Blk63Vette

Hi
I am getting ready to rebuild my Corvette headlight motors..I have the Gears I bought from Jason Oliver..I have downloaded the rebuild process from the internet...

Here are my questions..

1) Are there any "tricky" parts to this rebuild?

2) what kind of grease would you use to replace the old grease inside the headlight motor "front clamshell"

3) is it ok to spray the with non greasy/electrical cleaner what u reccomend to get it clean?

4) Is there something else I should consider replacing (or look for?) while I have motor apart?

Thanks in advance for your responses..I just dont want to "screw up" this expensive part!!!

Any advice greatly appreciated

MasterDave

It's a pretty easy rebuilt really. I would use a good quality lightweight grease, not the white grease that comes in spray cans. 'Bout the only thing I could recommend is to get some sewing thread to tie the armature brushes out so you will be able to get the darn thing assembled again. BTW, all the motors in your vette (wiper & window) are the same type. They just use different heads to power whatever they're operating. They all rebuild very easily.

6T5C2

Not exactly on the same thread but is there a step by step process to aligning the headlight buckets with the front body or does everything have to be taken apart and started all over again. My driver side light is slower than the pass one and I think it's because one side is rubbing slightly on the fiberglass front end. The lines aren't matched from one side of the bucket to the other.

64roadster

I recently rebuilt mine after choking on the prices for new or rebuilt and boy am I glad I gave it a try. This was one of the simplist rebuilds I think I have done. I would suggest doing one motor first and then the other just in case you get distracted or confused and want to look at the other one.

I used wheel bearing grease on the gears.

Make sure you clean the armature if you want them to operate smoothly.

Give us a report when you are done.

RMBLROAR

Here are a couple tips I learned in doing mine.
- I'd suggest marking the position of the slot on the case. This will make the assenbly of the motor to the bucket shaft easier.
- There's a nylon bearing that fits into the end of the housing. Put this on the assembled unit at the bench before trying to assemble to the car.
- Be careful in removing the armature. Over the years, corrosion has caused the end of the shaft that goes through the can to distort making it very tight, if not impossible to remove from the case without destroying the spot welded bearing cap. Lots of oil and patients.

Goos luck, you'll have fun....

Blk63Vette

Hi

Thanks for everyone idea..I will let you know what happens when I am done..I am thinking of taking off the hood to make sure everything ok...
I am replacing the grommet (mine is dry rotted) that holds the motor bracket in place that mounts underneath the front of the car...

Do you think I should remove the hood?

Thanks
Peter

Dennis Beck

No real reason to remove the hood. Have somebody assist you and raise the hood past it's normal position when on your hood support. That will give some extra space. Have some towels ready to place on the car where you are extracting the motor. If you are alone or even with an assistant put a bolt through the hole in your hood support so that hood can't come down by accident while your hands and arms are in there.

Blk63Vette

Hi Dennis

how hard will it be to put back the motor without being able to see what you are doing? The hood seems to be in the way..any pointers on how to get the motor in and lined up is there a trick?

Thanks
Peter

Dennis Beck

Well I cheated and did mine when I did a motor swap and the hood was off. Have a mechanics mirror handy and some good lighting. It is not that hard.

62Jeff

Take the hood off. I used tape to mark the location of the hood hinges.

I did my motors with the hood on and it was a pain in the butt to have to use a mirror and a flashlight while trying to work.

This weekend I had the hood off for a radiator swap and I removed the first headlight motor I rebuilt a few weeks ago in order to redo one step (forgot to grease the motor sleeve bearing) and it was MUCH easier. With the hood off you can work with relative ease and even sort of stick your head in there to see what you are doing.

Dennis Beck

Good points by Jeff. Like I said my hood was off.

willowdog

I just rebuilt my headlight motors without removing the hood. After having done it this way, I'm glad I did not remove my hood.

First off, just buy a cheap, plastic mirror that you can lay at the bottom of the headlight "area" to help you see. Second, use a very good light. I recently bought a 60 led strip light that worked great. Once the headlight motor is loose, wrap it in a thick towel. Have someone raise the hood slightly and CAREFULLY twist it out; it fits but just barely. Reverse the process going back in. I'm average in the ability area and did not find the process too bad.

Also, if you don't remove the hood, make sure it's braced or a bolt in the support (mine does not have the hole). I shudder to think what happens if you're working in there and the hood drops.

After it's all over, soak your hamstrings; they'll need it.

67L36Driver

Borrow your wife's hand mirror, do not remove hood.

In most cases it is not necessary to disasemble the motor itself. They never get enough run time to wear anything out. Simply add a drop of light oil to each bearing and run it for 4-5 minutes in each direction on the work bench using a 12 v. power supply. Your trickle charger in conjunction with a spare battery works well. This will polish the commutator and free up the bearings.

Be very careful when reinstalling the motor bracket with the rubber insulator. Many motors have been ruined by installing too long a screw in the field housing.

Man, thats the truth!

62Jeff

The beauty of this task is you can do it any way you want.

Start with the hood on and a mirror to work with. If you find that troublesome, then remove the hood - but remove the 2 hinge bolts at the inner fenders instead of the 3 hinge bolts at the hood.

I found it difficult to work "backwards" based on the reflection in a mirror, and then working by myself had a difficult time getting the motors out of the car without putting a few minor scratches in the clear coat of my hood.

I chose to pull the motor assembly apart, clean and grease the end bearings (sleeve bearings really) and clean the brushes and the commutator(?).

Blk63Vette

Hi
Well I rebuilt the one headlight motor I noticed it wasnt in too bad of shape the grease was very old ..

I followed the instructions plugged it into wiring harness and nothing happened...I noticed that the front wiring for the headlights is old and original but the Headlight door limit switch on both sides is disconnected..I "broke" the connection on the other side with headlight it cracked in my hands..I cant get the detoriated rubber grommet on the other side to come off..It looks like the bolt was replaced with a screw sometime ago..

Here are my questions..

1.) Should I buy a new wiring front harness from Lectrical Limited..How hard is it to install?

2.) While I am at it should i buy new Headlight door limit switches? What do they excatly do?

3.) Do I need the Headlight Bucket extension harness setup?

I really am not to crazy about redoing my front headlight system..Do u think it will help solve my problem if i replaces these parts? I feel like i am opening up a big can of worms..

Thanks
Peter

JohnZ

They're not really limit switches at all - they have nothing to do with the motor operating circuit; all they do is light the warning lamp in the cluster if the headlights are turned on and the buckets aren't fully open.

67L36Driver

Nothing more than a Cherry micro switch. Come with three spade connectors and can be wired normally open or normally closed. Pick out the connectors you need by comparing to the original and break off the un-needed one. Used to be available at Radio Shack for very little expense.