CUTLASS 1984 Hurst Olds Power Seat Question/Removal Issue

[RotaryLvr]

Driver seat won't move. Nothing going on with the switch, no sounds. So, I'm going to have to remove the seat and see about replacing that single seat transmission with one of the three motors that I've seen detailed.
I can't get at the bolts for the seat tracks as I need to move the seat back and forth which obviously won't work.

So, one post I read was that I should pull out the cable and attach them to a drill and then use the drill to power the cables. Problem: One end of the cable goes in the seat track, the other is bolted into the motor. Obviously, disconnecting the cable from the seat track won't work. The other end can't be unbolted from that weird motor/transmission thing.

Other posts simply talk about using a wrench one turn at a time to attack the bolts. I can't even get at the bolts.
So, I thought I'd put a cable from the junkyard into the track end that the motor cable goes in and spin the cable with the drill. Tried that...one side of the track moved, the other side, I guess has its own cable receiver that I'll need to put the junkyard cable in and spin it.

Is any of this making sense, or does someone have another idea?

 

[86 Salon]

Before you even attempt to remove the seat, unplug the connector and check for voltage and ground.

 

[RotaryLvr]

Will do, but I have to get the seat out anyway since it needs to go to the upholsterer.

 

[RotaryLvr]

Update,, got the front nuts off. tilted the seat back and was taking a look at the motors in that housing. It crumbled in my hands and fell off its mounts. While messing with the cables, it was coming apart anyway.

 

[86 Salon]

Update,, got the front nuts off. tilted the seat back and was taking a look at the motors in that housing. It crumbled in my hands and fell off its mounts. While messing with the cables, it was coming apart anyway.

At least now you know what the problem is.😀

 

[565bbchevy]

Update,, got the front nuts off. tilted the seat back and was taking a look at the motors in that housing. It crumbled in my hands and fell off its mounts. While messing with the cables, it was coming apart anyway.

I replaced the transmission case with this in my Regal, the fit was perfect and my casing was NOS but got multiple cracks.

79 80 81 82 83 84 85 Oldsmobile Power Seat Transmission Solenoid Gear Casing NEW | eBay

Appearance: Finally available to the GM restoration community! A Captain Cadillac's exclusive reproduction of the 1979-88 GM power seat transmission plastic gear / solenoid casing made out of tough white ABS plastic, an upgrade to the original style nylon casings which as everyone who has one...

www.ebay.com

 

[RotaryLvr]

Got the entire seat out today, although the plastic bolt covers took a beating. Found new ones at GBody parts. Picked up the new case from CaptCadillac as I read he has the best ones. /finally, the power seat switch toggle broke off as I took the seat out of the car. I'll try to glue it back on, but I found a used one of those as well. This stuff sure isn't cheap!!!
The seat is at the upholsterers. I have some extra maple red upholstery and he is going to be fixing the ripped cloth....the reason for the removal in part. The other reason was to get the power seat working again. I'm going to use the above picture to help with reinstallation! Thank you!

 

[My85OCSB]

Got the entire seat out today, although the plastic bolt covers took a beating. Found new ones at GBody parts. Picked up the new case from CaptCadillac as I read he has the best ones. /finally, the power seat switch toggle broke off as I took the seat out of the car. I'll try to glue it back on, but I found a used one of those as well. This stuff sure isn't cheap!!!
The seat is at the upholsterers. I have some extra maple red upholstery and he is going to be fixing the ripped cloth....the reason for the removal in part. The other reason was to get the power seat working again. I'm going to use the above picture to help with reinstallation! Thank you!

I'm having the same issue with my power seat being over the bolts... How did you get to them? I can't even get he plastic covers off, I can probably force them off but trying not to break them

 

[RotaryLvr]

Longer post but I'm trying to be detailed as some of the other posts are way too cryptic. I also recognize there are those that will say they removed the seat with a wrench and some hope. I found that those descriptions did not work for me. This is the way I did it.

The issue is its a PIA to get it out without power. I've done a lot of research to figure out how to get this seat out since I bought the car this way. So, I would strongly suggest you figure out if you have power to the switch. Those orangel and black wires under the seat should be tested first for power. That said, if you can get power, problem solved. I couldn't get power and had to get the seat out to get it to the upholsterer in any case.

I did see a YouTube video where the guy took the cables off the attachment points under the seat and used his drill to clamp on to the end of the metal pieces that go into the seat adjusters. (These cables look like what you have under the car if you have a pre 1986. Post 86, the cables go into the motors and into the seat adjusters. ) Problem with that is that the guy in the video had a later version with the three motors and could get his cables off the motors. The pre-86 power seat motor doesn't allow you to do this. You can take the cables off the seat adjusters, but not off the motor. I have an 84. So now what?

