Manual headlight knob will not budge
02-11-2011, 10:47 PM
#1
Heel & Toe
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Manual headlight **** will not budge
I have the ever so popular issue where I have replaced the motors and gears in my 86 headlights. When I turn them on drivers comes on and passengers stays closed. there are no noises or grinding. I have been turning the manual **** a 1/2 a turn and it pops right up. Then today I cant seem to turn the manual **** at all. It wont budge. tomorrow will be our first day over 50 degrees and would love to take her for a spin... anyone ever have trouble with their manual headlight ****????
02-11-2011, 11:04 PM
#2
Race Director
Something went wrong with your gear install on that headlight. Don't try to activate it (with switch or by hand) until you pull it back out and take it back apart. Maybe a piece of debris is lodged in the gears.
How did the brushes in the motor look?
How did the brushes in the motor look?
02-11-2011, 11:13 PM
#4
Race Director
I really can't think of any reason it would just refuse to spin unless something is binding inside. When you rebuilt them, had the old bushings turned to mush? And if so, did you get it all out?
It's also possible the worm gear broke, but I've never heard of it happening. Let us know what you find when you open it back up.
It's also possible the worm gear broke, but I've never heard of it happening. Let us know what you find when you open it back up.
02-12-2011, 12:53 PM
#5
Le Mans Master
Sounds like your motor magnet halves night have come unglued from their sleeve and are jamming the motor. That or you didn't properly assemble something.
Something is binding which is evident by the fact that a half turn by hand would send it open on it's own the rest of the way and now it won't even turn. You should always be able to spin the hand ****.
I would take the motor back apart and check the magnet motors. I reglued mine with JB Weld and they work like new again.
Something is binding which is evident by the fact that a half turn by hand would send it open on it's own the rest of the way and now it won't even turn. You should always be able to spin the hand ****.
I would take the motor back apart and check the magnet motors. I reglued mine with JB Weld and they work like new again.
02-13-2011, 01:47 PM
#7
Le Mans Master
The actual motor sits inside a metal sleeve. Inside that sleeve are two round magnet halves glued inside that surround the motor without touching it. When the glue on them fails the come free and jam up the motor. Turning the **** by hand will sometimes help dislodge it and it will flip up (or down) the rest of the way on it's own as you had described.
If you replaced the gears then you had to have had the motor housing opened up to see the motor.
If you replaced the gears then you had to have had the motor housing opened up to see the motor.
02-13-2011, 02:01 PM
#8
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I didn't start this thread but I am having the same problem with binding and it stripped out two brand new small gears after I put them back together. Your fix sounds like it will work for me. I have the newest gears now and have been reluctant to put them in due to what already happened. But now I know what to look for and I will let you know what progress I make. Thank you very much.
02-13-2011, 02:23 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
A few pointers on that.
If you find your motor magnets unglued from their inner motor metal sleeve and hopefully not cracked or broken, take the time to lightly sand the inside of the sleeve clean with mild sandpaper to remove all old adhesive or corrosion before re-gluing. Do not use steel wool as that will only toss metal shavings around that will stick to the magnets. This prep work will allow the the magnets to glue back on flat and flush against the sleeve to maintain correct motor clearance. If they sit too high the motor will bind or scrape. Remove any traces of old adhesive from the backs of the magnets themselves also.
Use original two part liquid style JB Weld not the thick putty type called JB Stik for example. Due to the nature of this repair you should avoid using a glue that does not compress easily. I would also avoid using Gorilla Glue because this glue expands as it cures and can shift the magnets unless you somehow find a way to clamp them down the entire time. Run a round wooden hammer handle as a roll pin though the sleeve to gently and carefully apply equal pressure on the magnets and distribute the JB Weld as they cure on a table. The thin liquid type JB Weld will compress easily to allow the magnets to lay flush on the sleeve without sitting high and maintain the correct motor clearance. Wipe off any excess from the edges. Once dry overnight it will be rock solid.
Test fit the motor inside the sleeve before it fully cures to make sure the motor can be pulled in and out of the drum easily as it should. The only thing you should be fighting is the magnetism not physical contact against the magnets. If the magnet halves sit too high because you didn't prep the inner sleeve surface to remove all the old adhesive or corrosion, or used too much of a not easily compressible glue the motor will not want to slide into the sleeve or will have a tight fit.
