13 replies to this topic

[czny]

Asking for a show of hands of those in PNW/northern states/Canada whose '80s Subie has power windows & locks to see how durable they are in winter.

Would this be a viable upgrade or stick with manual windows & locks?
Only asking because sometimes things do get wet & freeze.

Thanks!

Edited by czny, 11 July 2012 - 03:09 PM.

[natext6]

I have an 89 xt6 with power locks and windows. And I live in Calgary. I haven't had any issues that wouldn't exist around any power windows or locks. If you wash your car and don't dry it, the locks freeze up (especially annoying with the xt6 with its friggin doorhandles) the windows are a bit slower when they're cold. Other than that, I haven't had any issues with winter conditions.

[czny]

Thanks!
Right now there's an 86 with power windows & locks. Cheaper to buy the whole doors at the PAP & get the added benefits of sheet metal & glass to boot.:cool:

[Dj7291993]

I'm in Colorado, and aside from ice covering the keyhole, or icing a window to it's frame (the motor is powerful enough to break thin ice, this was around 1/8" thick, was choking the engine since it had iced over the fender), cold weather doesn't do much to it. Just check your switches. My passenger window switch has failed multiple times, and still doesn't work quite right (87 GL Coupe). My dad's front windows both work fine, but his rear windows have issues going back up (88 GL Sedan). His power locks work great, never had an issue, mine... don't exist, sadly. I've considered trying to install them, though.

[czny]

Great news again.

Now, the only question remaining to be answered is: are the connectors for the control unit(under the passenger seat) & the relay + circuit brkr(under the drivers seat) normally incorporated into an '87 gl 4wd wiring loom?

I've checked the 87 FSM & don't see any dotted lines for power windows & locks to suggest an optional loom, so the connectors may be there. Felt around under the seats but couldn't feel them through the carpet.

Anyone know for certain?

Edit: Pulled out passenger seat & looked thru vent hole in carpet. No connector there. Pulled up strip next to door. Unused 6 pin connector closest to rear seat anchor.
It's 105*F & 90% humiditity right now. Tomorrow.

Edited by czny, 11 July 2012 - 06:14 PM.

[Subruise]

the worst thing ive had to do is chizel ice off frrom the ice storm. i then cupped a hand over the lock and exhaled a few times to loosen it up. im nearf Tacoma WA tho so it doesnt get [I]too[I] cold over here

[czny]

Found out that each door & the sw tailgate have a special loom for power locks & windows. The power window option has its own loom running from rt side of dash back to passenger side front & rear doors & to control/relay/circuit brkr under front passenger seat, then across to drivers side front & rear doors.

Will post some pics as I do the upgrade.

[czny]

Finally posting some pics of the pwr window upgrades. Had to pick front doors from a 85 gl wagon & 86 gl wagon rear doors @ the PAP. Some nimrod had horked the front doors on the 86 already.
Here's the pwr window wiring loom:

Power window control/relay/circuit breaker detail:

Power window wire loom P/N:

And while I was at it added A/C ducts to the door pillars:

Detail of the tailgate wire loom connector. Will change that loom out later - it is fished down the rt rear window pillar, across to rear light & up(or down) rt side of tailgate:

Passenger side front door looms both manual(top) & power:

[Gloyale]

Power window control/relay/circuit breaker detail:

about 2 ft. up the loom from this point, there is a junction of 5 big red wires. this is the power supply to the 4 doors and relay box. make sure this crimp joint isn't corroded. Salty water just soaks through the carpet in winter and corrodes the brass collar and copper wire crimp joint

[czny]

about 2 ft. up the loom from this point, there is a junction of 5 big red wires. this is the power supply to the 4 doors and relay box. make sure this crimp joint isn't corroded. Salty water just soaks through the carpet in winter and corrodes the brass collar and copper wire crimp joint

Good to know-everything is already buttoned up(I'll post more pics again soon). Thanks!
The donor cars were from here in So. Cal. but sometime in their pasts they just might have gone swimming in the Pacific Ocean.

Edited by czny, 02 August 2012 - 12:01 PM.

[czny]

While this far in, I added the a/c ducts running from the tunnel back, across & up the door pillars. Fishing the door looms was easy for the rear doors, an arm stretch to get to loom anchor points for the power mirrors.

Flexible claw makes an ideal tool for fishing the mirror connectors. Just wrap the connector with a little vinyl tape leaving a little to grab:

Cleaned & burnished the window switch contacts with a little piece of Scotchbrite, added some dielectric silicone to hold the small parts together for protection & assembly:



Had the door card pads recovered then painted them with SEM color coat #15023, Cordova brown. Covered the window reg crank holes with 2" furniture coasters(single flathead 10-32 screw epoxied to back & 1/8 x 1 x 3" aluminum flat stock on inside of panel):

Kenwood 5 1/4" speakers(KFC-1394PS) just fit front speaker mounts - barely.
Replaced the broken down front seats with a pair from a 90 Lego:

May paint them later with SEM light buckskin #15093. Or not.
Definitely will paint all the dash parts while doing the ea2ej upgrade later while the dash is apart.
BTW, added the door lock actuators to all doors including the tailgate. The drivers door gets a switch, not an actuator. The power wiring for these was already in the rear loom for my 87 gl wagon.

Edited by czny, 03 August 2012 - 09:22 PM.

[coxy]

Power window gear is pretty scarce her in Oz so I made my own kit up used Mitsubishi Lancer switchgear and Legacy(Liberty) power window assemblies matched with original window mechanicals some fab involved and had to manufacture a new sheet metal section to mount the motors in the doors Tig welded in,Works a treat.
Made the harness as a copy of an earky 70's Chev schematic as back then they had no computer controlled systems and kept it simple but workable just using switches and relays.

Used the later motors because of availability and the fact they had done far less work unless you luck out and find a low mileage Subaru donor so anything is possible.

[Turbone]

I found you'alls solution for power windows.......

[Subaru_dude]

I found you'alls solution for power windows.......

It's easy to tell you're not from the south. It's ya'lls, NOT you'alls