Seat Motor Override?

[Isaiah Estrada]

Good day to you all once again and welcome back to my endless questions . SO... for today's episode, I'd like to address the power seats in my '68 New Yorker. It is a split bench combo, and the driver's seat is the only powered seat. I am 6'2" - and whoever LAST drove my car some 40 years ago must've been a whole foot shorter It is stuck so close to the steering wheel that I can barely shimmy in there when we have to push it around and I have to steer it. I do plan on repairing the motor. I don't know how I'll do it as I haven't found any threads on the matter. (If you can give me any tips on repairing it I'd appreciate it!!!) What I am wondering? Is there a way to move the seat still?

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Unfortunately, there's no way to move the seat until you repair the motor, so you may want to move that task up higher on the to-do list.

That's assuming it's the motor that's the problem. You need to check to make sure you've got juice on the heavy red wire that goes to the seat and check that the seat frame is grounded to the floor. Of course, the switch could be bad or just have dirty contacts from sitting so long. It would be worth while to try giving the motor some light taps with a hammer while holding the switch to see if that would get it going. Otherwise you will have to take the motor out, take it apart, then clean and lube everything. The "motor" is actually three motors in one unit. If you can't fix yours, they do come up for sale fairly often.

Jeff

 

[FURYGT]

Is there power to the seat switch and motor?

Have you tried to move the seat without sitting in it?

4 studs go through the floor so spray some penetrating liquid on the nuts underneath the car, 2 will be recessed in the crossmember as I recall. Unplug the wiring to the seat, remove the seat (it’s heavy) and see if the cables are broken. It is the same power seat frame as a bucket seat car.

It could be a bad connector or dried up grease. If you need to replace it I should have one.

 

[Isaiah Estrada]

Unfortunately, there's no way to move the seat until you repair the motor, so you may want to move that task up higher on the to-do list.

That's assuming it's the motor that's the problem. You need to check to make sure you've got juice on the heavy red wire that goes to the seat and check that the seat frame is grounded to the floor. Of course, the switch could be bad or just have dirty contacts from sitting so long. It would be worth while to try giving the motor some light taps with a hammer while holding the switch to see if that would get it going. Otherwise you will have to take the motor out, take it apart, then clean and lube everything. The "motor" is actually three motors in one unit. If you can't fix yours, they do come up for sale fairly often.

Jeff

Is there power to the seat switch and motor?

Have you tried to move the seat without sitting in it?

4 studs go through the floor so spray some penetrating liquid on the nuts underneath the car, 2 will be recessed in the crossmember as I recall. Unplug the wiring to the seat, remove the seat (it’s heavy) and see if the cables are broken. It is the same power seat frame as a bucket seat car.

It could be a bad connector or dried up grease. If you need to replace it I should have one.

Thanks for the advice!! I do believe there is power to the motor, as every time I move the switch I hear an audible *CLICK* in every direction I move it but nothing moves. Click disappears when we unhook the battery.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Sounds like the motor is stuck. Try giving it a few taps with a hammer. Not too hard. You don't want to damage the magnets inside the motor case.

Jeff

 

[413]

Don’t Tap it with a hammer, the mount flange for that motor is thin cast aluminum and it might break.

Yes move it up on the list, remove the seat and address it.

 

[Zymurgy]

The guys can tell you the difference from the power bench to the bucket seats, but I presume they are similar. Here is the restoration of mine and there should be some useful information in there.

Power seat and 4 channel amp

 

[CBODY67]

It might be a motor issue (but not usually all three sections at once). It could be a cable issue (they are similar in concept to speedometer cables, but usually not all six at once). Or it could be the "jacks" which the cables run (but not usually all at once). Just have to trouble-shoot it once the seat is out. Hopefully, some clean-up might fix things!

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67