Summary:
Prep the inner sleeve gluing surfaces with sandpaper first.
Use thin original two part JB Weld adhesive which is easily compressible, strong, and does not expand during curing.
Make sure the magnets are fully seated flat and flush against the metal sleeve so the motor clearance remains correct.
Test fit motor in the sleeve before fully it's cured. It should pull in and out easily. You should only be fighting the magnetism.
If you find your motor magnets unglued from their inner motor metal sleeve and hopefully not cracked or broken, take the time to lightly sand the inside of the sleeve clean with mild sandpaper to remove all old adhesive or corrosion before re-gluing. Do not use steel wool as that will only toss metal shavings around that will stick to the magnets. This prep work will allow the the magnets to glue back on flat and flush against the sleeve to maintain correct motor clearance. If they sit too high the motor will bind or scrape. Remove any traces of old adhesive from the backs of the magnets themselves also.
Use original two part liquid style JB Weld not the thick putty type called JB Stik for example. Due to the nature of this repair you should avoid using a glue that does not compress easily. I would also avoid using Gorilla Glue because this glue expands as it cures and can shift the magnets unless you somehow find a way to clamp them down the entire time. Run a round wooden hammer handle as a roll pin though the sleeve to gently and carefully apply equal pressure on the magnets and distribute the JB Weld as they cure on a table. The thin liquid type JB Weld will compress easily to allow the magnets to lay flush on the sleeve without sitting high and maintain the correct motor clearance. Wipe off any excess from the edges. Once dry overnight it will be rock solid.
Test fit the motor inside the sleeve before it fully cures to make sure the motor can be pulled in and out of the drum easily as it should. The only thing you should be fighting is the magnetism not physical contact against the magnets. If the magnet halves sit too high because you didn't prep the inner sleeve surface to remove all the old adhesive or corrosion, or used too much of a not easily compressible glue the motor will not want to slide into the sleeve or will have a tight fit.
Summary:
Prep the inner sleeve gluing surfaces with sandpaper first.
Use thin original two part JB Weld adhesive which is easily compressible, strong, and does not expand during curing.
Make sure the magnets are fully seated flat and flush against the metal sleeve so the motor clearance remains correct.
Test fit motor in the sleeve before fully it's cured. It should pull in and out easily. You should only be fighting the magnetism.
Last edited by 86PACER; 02-13-2011 at 04:39 PM.
02-13-2011, 03:06 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
Loose motor magnets can also cause a battery drain. The magnets can jam the motor mid travel away from either of it's top or bottom bump stops.
The motor tries to turn but can't because it's jammed so the thermal circuit breaker in the housing heats up and opens temporarily stopping the motor. A short while later it cools and closes again and the motor tries to spin again but can't. This cycle can repeat itself over and over running down your battery even with the car and key off.
If you put your head near the headlight assembly you can hear if this is happening. If it is simply unplug the motor harness to save your battery untill you fix it.
I ran down and ruined two new batteries because of this. It took me a while to find the cause.
The motor tries to turn but can't because it's jammed so the thermal circuit breaker in the housing heats up and opens temporarily stopping the motor. A short while later it cools and closes again and the motor tries to spin again but can't. This cycle can repeat itself over and over running down your battery even with the car and key off.
If you put your head near the headlight assembly you can hear if this is happening. If it is simply unplug the motor harness to save your battery untill you fix it.
I ran down and ruined two new batteries because of this. It took me a while to find the cause.
02-13-2011, 03:24 PM
#11
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Hey 86PACER,
I think that is exactly my problem because the battery has been running down and out. I keep having to put a charger on it. I probably already ruined the battery which is an Optima and of course out of warranty. I will do exactly as you instructed and will let you know on here. We are still digging out snow here in Oklahoma and can't work on it until tomorrow. I could not for the life of me figure out where it was binding but that sure makes sense. I can hardly wait to get started on it.
Thanks again,
Danny
I think that is exactly my problem because the battery has been running down and out. I keep having to put a charger on it. I probably already ruined the battery which is an Optima and of course out of warranty. I will do exactly as you instructed and will let you know on here. We are still digging out snow here in Oklahoma and can't work on it until tomorrow. I could not for the life of me figure out where it was binding but that sure makes sense. I can hardly wait to get started on it.
Thanks again,
Danny
