Hey guys,
I have power windows in my '74 camaro LT..
I've always had issues with the passenger side window working only sometimes.. It would usually go down, but had a lot of trouble getting it back up. Usually opening the door then slamming it would do the trick, then the window would go back up.

NOW, the windows all the way and won't go back up.. I've tried every trick I could think off.

So today i took off the paneling on the door to see if I could manually pull the window up until I have time for a fix. (it's raining in southern california, and my camaro is my daily driver)

I couldn't figure out how to do it manually, so I figured I'd test the voltage the wires are putting out to the window motor (to see if the motor itself is bad)
I used a digital multimeter, but i'm not exactly sure how to use it.. the only example i can give you, is when i tested a 9 volt battery, it gave me a 9.44.. so i'm guessing i'm using it right?
I tested the connection that goes to the window motor, when pushing down on the window switch, the multimeter reads .05/.04... when pushing the window switch for the window to go up, it reads -.01/.00

I'm guessing I have a wiring problem?
When my drivers side window goes up or down, my interior lights dim a little and my tachometer needle dances around. when i try the switch to make the passenger's side window go up or down, no dim, no tach needle dance..

Help would be appreciated..

 

May want to open up the wiring harness going from body to door and look for broken wires. The wires flex every time the door is opened or closed and have a right to break after 35+ years.

 

im useless when it comes to wiring and all that.. what do you think something like this will cost for a shop to look at?

 

can i manually push the window up?

 

okay guys so i had a friend look at the wiring as well, does anyone know the correct voltage that should be going to the window motor?
i need to find this out, if i cant just by research, then ill have to tear apart my divers side door too...
hopefully its just the starter motor, but any other ideas?

 

12 volts. And no, you can't just pull the window up. It's connected to a regulator gear and that's meshed with the gear on the motor.
I've had this happen to me a couple of times before, and it was a broken wire as Pete suggested to you. What you can try is grab the rubber conduit (with the wires inside) that's connecting the door and hinge pillar, and gently pull it back and forth while working the window switch at the same time. I've hit it lucky to get the broken wire to make contact long enough to get the window back up.

 

k guys so the voltage is correct, still wouldnt go up...
we had no idea where the ground is, so we rigged out so we had our own ground..
the window wanted to go up, but the motor is frozen..
how can i make it so the motor functions?
and where/how is the motor grounded? inside the door?

 

The motor may be seized up as well as a wiring issue. You should be able to remove the motor and pull the window up with your hand but you will need to block it up until you can replace the motor or it could fall down and break. Not sure about your model but if it is like the 4th gen's the motor gets the ground from the wiring harness that goes to the switches.

 

Cost for a shop to look at it depends on where you're from. Over here, it could be $45-65/hr...

 

alright guys so it took forever, but i took my car to an auto electrician thinking it was a wiring problem.. he installed the new motor i gave him and that fixed the problem alone.. guess you learn from your mistakes huh? paying someone 160 labor to do the job you could have done in 10 minutes.. oh well
now my question is, i bought a window switch on ebay, and it came today... its the 5 prong (correct) BUT one of them is extended, for later model cars...

you think I could cut the longer prong to the length of the other ones and it'd work just fine?