Service offered - FJ62 driver's window relay assembly (green box) refurb (1 Viewer)

[red66toy]

Nice work @Spook50 ! I’ll definitely be needing this soon.

 

[4Cruisers]

Nice work @Spook50 ! I’ll definitely be needing this soon.

You won't be disappointed!

 

[Spook50]

Nice work @Spook50 ! I’ll definitely be needing this soon.

Drop me a PM whenever you're ready!

 

[red66toy]

Drop me a PM whenever you're ready!

I have a spare ready for rehab. Can those metal mount brackets be gently manipulated off the plastic housing? Mine needs some surface rust attention.

 

[Spook50]

I have a spare ready for rehab. Can those metal mount brackets be gently manipulated off the plastic housing? Mine needs some surface rust attention.

They can be if you're extremely careful. Takes some finagling but certainly not impossible.

 

[red66toy]

They can be if you're extremely careful. Takes some finagling but certainly not impossible.

hmm, maybe I'll try an different method of cleaning the metal. Not worth breaking the case.

 

[Spook50]

hmm, maybe I'll try an different method of cleaning the metal. Not worth breaking the case.

If it's light surface rust I would just mask off what you can of the plastic and spray the metal with a rust converter. These are fortunately fairly protected from the elements so it takes a long time for rust to progress. Even minor prevention will go a long way here.

 

[Spook50]

While still doing repairs on what'll be my work room, I set up a somewhat permanent work station in my now well lit utility room, so I'm much better set up work center wise to work on these and other projects while I make progress on my work room. This and other projects are now getting back on track amidst all my home repairs and massive amounts of OT at work.

You need a refurbished driver's window relay box!

 

[WoodnotRust]

Hi Spook,

Like lots of others here I've got some issues with my power windows, door locks and rear windshield washer (the fronts could be faster too). I recently replaced all the window felt as part of a paint job and now my car is home and I'm tackling the annoying "little" things that don't work at all...or don't work properly. So, can I get your guidance for fixing the following problems:
1. Slow windows: Is this most likely a relay problem, or is it the bad ground in the main window control switch? For repair...what is your turn-around time?
2. Windshield wiper relays: Do you also repair these two relays and is the front different than the rear?
3. Door locks seem like they want to work, but the fronts just don't quite have the umpf to move up and down. Suggestion?

Thanks

 

[Spook50]

Hi Spook,

Like lots of others here I've got some issues with my power windows, door locks and rear windshield washer (the fronts could be faster too). I recently replaced all the window felt as part of a paint job and now my car is home and I'm tackling the annoying "little" things that don't work at all...or don't work properly. So, can I get your guidance for fixing the following problems:
1. Slow windows: Is this most likely a relay problem, or is it the bad ground in the main window control switch? For repair...what is your turn-around time?
2. Windshield wiper relays: Do you also repair these two relays and is the front different than the rear?
3. Door locks seem like they want to work, but the fronts just don't quite have the umpf to move up and down. Suggestion?

Thanks

The new felts are a great first step, and usually the most beneficial to fixing slow windows. I'll tackle each of your issues one by one here.

1) This COULD be related to corroded contacts in the relays themselves if it were just your driver's window (as that's the only window controlled by the box), though I will say it is unlikely. A big cause for this once the runs have been taken care of is bad grounds and/or the master switch, especially if it's all windows being slow. With your power locks seeming underpowered too, a very likely culprit could be the master switch itself. Before spending money on that, I would ensure your body ground points are clean and have good contact. I recently cleaned mine (which honestly were not bad at all corrosion-wise, though a serious pain to get to the driver's side one) and put a small amount of conductive grease on them for longevity. I believe the only body grounds are in the A pillars, though I'm not 100%. Hopefully someone else can verify or correct me there.
As far as turnaround time for a relay box repair, it depends on what needs to be done. I had one that took me several weeks due to extensive PCB repair needed, and my "test bed" is a real world test connecting it to my truck and running my driver's window so I had to actually be home to do it when it wasn't actively raining. But if it's a straightforward component replacement and cleanup, I can do the job in an evening, test the next day (weather permitting since I still can't park inside yet), and get it back on its way, so in my possession for only a few days typically.

