1992-1999 Series I L27 (1992-1994 SE,SLE, SSE) & Series II L36 (1995-1999 SE, SSE, SLE) and common problems for the Series I and II L67 (all supercharged models 92-99) Including Olds 88's, Olds LSS's and Buick Lesabres Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.

Helping a fellow Pontiac owner (Grand Am) kicked my butt

Old 05-01-2004, 08:21 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Thread Starter
 
G2SSEi95's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
G2SSEi95 is on a distinguished road
Default Helping a fellow Pontiac owner (Grand Am) kicked my butt

Window motors on a 95 Grand Am. I order parts from GMDIRECT.com. I got door panel off and there is no way to access just the motor w/o removing the regulator. By the way I was attemping to change the motors bec they move real slow. There seem to be 4 rivets. I drilled the center of them out but still no budge. I then tried a 1/4" bit to fit the hole and drill some more but no budge. Any ideas. :?
Old 05-01-2004, 10:35 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
A Bonnie Canuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Halifax Nova Scotia ASE Master Service Tech
Posts: 376
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A Bonnie Canuck is on a distinguished road
Default

That is how they come out, but sometimes you need a punch to give them a knock. The only problem that I could forsee might be putting the new rivets back in. If they are 1/4 inch rivets 95 percent of rivet guns are not big enough and you end up having to use a professional riveter (not available at regular tool stores, special order usually found in shops and expensive). Just make sure you have the rivet gun or you might as well bring it into the shop to have them rivet it in for the number of times you will ever have to use a riveter of that size.
Old 05-02-2004, 07:01 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Thread Starter
 
G2SSEi95's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
G2SSEi95 is on a distinguished road
Default

I havent work wit rivets much in past. I don't get it on removal. Once I knock out middle of rivet what does drilling through the hole do to get the rivet out? :?
Old 05-02-2004, 08:04 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
A Bonnie Canuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Halifax Nova Scotia ASE Master Service Tech
Posts: 376
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A Bonnie Canuck is on a distinguished road
Default

The main thing is to have a bit just large enough to drill the head off the rivet and then it can be punched inwards.
Old 05-02-2004, 10:28 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Thread Starter
 
G2SSEi95's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
G2SSEi95 is on a distinguished road
Default

I was trying that but it didn't work in the time period I would expect. Maybe I should just drill longer. Any special bit material? I use Dewalt gold bits.
Old 05-03-2004, 06:41 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
 
A Bonnie Canuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Halifax Nova Scotia ASE Master Service Tech
Posts: 376
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A Bonnie Canuck is on a distinguished road
Default

Those bits should be ok because the rivets are usually aluminum. The bit should be almost the size of the head of the rivet. Take a punch and punch in the centre of the rivet (hard steel). Then drill the head off (don't drill into the door itself though). Then the insert piece should just fall inwards.
Old 05-08-2004, 03:25 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Thread Starter
 
G2SSEi95's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
G2SSEi95 is on a distinguished road
Default

What are the chances of me replacing the factory rivets with nuts and bolts on the reinstall? :?:
Old 05-09-2004, 09:28 AM
  #8  
Junior Member
Posts like a Ricer Type-R
 
Gary's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Newark, DE
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Gary is on a distinguished road
Default

I replaced window motor on my Buick Skylark for same reason.....got a new one from e-bay , hope you didn't pay too much........anyhow, I used nuts and bolts because of those monster rivits. I used locknuts with the nylon insert where i could get a wrench to backside; where I couldn't reach behind I used stamped, springy clip style nut that slips over the edge of sheet metal and holds itself in place . Be sure you get the correct size bolt and you can torque em good and tight in those clips.....watch the length of the bolts for clearance. Got all the nuts and bolts from a regular hardware store. Did that job almost a year ago and is still working fine.
Old 05-09-2004, 10:35 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Thread Starter
 
G2SSEi95's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
G2SSEi95 is on a distinguished road
Default

As far as price the junkyards had none and the dealer wanted abt $172 each. So I told my friend to give me the cash and I ordered from gmpartsdirect.com for $80 each total w *&h $205. I followed you about the nuts and bolts but you lost me at the other type of springy nut thing. Can you touch on that again? :?
Old 05-09-2004, 10:36 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Thread Starter
 
G2SSEi95's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
G2SSEi95 is on a distinguished road
Default

BTW, did you face bolt to the inside of car or toward the other direction?

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: Helping a fellow Pontiac owner (Grand Am) kicked my butt



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:03 PM.