tissue thin. A quick call to Lon confirmed that this was A-OK, so I cut the others out too. Didn't want them breaking loose later and gumming up the works.



                    A test fit was good, so I greased everything up, and she's back together, slicker than snot on a door knob.



                    Dropped the pin and nut in, and we're good to go.



                    Installed and working well. Time for a bath, and a shake down cruise on Woodward.



                    Thanks again to Lon for the parts,and the great support.
                    DynoDave
                    POCI # 72200



                    1988 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      Nice work! Amazing how such a small piece can be so complicated!
                      Gone but not forgotten: 1986 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z

                      "You shall ride eternal. Shiny and chrome."

                      Comment


                      • #56
                        Yes it is. Just really glad Lon is making these parts, or all of with one of those would be SOL.
                        DynoDave
                        POCI # 72200



                        1988 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          Took the T/A out to Woodward tonight with my son, as he heads back to his university on Wednesday.

                          Hopped in the car, dome light very dim, pump primed, but would not turn the engine over. First time that has happened.

                          With a little boost from a jumper pack, she's up and running. I double checked that I could hear the second "click" when the hatch motor reached the end of it's travel. I could. So that means it's off, and not draining the battery (I think). I wanted to check it first, as it was the most recent thing worked on. Sub, off. Cooling fan for amp, off. Power antennae, off as far as I can tell (can't hear it running). The AC Delco battery is the one that was in the car when I bought it 4.5 years ago, and is probably a few years older than that. So it may be on it's last legs.

                          The car restarted without hesitation during several stops on Woodward. I have the battery back on it's trickle charger now. I'll have to pull it and have it tested soon.

                          Car ran well. Just before arriving home, she got a bottle of injector cleaner, and a tank of 90 octane pure gas.
                          Last edited by DynoDave; August 12th, 2018, 10:24 PM.
                          DynoDave
                          POCI # 72200



                          1988 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            Odd...keep an eye on it, see if it does it again...
                            Gone but not forgotten: 1986 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z

                            "You shall ride eternal. Shiny and chrome."

                            Comment


                            • #59
                              Nothing worse than driving something and crossing your fingers every time you start it. I?m betting on battery
                              When in doubt, Whip it out !

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                              • #60
                                Yes, it's not an awesome feeling.

                                And lets be honest...very embarrassing to go out on Woodward, or to the Frankenmuth Autofest, and have the car not start. Maybe I'll get lucky (famous last words) and it will make it through this season.
                                DynoDave
                                POCI # 72200



                                1988 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

                                Comment

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