I replaced the 2000 driver's side window motor/regulator today, and for the most part it was easy (except that the window was stuck to the old brackets). Unfortunately, now I cannot close the door when the window is up. The window is lined up in the left/right direction, and it goes up to the proper height. But the window goes toward the car's center too much when it raises (it should go up straighter). When I did the swap, I even made sure that the adjustment screw at the bottom was in the same position as the old one. I hung the door panel at the top to see if it would push the window out, but not enough. Even though I can't close the door with the panel hanging but not snapped in place, I can tell because there is a gap between the outer trim piece and the window.

So I don't really know what to do now. I think that I will have to loosen the clamps, and then pull the bottom in on both sides (hopefully pushing the top out). I'll use the adjustment screw for the rear, and the slotted hole for the front (above the rubber seal). If that doesn't work, I may have to install washers at the top to push the window out. Arrggh! I'm so frustrated. Not to mention that when I was finishing up for dinner, the car wouldn't start and had to be jumped. I guess that the engine should remain on when running the window a lot!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

interesting. If both the lower adjustments haven't solved your problem, spacers may be your only other option. Check to see that your mounts are all secure and there isn't anything in the way.

 

no, spacers are not needed. don't worry about how the glass is with the panel on. make sure that everything lines up while everything is loose. once you have ONE adjustment lined up where you think it should be, snug it down and then work on another adjustment, and another and so on. when you change out a regulator sometimes it just takes a while to get it dialed. just putting the adjustments where the old regulator had it won't make it happen. just take your time. i've replaced regulators that take 5 minutes to dial in and i've done regulators, primarily in f-bodies that can take the better part of an hour to dial in.

 

Thanks for the responses. I'll loosen everything up, make adjustments at the bottom, and try to align it again.

 

what motor did you buy?

 

Did you mark the position of the glass before you removed it?
I took masking tape and put a piece along the top of the outside weatherstrip on the door with a matching strip on the glass, at the front and rear of the glass. I made a mark to locate the forward/backward position, and the tape located the glass vertically.
I put the glass back in exactly the same position as it came out.
I had a little gap along the outside weatherstrip with the door open, but it seals and fits fine with the door closed. I thought about shimming the top of the glass toward the door, but decided to leave it.
I was afraid that if I shimmed it to the outside, the glass would not seat correctly on the body weatherstrip. There is some flexibility in the glass mounts on the rail to allow it to flex and provide pressure against the weatherstrip. The inside door panel does push the glass out. I think the glass should ride on the top edge of the door panel felt as it rolls up and down. There is also the possibility that if you adjust the lower rail mounts in, the top of the glass will move out, but because of where the pivot points are, it still may not close the gap between the glass and the door, and it may make the top of the glass fit too loose against the weatherstrip.
If you are starting from scratch...
With the door panel off, sit in the car and get someone to help locate the glass in the door opening. You can adjust the glass forward, backward, and up and down in the brackets. Once the glass is centered, tighten the clamps from inside the car.

 

Thanks for the advice, Techhawk. I marked all of the old mounting points where the glass meets the clamps and where the front/lower bracket sits in the slotted hole. Unfortunately, I didn't mark the window position with the weatherstrip (but the rubber curvature shows where it was sitting). I have been concerned that adjusting the bottom mounting positions in may not pull out the top enough, as you mentioned. But I can't think of any other way to do it (without top bracket spacers).

Based on your response, I'll allow a little gap between the window and lower exterior trim that will hopefully disappear when the door panel is installed. I assume that minimizing the gap is for water prevention and possibly noise intrusion. Hopefully I'll get this all resolved next weekend!

 

I think it is common to have some gap between the glass and the door seal, with the door open. When you close the door, the glass should seat in the body weatherstrip and be pushed toward the door enough to make it fit tight against the door weatherstrip.
Have you not actually closed the door with the glass up to see if the gap will close? I would not start shimming the top of the window regulator until you are sure the glass will not go into position with the door closed.

 

The gap may be reduced when you install the door panel, but it probably will not close completely with the door open. The gap should close completely when you close the door.
I think there is enough flexibilty in the glass mounts to let the body weatherstrip push the glass into position when you close the door without damaging anything. In fact, it may seem to fit a little tight against the body weatherstrip at first, then start to fit better as the glass seats.
At speed, there is a tendency for the glass to be sucked out, away from the weatherstrip, and you may get air leaks if the glass does not fit tight.

If you do decide to shim the guides, I would be interested in knowing if it solves this problem without creating another problem.

 

To answer your previous question, Texhawk0, I have not been able to close the door with the window up (not even close!) So I'll try to adjust the window outward, while leaving it snug against the body weatherstrip.

 

This is a fickle process as I have monkeyed around with my drivers window alot to get rid of a rattle... I finally have success but ran into an adjustment problem like you have. First of all, you can adjust the window without the inner door panel on. Installing it after the window is aligned should not make much diffference. I found that the front adjustment (access from under the door) made the biggest difference. Addditionally, you may have to adjust the window from front to back as well as it may not be lined up properly which could casue the front to hit the molding too hard, thus preventing the door from closing. I found that tightening the front of the window first worked best and then I pulled the window back through the back clamp while I tightened it. This took some slack out of the system which affected the alignment. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the advice, Kettemr. Others may benefit from this method as well!