2) I haven't played with wiper relays yet at this point. I would expect (having never torn into one) that they're a very similar build style to the window relay box with 80's tech, and could be easily rebuilt if one should fail. Again, that's just my presumption without having opened one up.
Now, if you're talking about wiper speed, my front wipers have always been slow as well, though since installing new OEM linkage and refurbing my motor (and allowing it to break in again) they've been much better. I think (also the case with windows and locks) undersized wire from the factory is a huge culprit with issues like these. I did some playing around with my wiper motor earlier this summer and I think I can figure out a relay system that will help it. There are other projects in line that I want to finish first though, so it's a ways out. Won't be a product to sell either, but if it works there will be a writeup.

3) The locks again fall to either the switch, grounding, or (likely and) the factory undersized wiring itself. However, the solenoids can be showing their age too. I refurbished my driver's solenoid a while back and it seemed to help it quite a bit. Problem is once you break the seals on it, there are no viable replacements and moisture WILL get in and freeze in the winter. Another project that I'm collecting parts for is a very in depth relay addition that'll add 4 relays to each door (window up, window down, lock, unlock) with full power directly from the battery through a 30A auto reset breaker for each door.

 

[WoodnotRust]

Hmmm...you mentioned the ground on the A-pillar and door? I just got my truck by from Kelly Saad's shop and he cut-out and replaced a portion of each A-pillar. He also painted the doors and slapped it all back together under some pretty serious time constrains imposed by me. A bad ground somewhere is entirely possible.

I'm going to start with the ground wire. Not so long ago my master switch fell apart and I purchased the Switch Doctor after-market version. I didn't really notice a difference in window speed before or after, although I did have to re-pin one of the connectors to get everything to work correctly...so I don't think it is the switch?

I'm not particularly good at auto electrical stuff, but I think it's about time I rolled up my sleeves so I can learn something. I bought a small power source and I think I'll start by putting 12V to each of the solenoids and see if the motors work? Then work back from those points? If the grounds are good and the motors work, then I'll be sending you a one or more relays.

Thanks @Spook50 for the helpful suggestions!

 

[Spook50]

Hmmm...you mentioned the ground on the A-pillar and door? I just got my truck by from Kelly Saad's shop and he cut-out and replaced a portion of each A-pillar. He also painted the doors and slapped it all back together under some pretty serious time constrains imposed by me. A bad ground somewhere is entirely possible.

I'm going to start with the ground wire. Not so long ago my master switch fell apart and I purchased the Switch Doctor after-market version. I didn't really notice a difference in window speed before or after, although I did have to re-pin one of the connectors to get everything to work correctly...so I don't think it is the switch?

I'm not particularly good at auto electrical stuff, but I think it's about time I rolled up my sleeves so I can learn something. I bought a small power source and I think I'll start by putting 12V to each of the solenoids and see if the motors work? Then work back from those points? If the grounds are good and the motors work, then I'll be sending you a one or more relays.

Thanks @Spook50 for the helpful suggestions!

There is no main ground for any of the doors, but on both A pillars about 20" up from the floor are the main body ground points. If those are corroded or have too much paint in them they could have poor contact which could cause a myriad of electrical issues. If you have a new master switch (I do as well. Also a Switch Doctor that I had to move a pin on) that wouldn't be a problem. The Switch Doctor assemblies are surprisingly good quality.

Directly connecting to a 12V source was how I determined that my issue is just too little current getting to the motors and solenoids. Between the wire just being too small and now being over 30 years old, there's a lot of resistance in those long stretches of 16 gauge wire. I think the in-door relay mod I plan to do will be the best method of overcoming that in the long run. Plus if you wanna get real spendy you could spend $50 per relay (for 16 total relays) to have solid state relays with contacts that'll never wear out!

 

[Spook50]

Yesterday I finished doing @CaptHamster's relay box, and for his benefit and anyone else interested, wanted to show what's about the average that I see with the boxes I get. It's pretty standard that the enclosures are grimy and dusty, so those get cleaned up and, if needed, are repaired. The board assemblies more often than not are in pretty good shape unless excessive moisture has gotten in.

This is right after removing capacitors.

