Roughly 20 years ago, I had the dreaded rear spoiler wing motor burn out. It also pops a fuse which shares the same power circuit as the dashboard cluster. So when it blows, neither the spoiler or the gauges work.
I found a fresh Bosch spoiler motor in one of the Corrado forums. I bought it along with a couple of rear spoiler assemblies and proceeded to clean and lubricate the entire mechanism. To my disappointment, it didn't work. I checked the power lead and found 12V going to the power and the fuse was in good working order. I either reassembled the apparatus incorrectly or the motor I purchased was bad.
One never likes to assume a part that was just purchased was bad. But I left it alone to deal with other issues on the car. Years later, I found a "tested" and "working" rear spoiler assembly on eBay so I bought it. This box sat in my garage for another 10 years before I actually got around to trying it out.
This week, I connected it to the power lead and it worked! But it was in dire need of cleaning and lubrication. the cables barely moved. I could hear the motor struggling to move.
So I disassembled the entire assembly and cleaned it. I installed grease inside the guide tubes and on the cables. It moved so much easier but still not as refined as I had hoped. But it worked.
I drove it for the first time in 10+ years with the spoiler up!
I do have a Spoonfed Tuning Extended rear wing and paint. So I'll take that up when weather conditions permit.
As a follow up, I will check the other assemblies to see if the cables move any more smoothly or easier than the functional assembly in the car. But for now it works.
"Spoilers Up!" was the mantra of the now extinct Corrado Club of America.
While I was at it, I also replaced the two pressurized struts which hold up the rear hatch when open. I found a pair of Sachs struts specifically for the Corrado. It took some online research because my normal sources are beginning to no longer carry these items. I found a set from a retailer on eBay. They struts were approximately $45 a piece! But now the rear hatch easily lifts and stays up. Just like new!
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