85 Head Light Opening Problem
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 442
Likes: 23
From: Seattle Washington
85 Head Light Opening Problem
I don't drive my Vette much in the winter. However, I try to take it out at least once a month. Last Dec. I took it for a drive and also had the car washed. In Jan I took it for another drive and found both Head Lights would catch and not open all the way.
After the Dec. drive and car wash we had 20 degree weather. I'm thinking some water remained in the Head Light bucket and froze causing my current problem. My Vette sits in a Carport so is subject to the cold.
Any thoughts on my suspicion and if so what is the fix.
Thanks for your input,
JW
After the Dec. drive and car wash we had 20 degree weather. I'm thinking some water remained in the Head Light bucket and froze causing my current problem. My Vette sits in a Carport so is subject to the cold.
Any thoughts on my suspicion and if so what is the fix.
Thanks for your input,
JW
Last edited by J W Drew; Jan 25, 2015 at 11:36 AM. Reason: spelling
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 925
Likes: 6
From: East Wenatchee Washington
I don't drive my Vette much in the winter. However, I try to take it out at least once a month. Last Dec. I took it for a drive and also had the car washed. In Jan I took it for another drive and found both Head Lights would catch and not open all the way.
After the Dec. drive and car wash we had 20 degree weather. I'm thinking some water remained in the Head Light bucket and froze causing my current problem. My Vette sits in a Carport so is subject to the cold.
Any thoughts on my suspicion and if so what is the fix.
Thanks for your input,
JW
After the Dec. drive and car wash we had 20 degree weather. I'm thinking some water remained in the Head Light bucket and froze causing my current problem. My Vette sits in a Carport so is subject to the cold.
Any thoughts on my suspicion and if so what is the fix.
Thanks for your input,
JW
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 442
Likes: 23
From: Seattle Washington
Thanks for your thoughts Max,
JW
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 925
Likes: 6
From: East Wenatchee Washington
You should hit someone with REAL knowledge any time now!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 442
Likes: 23
From: Seattle Washington
Ick. I don't know much about the internal workings, but I see ads for "bronze gearsets" and assume that means the gears tend to strip. Maybe the frozen water broke the teeth off the gears at the same location on both headlights? Seems a bit of a coincidence.
You should hit someone with REAL knowledge any time now!
You should hit someone with REAL knowledge any time now!
JW
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 239
From: Venice Cali.
Good luck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 925
Likes: 6
From: East Wenatchee Washington
This is both headlights though, guys. Too much of a coincidence for it to be something to do with catching on something on both sides at the same time in the same place.
What electronic/electrical thing is there that might cause this? Are there any relays in the system?
I thought it might have been a puddle of frozen water in the bottom of each bucket that stopped both headlights and stripped the gears, but that seems about as far fetched as anything else...
What electronic/electrical thing is there that might cause this? Are there any relays in the system?
I thought it might have been a puddle of frozen water in the bottom of each bucket that stopped both headlights and stripped the gears, but that seems about as far fetched as anything else...
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 44
From: Pensacola Florida
Try to open your headlights with the little motor **** while keep slight pressure on the door. If there's stripped gears you should be able to feel it.
I worked on my starboard headlight all day yesterday replacing the gear, bearings, bushings and sanding and painting the metal headlight parts. Today I reinstall the unit and see why the port headlight only opens half way and won't fully close.
Rick
I worked on my starboard headlight all day yesterday replacing the gear, bearings, bushings and sanding and painting the metal headlight parts. Today I reinstall the unit and see why the port headlight only opens half way and won't fully close.
Rick
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 442
Likes: 23
From: Seattle Washington
Ok, I took the Vette to my Mechanic yesterday. We found that both light bezels had slightly warped due to washing my car and experiencing a freeze that night. My guy had one used bezel, correct color (white) in his rafters which fixed that light. The other we had to use a heat gun and then temporally taped it in place (still there).
Both lights rotate as they should now. Who would have thought!!!
Thanks for all your thoughts,
JW
Both lights rotate as they should now. Who would have thought!!!
Thanks for all your thoughts,
JW
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 925
Likes: 6
From: East Wenatchee Washington
Ok, I took the Vette to my Mechanic yesterday. We found that both light bezels had slightly warped due to washing my car and experiencing a freeze that night. My guy had one used bezel, correct color (white) in his rafters which fixed that light. The other we had to use a heat gun and then temporally taped it in place (still there).
Both lights rotate as they should now. Who would have thought!!!
Thanks for all your thoughts,
JW
Both lights rotate as they should now. Who would have thought!!!
Thanks for all your thoughts,
JW
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 44
From: Pensacola Florida
Great to hear you got it squared away with little pain. Replacing motors and gears is a bit pricey. I had to buy a rebuilt motor for my port side, it would just stop before the headlight was fully opened or closed.
Rick
Rick