Headlight Help! (New issue)
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Cruising
Joined: Nov 2018
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Headlight Help! (New issue)
So my left headlight was winking and motor running so broke it down and replaced the small gear that lost teeth. Everything went smooth and thought it was fixed until I put it all back together and now the motor won’t engage. If I give it a nudge it slowly opens and that’s it. I did a troubleshoot and turned the lights on with the motor disconnected from the light and it spun so the issue it’s having is with the resistance from being connected to the housing. I do know the previous owner replaced the motor and it was working but it was obvious there was a bad gear he didn’t fix. I know I put it all back together correctly so I’m at a loss. I know there’s been similar issues but nothing like this.
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From: Mission Viejo CA
the previous owner replaced the motor and it was working but it was obvious there was a bad gear he didn’t fix.
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Cruising
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Let me rephrase. The motor spins when I have the motor disassembled from the light but still connected to power. I’m not that slow....
Then, when I bolt it back onto the housing the motor doesn’t want to do anything and I gues seizes up due to the resistance it’s feeling.
Then, when I bolt it back onto the housing the motor doesn’t want to do anything and I gues seizes up due to the resistance it’s feeling.
Last edited by BluesQQs; Dec 4, 2018 at 09:03 AM.
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By any chance is the flat T-shaped bracket on the motor shaft engaging on the wrong side of the bracket tab?
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Cruising
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I dont believe so. I made progress this afternoon as was able to replace the large gear that wound up having broken bushings and also had to align the light perfectly so that it didn’t make any contact with hood. All SHOULD be working properly but the motor moves much slower than the passenger side. Then only sometimes it goes down but it does go if I give it a nudge. I’m thinking maybe the mechanic that replaced this motor didnt use the right one or the mtoot has worn out from constant spinning when the gears were worn. All electrical contacts seem to be adequate. Just seems the motor is having trouble with the resistance
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Cruising
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Not sure if I’ll still get responses to this old thread but I’m narrowed down to either the relay or motor being the issue. I checked voltage on the last connector and getting 12V at Grey when off and I think green when on. Therefore I imagine my switch and relays are good? If that’s the case I’m guessing I dislodged the connection into the motor itself when I changed the gears that were stripped. If anyone has any tips or videos to working on this headlight motor specifically that would be great. It’s just frustrating that the previous owner had a shop replace this motor and when I bought it the motor did run in both directions, unfortunately just not down now.
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From: Mission Viejo CA
Unfortunately, that video is for the '88-'96. The OP has an '87, which is entirely different.
Here's the correct information:"
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...placement.html
It is important to lubricate the motor shaft bearings with a light weight white grease, like LibriPlate or CRC StaLube. The motor shaft needs to move on its axis (in addition to the normal rotation) in order to actuate the limit switches when the headlight door hits its stops. Also, be sure the limit switches on the motor shaft are clean.
Do you see any indication that the armature might be dragging on the motor magnets?
Here's the correct information:"
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...placement.html
It is important to lubricate the motor shaft bearings with a light weight white grease, like LibriPlate or CRC StaLube. The motor shaft needs to move on its axis (in addition to the normal rotation) in order to actuate the limit switches when the headlight door hits its stops. Also, be sure the limit switches on the motor shaft are clean.
Do you see any indication that the armature might be dragging on the motor magnets?
Last edited by Hot Rod Roy; Dec 18, 2018 at 01:58 PM.
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Thread Starter
Cruising
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Roy - thank you!
In reading that what I think my problem might be is I possiblly have the magnets surrounding the copper in the wrong direction. At one point it became dislodged so I kind of spun it until it sat back in comfortably thinking that it wouldn’t make a difference. I guess maybe I’ll have to take a look through additional pictures to determine how it should be sitting. Hoping it’s that and if not I imagine it’s the 1. brushes being worn where it’s contacting the commutator, 2. The actual wiring into the motor having poor contact or 3. I have my magnets spun improperly.
Thoughts?
In reading that what I think my problem might be is I possiblly have the magnets surrounding the copper in the wrong direction. At one point it became dislodged so I kind of spun it until it sat back in comfortably thinking that it wouldn’t make a difference. I guess maybe I’ll have to take a look through additional pictures to determine how it should be sitting. Hoping it’s that and if not I imagine it’s the 1. brushes being worn where it’s contacting the commutator, 2. The actual wiring into the motor having poor contact or 3. I have my magnets spun improperly.
Thoughts?
Last edited by BluesQQs; Dec 18, 2018 at 10:13 AM.