[C2] Worth while? forward headlight harness
12-04-2018, 09:25 AM
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
Worth while? forward headlight harness
As most know, I've rebuilt my headlight motors (easy job, thanks Larry!) but the headlights still turn kinda slow..... Someone suggested replacing the front side headlight wire harness (cost 175 bucks from Zip..) makes a big difference.. Acknowledging the sellers are promoting 25 y/o wire doesn't work so well, yada ya ya.... Has anyone actually replaced the front harness and did it make a material difference in headlight motor speed and overall brightness of lights? So, is the juice worth the squeeze?
https://www.zip-corvette.com/64-65-h...l-forward.html
https://www.zip-corvette.com/64-65-h...l-forward.html
12-04-2018, 10:45 AM
#3
Team Owner
Think of all the wires and connections that would have to be bad for all those things to be weak. it's far more likely that you have a corroded or loose ground on the radiator support. It's also likely that the old motors and the old headlights just don't work like newer cars you're used to.
12-04-2018, 10:53 AM
#4
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jul 2018
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2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
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Andy, not quite the same issue, but my new headlight switch was not up to the task, so for less than $50 and about an hours work I made a new relay controlled harness to control the headlights only (not the motors) that plugged right in. The headlights are brighter with no flickering or shutting off.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ght-issue.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ght-issue.html
12-04-2018, 11:14 AM
#5
Race Director
If your headlamp motors are rebuilt and now rotating around at pretty close to the same speed then I doubt a new headlight harness will make much different - those boxes are geared pretty low and they will only rotate so fast. But checking grounds would definitely be a worthwhile endeavor. If one is still slower than the other then maybe a pivot is dry/partly frozen or there's a bad power lead/ground issue on one side. Did you also rebuild and lube the pivots?
12-04-2018, 08:11 PM
#7
Melting Slicks
On my 63, it is possible to switch the wiring harness connections at the motors so the left wire runs the right motor and vice versa. Just unplug both and swap where they plug in. This test will tell you whether the slow side is due to the motor or the wiring.
If you discover the slow side is due to the motor, I'll be interested to hear what comes next. I've had my slow motor out twice and all the mechanical stuff works well. I'm wondering if any of the rebuild services actually make the electric motors work better.
If you discover the slow side is due to the motor, I'll be interested to hear what comes next. I've had my slow motor out twice and all the mechanical stuff works well. I'm wondering if any of the rebuild services actually make the electric motors work better.
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Railroadman (12-04-2018)
12-04-2018, 08:56 PM
#9
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Excellent suggestion! 
12-05-2018, 09:12 AM
#10
Drifting
On my 63, it is possible to switch the wiring harness connections at the motors so the left wire runs the right motor and vice versa. Just unplug both and swap where they plug in. This test will tell you whether the slow side is due to the motor or the wiring.
If you discover the slow side is due to the motor, I'll be interested to hear what comes next. I've had my slow motor out twice and all the mechanical stuff works well. I'm wondering if any of the rebuild services actually make the electric motors work better.
If you discover the slow side is due to the motor, I'll be interested to hear what comes next. I've had my slow motor out twice and all the mechanical stuff works well. I'm wondering if any of the rebuild services actually make the electric motors work better.
Last edited by jprop; 12-05-2018 at 12:51 PM.
12-05-2018, 09:35 AM
#11
Le Mans Master
12-05-2018, 09:46 AM
#13
Le Mans Master
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1Cerberus4u (12-05-2018)
12-05-2018, 06:56 PM
#14
Instructor
Why don't you wire the unit that you are having trouble with across the line, (take the old harness out of the equation) and see what happens, that way you will know if buying a front harness is worth it. There are quite a few other ways to trouble shoot the system, Not going nuts with a VOM I gave up the easy way.
Tom
Tom