Ok my old head light motor (passenger side) went bad and would not open, It also drained my battery so i got another motor but now it runs as soon as you plug it in and does not stop. it changes direction when you turn the lights on but still runs?

HELP what am i missing here is my baby got the devil in her?

DONT TELL ME MY CAR IS POSSESED BY A EVIL HEADLIGHT MOTOR SPIRIT!

Seriously need some advise from you fine folk

1985 corvette bone stock 90k miles

 

Did you buy a new motor or a used one from Ebay or such?

 

Based on the experience I had with my '87, my guess is the problem with your original motor are pitted or burned limit switches in that motor. I'm guessing your replacement motor has a stripped gear. I'm thinking you may have a battery, alternator, or digital dash issue causing your battery drain and is unrelated to the headlight motor problems.

To fix, I'd start by taking your original motor apart and inspecting the switches. If pitted, file them with a points file so they'll make good contact again. While you're in there clean the commutator with scotch bright or something in case the brushes are not making good contact. Re-install that motor and see what you've got.

Upon re-reading your post, I was wondering if you have actually installed the replacement motor or did you just plug it in? If you just plugged it in and just having it sitting on the tire to test, It might be a normal condition for it to run and run without stopping. It has to be fully assembled to know if it really works or not. The light assembly hitting the stops is what opens the switches inside the motor and stops it from running.

 

The plastic gears are stripped in the motor.

A twist gear turns a large gear. The Large gear has had the teeth worn off.

All you need to do is open the motor up and put in a new gear.

$22.95 from Zip Performance

Part # HDL-230

1-2 hours to figure it all out and your good to go. Buy two gears and do both motors while you are at it. Half the battle is figuring out the R/R procedure. Once you have that part down, it only takes 30 minutes to do the other side.

Demon extracted.

 

My thoughts also, but if it's a new motor???

 

thanks But i am 100% sure it was the headlight motor that drained my battery dis connected it and no battery prblems for 4 weeks, the new motor was purchased from a member from corvette forum it is used but seems to work perfect. Could it be a relay? (man i hate electrical issues) The old motor is fo sale but it is toast. I am selling it for a core charge but all it does is click about every 20 seconds i think it is burned up.

 

I did have it on the tire i will try that thanks

 

Sham, your making it hard.

your replacement motor was used to begin with.

On the original motor The limit switches are voltage sensors. As your headlight hits the rubber limiters what happens to the voltage? It spikes as the motor continues to try to run, once a certain voltage is achieved the limit switch kills the power to the motor. The problem with this is the constant strain it puts on little plastic gears. They basically grind themselves down after time.

On the replacement used motor.......Do me this favor, on your original motor, it is out of the car at this point. There are ~8 Phillips screws holding the motor together. Unscrew them and then pry open the motor casing and you'll see an electric motor that twist a screw type gear.....that screw type gear turns a large white gear and that white gear turns a smaller black gear. The large white one will be shaved down from the twisty gear......right in the middle of the teeth.

You buy the large white gear and install it....your good for 22 more years.

as far as changing the limit switches, I never had to tackle that one so you'll have to get info from newbecorvetteguy as He seems to have a good handle on the situation.

 

Guys thanks a lot this is soooo helpful I am a new vett owner and i can work on a ford (cause i always had to) so i am grateful for all the advice you guys are great.

 

Dave:

Well......did I give you some good advice on the Tech posting?



Sam

 

I had the same problem with the continuously running headlight right after I bought mine. I took the motor apart and the teeth were missing. I replaced with the same plastic gears and a few months later it started messing up again, same problem. I replaced them with heavy duty bronze gears from Mid America and havent had a problem since. I'd like to see the motor eat through one of those bad boys

 

On the other hand, if the gears are that tough and something makes the headlight assembly turn a little to hard or there's a limit switch adjustment issue, the irreplaceable case will break rather than a replaceable gear. Kind of sounds like repairing an electrical problem that results in a blown fuse by replacing the fuse with a solid piece of wire.

 

The headlights in my 1990 black coupe did the same. I put in new bushings and replaced the plastic gears with bronze gears. Headlights have worked fine for 3.5 years now.

I'm on my third computer in four years. A mechanic told me that the engine heat makes the soldered connections in the computer get loose connections. So, I always raise the hood on my car when I get home and let the engine and computer cool down.

A very expensive mechanic told me the faulty computer was turning on my AC unit and that was causing my battery to go dead. I don't know if the AC unit was coming on after I parked the car, but the battery would go dead in three days if I didn't drive it during those days. Even a new battery went dead in a few days. I'm on my third battery. That also wore out the alternator and I had to replace it. I think everything is fine now in my Corvette.

 

YUP.

 

happy to report the advice was right on and it works great! you guys rock

 

So what exactly was the repair in your case?

 

to install the motor (duh me) When i tested it I pluged it in whil it was sitting on the tire as i was explained it neede the resistance to relay and turn it off to keep it from draining the battery. lets all hope the digital dash replacement goes smoother.

 

Hi,

I have a similar problem so I though I'd use this thread.

1. I had the common bushings problem so I started to disasemble the headlight and motor... However the video I used in YT did not mention that I should notopen the housing of the statr/rotor and I did that so could pull out the gear. Turs out it was not necessary.. wish I knew that. So when I opened the rotor housing, one of the motor brushes broke off.. Well replaced the bushings and in this regard all was well.. Then I tried to assemble the motor with what was left of the brushes and when I turned on the headlight it opened, but would not close or move afterwars..
2. Pulled it our again , made new brushes and back in it goes.. no luck.. Now what..?
3. Measured plug - no voltage..
4. Checked fuse - fuse is OK
5. Jumped a cable from the working headlight to the other - stared to turn, but would not go to the end unless helped.. Myabe too much for 1 relay? Heard clivking noise below the glovebox.
6. SO I am thinking maybe when brush broke, shorted something and somehow damaged the relay.. or maybe unrelated the relay stopped working..

I am not electrician, so sorry if my logic is not correct or smthng...
Does these relays work as end switches? Read something about end switches in the motors, but mine is '93 zr1 and gears are different, so maybe not using end switches but these relays?
Thinking of pulling these out and sending them for check and resolgering maybe..
Any advise would be much appreciated.

In short - busings solved, brushes - ok.. motor is working when given voltage... , no voltage for the motor on the headlight plug

Thanks

 

Your problem is in no way similar! You need to start a new thread.

You should know that the headlight motors in the '84-'87 Corvette are ENTIRELY different than the motors in the '88-'96 Corvette. ENTIRELY!!