[Bricklin] Door Not Opening

[John T. Blair]

At 09:49 AM 7/5/2009, you wrote:


 >>The more info you can give makes trying to diagnose it easier.  Your
 >>question is extreamly general, like my car doesn't run, why?
 >>
 >>My 1st guess is you have an electrical problem. :)
 >>
 >>Will it open from the inside switch?  Will it open from the outside
 >>switch?  Do you hear any clicks from the air dist. panel?  Do you hear
 >>a click from the electric door latch in the door?  Have you pulled the pin
 >>at the top of the lift ram, and pulled the manual release (door handle)?
 >>If you open the door, is the wire appear broken between the door and
 >>the roof?

 >I tried to open the driver door from the inside switch and it worked!  So my
 >problem is centered at the outside driver switch.  Sometimes it works, other
 >times it doesn't.  The switch is riveted on.  Is there an access 
from inside?

Dave,

Chances are that the contacts on the switch are dirty, or the switch is dying.
You can remove the quarter inner panel, and get access to the back of the
switch.

Check to make sure that the wires haven't come off of the pins on the switch.
You can try to clean the switch by squirting some tuner cleaner into the switch
and the working the switch.  I don't remember if that switch has 2 sets of
contacts on it or not.  If it does, you can try moving the wires to 
the 2nd set of
contacts. See if that helps.  If not you'll have to replace the switch.

 >Also, the wire going into the door in the roof is on its way out.

This IS a problem!  It will probably break at the most inopertune 
time.  So you
should think about trying to fix it now.

There are 2 fixes for this:

1. Is more of a short term fix.  That is to cut the wire where it is 
breaking, and
     install a butt crimp connector.  We did this on Jim Kelliher's 
car when the wire
     broke in my driveway.  We tried to clean the wire and solder it, 
but it just
     wouldn't take solder.

2. You can try to replace the wire.  You can not get the wire out of 
the door with
     the door skins on.  So push the wire back into the door.  Then 
try and push
     a new wire down through the top of the door to the bottom.

     You'll have to remove the headliner and the bottom panel on the door.

     You'll want to get the thinnest (most number of strands) 
stranded wire, the
     same gauge as is there.  Check with local electronic or wire 
supply houses
     in your area.

     The stranded wire may be too flexable to push down through the door.  So
     try something like the bare copper wire in a 12x2 /w ground romex.  Push
     the romex down through the door.  When you can reach it in the bottom of
     the door, tape the stranded wire to it and gently pull it back 
through the door.

Hope this helps.

John

John T. Blair  WA4OHZ     email:  jblair1948 at cox.net
Va. Beach, Va
Phone:  (757) 495-8229

           48 TR1800    48 #4 Midget    65 Morgan 4/4 Series V (B1106)
      75 Bricklin SV1 (#0887)    77 Spitfire    71 Saab Sonett III
                        65 Rambler Classic

Morgan:    www.team.net/www/morgan
Bricklin:  www.bricklin.org

If you can read this             - Thank a teacher!
If you are reading it in English - Thank a Vet!!