I've found it's a better bet to just completely depopulate the board when I do these, since then every component can be tested and if any traces on the PCB are questionable, I can test and repair those as needed. Everything getting reused is tested just in case a failure may have happened in the unit's lifetime. If all I ever do is slap in new relays, I'd have a helluva time troubleshooting when I go to test the unit if it still doesn't work. I've actually made a chart labeling each component with its value and location for the sake of easy reassembly.

What you see here is pretty common. A spot somewhere on the board where the coating has deteriorated and allowed corrosion to begin forming (the small spot indicated by the red arrow is where the copper is starting to corrode due to deterioration of the coating). In these cases I double check the trace for continuity and repair as needed. Some are more extreme than others and need solder added or a jumper put in place, but most can be simply cleaned and once the unit is reassembled and tested good, the board is coated with polyurethane conformal coating to prevent further corrosion.

Something else I've begun doing since seeing a couple units with discoloration on the board due to heat from certain resistors is raising the resistors up just slightly off the board to allow for slightly improved heat dissipation.

How they're placed during manufacturing:

How they sit after I've repopulated the board. I also do this with the diodes, but that's just for the sake of consistency as they don't heat up at all.

 

[Spook50]

And just for giggles, my temporary workstation while I finish repairing the ceiling and putting new lighting in my work room. It gets the job done for now I guess

In the top left corner is a new PCB that'll be used for my NES with all new components to fully restore it electronically and add HDMI output. That'll be a fun project....

 

[CaptHamster]

Thanks @Spook50! Excited to have a working driver's window again. Window stuck down + living in LA = very bad idea.

 

[Spook50]

Well this is new to me! While working on another Mudder's relay box I happened across this. Terminal 1 on one of the relays was not only damaged in manufacturing, but received a poor solder joint.

Once I desoldered the relay I could see the extent of the damage. The lead had completely broken and was barely making contact with the remains inside the relay. This is the common lead that switches between the two other current carrying leads in the relay (it's a SPDT application) dependent on whether the coil is powered or not.

When I finally finished depopulating the board and cleaning it up, I could see how minor arcing over time had begun to burn the factory coating. Luckily the solder pad and copper trace haven't been damaged and this will be easily corrected when the board is repopulated.

 

[DougRFJ62]

Excellent work @Spook50 !!! Refurbished DS window relay works like a charm. Saved me $$$ and is in better condition than factory. Fantastic turnaround time !

 

[WoodnotRust]

Another happy customer in New Mexico. I had previously greased-up my window mechanisms and replaced felts and window channels, but my windows still moved up-down slowly. And I mean SLOW as in barely moving. Because my relay seemed to "work", it seemed likely that maybe a poor ground or corroded wiring might be the problem. In the end I sent my relay to @Spook50 for repair just to eliminate this as an issue now and maybe as preventative repair for the future. I'm told it didn't look bad when it was opened up, so it was a real surprise that the newly refurbished relay made a huge difference. All of my windows move up and down at a reasonable clip. I could not be happier.

Thank you very much!

 

[Spook50]

I thought this was interesting. Looks like there are four different revisions to the PCB in the 12V relay box. A couple previous boxes I refurbished had "1/4" and "2/4" printed on them but had the same internal part number. This makes me curious as to what the actual differences might be, as all the traces and pads look identical (save for a couple very minute dimensional differences; so little that I can't see them making any real difference), and all the components used are also the same. My best guess is that perhaps the copper weight (the thickness of the copper traces) is different, or a different alloy of solder may be used. I wish I had checked my pictures I had taken of the 1/4 and 2/4 together before I finished them and shipped them back, but as you can see they're pretty much identical in appearance.

Below is a 4/4 board that was one of my first jobs. Again, hardly any difference among the three boards.

I have yet to receive one that's labeled "3/4" so if/when I eventually do I'm going to look over it closely to see what I might be able to discover.

Meantime, back to my work room so I can finish repairing my new (to me) desk....

 

[Spook50]

No new discoveries or updates lately, but to add a little incentive to anyone in my local area (the Inland PNW), any refurb I do that doesn't involve shipping will cost $80 as opposed to the (shipping included) $100.

Also I'm changing jobs and am completely open this week, so any relay box I receive will have a near-immediate turnover (barring time for any plastic repair and the overnight cure of the final conformal coating on the PCB).