Shift motor cleaning question

[Nate1]

What kind of technical expertise is needed to clean the shift motor?
I was reading through the instructions on the page, and some of those guys talk about unbolting the harmonic balancer and stuff! I doubt if I could do that!
Is it not just unbolting the shift motor, popping off a wiring harness, taking it to the workbench, opening it, cleaning with rubbing alcohol or something, then rebolting it?
I need to do it because my shift motor keeps performing incomplete shifts.... but I'm worried I will mess something up... so, what are the main things I will need (some kind of oil? rubbing alcohol?), and how long with this take me?
(Also, do I need to sharpie the orientation of anything? It seems like as long as I dont turn the shift spindle while the motor is off and line it back up right, it will be fine.
Thanks

 

[Nate1]

Am I missing something? NOBODY is viewing this thread much less replying. I have read all of those entries in the repair guide.... searched the site.... nothing really clears up the whole process for me though....

 

[checkedout]

It's really not hard at all. The harmonic balancer is just a weight bolted on to the transfercase to reduce vibration.
I did mine in about 45 minutes. I jacked up the left side of the truck took off the 4 nuts holding the harmonic balancer on and set it aside. Next I unbolted the bracket holding the back of the shift motor. Then the three torx heads holding the motor to the transfercase. Mark the motor where the shaft from the transfercase goes in so that when you put it back together it'll line right up. Have you ever taken an electric motor apart before? There are little spring loaded 'brushes' that you have to be careful of. Now while the wiring harness is still connected I pulled the motor cover to reveal the windings and brushes. Keep track of those springs! I pulled the windings out and using a little piece of emery cloth I cleaned that copper area where the brushes ride then sprayed it down with contact cleaner. Next I cleaned the brushes using an emery board and sprayed them as well. Put the springs and brushes in, holding them in place with the thumb and forfinger of one hand and slide the windings in with the other. Check your alignment mark and turn the windings until it lines up. Put the motor cover back on (hold the windings in with a finger so the strong magnets in the cover don't pull it out again). Bolt eveything back up! I used a little gasket seal before bolting it back on the the transfercase.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Hey, I just worked on my shift motor last night. But my '93 is probably a little different. Removal of the "harmonic balancer" and the motor was really easy. I'm 15, so believe me, it was easy. I did an entire swap though, so I don't know what it's like inside. $315 new from my Ford dealer. (the not easy part)

 

[Nate1]

Allright, I got under there and it instantly looked very different from the 'repair guide'. I understand the process, but I don't understand how much I need to take off.

Do I take off just the black motor? The blue/gray part?
can somebody draw in with photoshop or paint where I mark the line?
I think I will be good to go with that much info.
Thanks!
-----Nate

 

[F14CRAZY]

Yes, you remove the blue/gray part. There should be I think 3 bolts which hold that in, plus the one on the left end of the motor. Let me know if you need a better explaination or a photo.

 

[checkedout]

There's a shaft running from the black motor up into the blue gray part, so take it off as one unit. When you take it off, you'll see where to mark it under the blue gray part.

 

[Nate1]

Ok! Update. Took my motor off, unclipped the wiring harness, then realized.... WTF!? My wiring harness connects other various wires that go into the TC and also into the motor. IM STUCK AGAIN! Shocking... I need help pronto. What do I do about this? I don't want to proceed untill I know just what to do, since this SOB is pretty expennsive.
Thanks, I know this is pretty pathetic.
-----Nate

 

[F14CRAZY]

nweibley, READ MY SIGNATURE! lol. I did have to snip the wires (3 I think) that go up to another part of the transfer case. (way up there) I used a crimp type coupler to put them back together. I ran out of coupler, so I just stripped and taped the other 2. Works fine. Lemme know if you have anything else, because it's fresh in my mind.

 

[Nate1]

I think I am just going to work on it under my truck! I am pretty small.... and I really don't want to cut wires where they can get wet.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Understood. I don't blame you for not wanting to snip them. I made sure to tape them really good and will monitor them. Lemme (or us) know how it comes out.

 

[Nate1]

Really wanna know? I would be allright if the f**king screws that hold the motor assembly to the housing that holds the actual gear would come out. I've been wd40ing them for hours and they wont come loose. They are getting pretty stripped... but I am worried to notch them with the dremel because I dont want sparks 1' from my gas tank. I'm quite peeved.

 

[Crankcase]

Notch them slow Nate. That way it won't spark.....or just put oil on them to stop the sparks...

 

[Nate1]

There is about two cans of wd-40 on them :fire:

 

[Nate1]

Okay I am all done. A good whack in and out of low... seems like everything is working better than before.

 

[checkedout]

great! Hope we helped ya, Did you have any trouble with the brushes?

 

[Nate1]

Nah, the actual internals were easy. I had to finally cut two wires because I needed to take the motor to my workbench, but from there it was easy. I just hope all my efforts last.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Was it worth not having to spend $315? (half serious, half sarcastic)

 

[tenikiwon]

when you get the motor apart do you notice anything that looks dirty? Or you do you clean it for good sake and all-of-a-sudden it's working again? mine "looks" fine?


Puzzeled

I should note

• 6 clicks shortly after starting it.
• I can't put it in low
• don't have any blicking lights
• Have been driving in 2WD (thanks to the 2WD mod switch on "the brown" wire)

 

[checkedout]

On the two motors that I cleaned you could see the black ring where the brushes ride.