This may end up being obvious, but I've banged my head on the dash long enough, I think maybe it would be a decent idea to let others bang with me.

Car: 1978 Delta 88 2Dr.

Mod that sparked issue: I changed the arm rests on the door to the mid-80's longer style with the window and lock switches in the arm rest vs. the door. I like the conversion. Here's what I did to "convert." The 83 Delta 88 that was the donor car gave me -
1. the wiring harness to the switch
2. the switch
3. the arm rests

The Install:

The colors of the wires did match, with the exception of a ground from the switch, it ran to the door skin itself. So I attached it to said door. Spliced the rest of the wires in but not before testing the switch for continuity when activated. All the colors matched the continuity of the switch. Grabbed new switch since everything else was being cleaned or "restored."

The Problem:

With the ground attached to the door, the wire and switch got extremely hot extremely fast, and would not work the windows. Removed the ground wire from the door and the windows started working. But they work EXTREMELY slow when run individually. When you hit the switch for both to work, the windows go up and down quicker than they used to. The other part that I noticed was that the window wiring and switch get hot very quickly. I don't recall them getting warm at all with the original switch. I swapped 6 prong switches (the old one is a 5 wire, new one a 6 wire) and the same thing happens. So I rule out the switch. The other oddity I notice is that sometimes, the driver side will go down all the way and come back up about an inch if I run both windows.

I am baffled. I haven't had anything else installed in the car that would indicate an electrical issue.

I also have looked into my local parts store catalog. It appears that somewhere in 79 the Delta got a different part number as well as connectors for the power windows. I have read that in some cases, people have had to swap window motors and regulators to make the newer switches work...

Any one have an inkling of an idea?

 

Crickets?

Do I have the answer and I am just not seeing?

 

Don't have an answer but ...

I always told myself I'd do the 80+ style PW/L armrest in a 77-79 D88 if I had another one so .....

Subscribing.

 

You can determine the function of the window motors with a cordless drill battery and a couple lead wires. If they each work fine in their own respect, I'd blame the wiring, ground, or the switch contact.

 

Never thought of that... I will give it a try.

I'm pretty set that pulling the motors, cleaning, and refurbing is in my future, then walking the wires to see if I don't have a goofy one is in my future.

Theoretically, I'm thinking, a switch is a switch. If the contacts of the switch close (or open) in the same order as a similar switch, then....