Headlights
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Bergen County, NJ Democrats, doing for the country what they did for Michigan
Headlights
Well, I asked in another thread about headlight timing. After playing with the lights for a while I have determined that one of the motors needs bushings and/ or a gear.
The good news is that the bushings are only $5.
So, I am sure this has been beat to death....
Car is a 1990 any tips, tricks, or insights that I should know about? Is this really THAT hard a job. I understand these are the "new style" motors that were changed in 1988.
Should I get the brass gear since I'm taking the the motor apart anyway?
I thought my radio went. I'd much rather be under the hood than in the dash, so this is the better of the two options.
The good news is that the bushings are only $5.
So, I am sure this has been beat to death....
Car is a 1990 any tips, tricks, or insights that I should know about? Is this really THAT hard a job. I understand these are the "new style" motors that were changed in 1988.
Should I get the brass gear since I'm taking the the motor apart anyway?
I thought my radio went. I'd much rather be under the hood than in the dash, so this is the better of the two options.
Last edited by jsup; Mar 26, 2005 at 10:49 PM.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Bergen County, NJ Democrats, doing for the country what they did for Michigan
I ordered the bushings and gear from Mid America. If I don't get any responses, I'll take pics and put them up when I'm done.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 312
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From: Mesa Az
Headlights
I only needed the derlin bushings. The first one was a royal pain until I understood what was going on. The second one was pretty easy. When I took the motor housing apart I was greated with a white coarsely ground nylon crud. I also switched the headlights out to the plastic ones that are a lot lighter. Went with H4 bulbs, too.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Since my Nylon gears were still in excellent condition though the bushings were powder, I only changed my bushings.
It really isn't a difficult job, but it is much quicker doing the second one.
You will need a long thin Torx or a ball driver to remove a copla Torx bolts holding the assembly to the headlight frame. A drift will be needed to remove the drift pin from the rod between the motor and the headlight.
The large gear is a little difficult to remove from the worm gear. So I filed a small flat onto the edge of the large gear. This makes it much easier to install, and to remove if needed again.
Use ample amounts of silicone grease on the gears and bushings for long life.
Have it; it's one of the cheapest R&Rs on our C4s.
It really isn't a difficult job, but it is much quicker doing the second one.
You will need a long thin Torx or a ball driver to remove a copla Torx bolts holding the assembly to the headlight frame. A drift will be needed to remove the drift pin from the rod between the motor and the headlight.
The large gear is a little difficult to remove from the worm gear. So I filed a small flat onto the edge of the large gear. This makes it much easier to install, and to remove if needed again.
Use ample amounts of silicone grease on the gears and bushings for long life.
Have it; it's one of the cheapest R&Rs on our C4s.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Hobe Sound FL
Easy Fix
Do both sides while you are at it. If you need instructions, etc., send me an e mail. vinterrv@aol.com
Boatman
Boatman
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From: Bergen County, NJ Democrats, doing for the country what they did for Michigan
Jim, what are you calling a "drift pin"? Is this a roll pin, clevis pin?.
Yours should be the same as mine. Could you scan in the Helms page for me so I can see a breakdown of the parts. I lie to know what's going on before I dig in.
On the long thin Torx, I have a 10 inch extension for a 3/8s drive socket. My torx set is for a 3/8s socket. Will this work?
Is there any adjustmet that I need to make? Once the motor is in does it just stop and go with a type of limit switch?
Yours should be the same as mine. Could you scan in the Helms page for me so I can see a breakdown of the parts. I lie to know what's going on before I dig in.
On the long thin Torx, I have a 10 inch extension for a 3/8s drive socket. My torx set is for a 3/8s socket. Will this work?
Is there any adjustmet that I need to make? Once the motor is in does it just stop and go with a type of limit switch?
Last edited by jsup; Mar 27, 2005 at 08:39 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Panhandle FL
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Verdad Gallardo
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St. Jude Donor '08-'10
I have a 90 and did mine a year ago. It is not hard at all. Corvette Fever had a 'how to' in one of their back issues and I used part of the procedure from it and part from the forum tech tip section. If you remove the entire headlight assembly from the car it makes it very easy to work on. I think there are 4 or five easy to get to bolts that hold the thing to the car. Once it's on the bench it is a piece of cake.
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From: Bergen County, NJ Democrats, doing for the country what they did for Michigan
Well Guys, I DID IT!!! Had the headlight out and the gear in hand in about 1/2 hour. VERY EASY!
Now I'm just waiting for the UPS guy to show up with my Mid America box, and I should be in business about 1/2 hour after that.
Don't be afraid. All you need is a 13 MM socket I used a 1/4 in drive. A 10 MM socket. And a Torx, I think it was 30.
The hardest part was getting out one of the 1/4 inch bolts that hold the cover on the gear, there was a bracket in the way of one, slightly. I used a large flat tip screw driver to pry the bracket ever so slightly (I'm talking 1/64 of an inch or less) to get the screw out.
I used a drill bit to knock out the roll pin. It worked. It was easy.
So don't be afraid, it's no heater core!! A couple tools, a little common sense, you're in.
Now I'm just waiting for the UPS guy to show up with my Mid America box, and I should be in business about 1/2 hour after that.
Don't be afraid. All you need is a 13 MM socket I used a 1/4 in drive. A 10 MM socket. And a Torx, I think it was 30.
The hardest part was getting out one of the 1/4 inch bolts that hold the cover on the gear, there was a bracket in the way of one, slightly. I used a large flat tip screw driver to pry the bracket ever so slightly (I'm talking 1/64 of an inch or less) to get the screw out.
I used a drill bit to knock out the roll pin. It worked. It was easy.
So don't be afraid, it's no heater core!! A couple tools, a little common sense, you're in.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
From: Angleton Tx
Finished this job 2 weeks ago. Not hard unless you want to
remove just the motor from the car. The easiest way is to
remove the light assembly. Then work on it on a table. I can tell you it is easy. To remove the large gear loosen - don't remove the top 4 screws holding the pinion assembly on. This will allow the large gear to slip off. The roll pin is actually a two piece pin and I tapped it out with a nail. I used vaseline as a
cheap lubrication for the bushing/gear assembly. There is two torx screws on the assembly that are holding the motor on that is a bit of a trick to remove. This is the toughest part. All I can say is be gentle. Good luck
remove just the motor from the car. The easiest way is to
remove the light assembly. Then work on it on a table. I can tell you it is easy. To remove the large gear loosen - don't remove the top 4 screws holding the pinion assembly on. This will allow the large gear to slip off. The roll pin is actually a two piece pin and I tapped it out with a nail. I used vaseline as a
cheap lubrication for the bushing/gear assembly. There is two torx screws on the assembly that are holding the motor on that is a bit of a trick to remove. This is the toughest part. All I can say is be gentle. Good luck
Thread Starter
Team Owner
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From: Bergen County, NJ Democrats, doing for the country what they did for Michigan
I'm putting in a brass gear, and I have some marine grease I'm going to use. If it's OK for a 300 HP motor propeller in salt water, it should be fine for s small motor gear.