Well, a couple of months ago, I grabbed, after much wrestling, a three motor set up from a late 80's Olds 88. That had the cables on it in those three motors that I needed for my plan. I grabbed one of those cables, took off one of the front cables from the seat adjuster under the seat and inserted the one end of the spare cable I had into the adjuster where I had just taken off the transmission cable and put the other end in my drill...tightened the head of the drill and pressed the trigger. this actually permitted one of the rails to slide back. The other side, right side cable was real short and I actually ended up breaking the white transmission housing out since it was crumbling anyway. With that out of the way, I could access the adjuster for the right side and slide that rail back.

That gave me access to the front bolts. I got those off but still had to pry the plastic nut covers off. You have to pry the metal head up that holds the cover on unless you have screws in there. I had read that once the front nuts are off, you can tilt back the seat to gain access. Well, that works, but now you have to put your cable in and by trial and error, move the seat forward and find the adjusters that move the seat up. I still had trouble getting the back bolts out and destroyed the plastic nut covers to get at the bolts even though the seat was up and the rail was forward. There are two nuts on each rear side rail. One took a socket with ratchet or electric ratchet, the other I had to use a ratcheting wrench which is extremely helpful. The nuts are 13 mm.

For me, that cable end from the junkyard which had the speedo like ends was the trick. If you need it, I can send one as I decided to go back to the original transmission piece.

Finally, what did I damage? Well, the transmission housing, I ordered on ebay, see my post above. Three of the nut covers and a new seat switch since I knocked off the toggle. That last one was just not being careful.

 

[My85OCSB]

Longer post but I'm trying to be detailed as some of the other posts are way too cryptic. I also recognize there are those that will say they removed the seat with a wrench and some hope. I found that those descriptions did not work for me. This is the way I did it.

The issue is its a PIA to get it out without power. I've done a lot of research to figure out how to get this seat out since I bought the car this way. So, I would strongly suggest you figure out if you have power to the switch. Those orangel and black wires under the seat should be tested first for power. That said, if you can get power, problem solved. I couldn't get power and had to get the seat out to get it to the upholsterer in any case.

I did see a YouTube video where the guy took the cables off the attachment points under the seat and used his drill to clamp on to the end of the metal pieces that go into the seat adjusters. (These cables look like what you have under the car if you have a pre 1986. Post 86, the cables go into the motors and into the seat adjusters. ) Problem with that is that the guy in the video had a later version with the three motors and could get his cables off the motors. The pre-86 power seat motor doesn't allow you to do this. You can take the cables off the seat adjusters, but not off the motor. I have an 84. So now what?

Well, a couple of months ago, I grabbed, after much wrestling, a three motor set up from a late 80's Olds 88. That had the cables on it in those three motors that I needed for my plan. I grabbed one of those cables, took off one of the front cables from the seat adjuster under the seat and inserted the one end of the spare cable I had into the adjuster where I had just taken off the transmission cable and put the other end in my drill...tightened the head of the drill and pressed the trigger. this actually permitted one of the rails to slide back. The other side, right side cable was real short and I actually ended up breaking the white transmission housing out since it was crumbling anyway. With that out of the way, I could access the adjuster for the right side and slide that rail back.

That gave me access to the front bolts. I got those off but still had to pry the plastic nut covers off. You have to pry the metal head up that holds the cover on unless you have screws in there. I had read that once the front nuts are off, you can tilt back the seat to gain access. Well, that works, but now you have to put your cable in and by trial and error, move the seat forward and find the adjusters that move the seat up. I still had trouble getting the back bolts out and destroyed the plastic nut covers to get at the bolts even though the seat was up and the rail was forward. There are two nuts on each rear side rail. One took a socket with ratchet or electric ratchet, the other I had to use a ratcheting wrench which is extremely helpful. The nuts are 13 mm.

For me, that cable end from the junkyard which had the speedo like ends was the trick. If you need it, I can send one as I decided to go back to the original transmission piece.

Finally, what did I damage? Well, the transmission housing, I ordered on ebay, see my post above. Three of the nut covers and a new seat switch since I knocked off the toggle. That last one was just not being careful.

Ok, great info, THANK YOU. I ordered the transmission housing today because mine crumbled in my hand this afternoon. I was at the body shop today and the guy said to try a flat wrench to get the bolts out so I will give it another try. It's definitely a PIA but I am determined to get this fixed because I my knees are killing me every time I drive the car. I really appreciate you sharing the info