I just got a 1984 Vette with 98,000 miles, my headlights flip down but not up any tips?

 

Check out the sticky message at the top of the forum for headlight repair.

 

Unfortunately the pictures in that stickey don't apply to the early C4 headlight motors. Do a search under my username mrrenoman in the tech archives, I've posted numerous times about these motors.

Art

 

Your Vette does not have the internal Delrin bushings like 1988-96 models do, but it could be a problem with the gears.

http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...6&dept_id=1146

 

While gears occasionally do go bad on the early C4s, the primary area of concern, in my experience, is with dirty interal limit switches inside the motors. In the engine compartment below the LH headlight are 3 relays that could also be the problem which can be eliminated with some voltage tests. One possible way to eliminate the relays is to try to rotate the manual **** on the motor while the headlight switch is on, or coax the headlight open by lightly pressing on the headlight door toward the open position. Be careful since the **** does rotate rapidly and seems to spin in your fingertips. This pressure induced by rotating the headlight **** one way or the other or assisting the headlight to open often moves the internal armature far enough for the internal limit switch to close. Sometimes just opening and closing the hood will do the same thing while the headlight switch is on. If these methods operate the headlight then the relays are most likely ok. If these methods fail to rotate the headlight then some voltage tests at the motor connector and relay harness connector is required by unplugging the motor from the wiring harness. Simply putting voltage on 2 of the 3 headlight wires is not enough to determine if the headlight is operating since most owners reverse the wires to see if the motor rotates in both directions. Often the motor will run in both directions which misleads the owner to believe the motor is good. The motors depend on the internal limit switches to open and close which switches between 2 of the 3 wires using one of the wires as a common conductor and using 1 of the remaining 2 for opening and the other remaining wire for closing at the same time reversing the voltage polarity on the common wire. This voltage reversal is created by the relays. It's a little complicated to explain but further analysis of the voltages coming from the relays is required first before assuming the motors limit switches, brushes, gears or wiring are bad.

Art

 

http://members.shaw.ca/dankai/Headlight%20Doors.pdf

 

Just want to add my 2 cents worth of my experience with the same problem. My 87 left headlight would work sporadically. Open , not close, sometimes not open...etc. If I turned the **** slightly it would flip. I took it apart figuring it would need gears. After 21 years the gears werr remarkably in good shape. What I did find was one of the radiused magnets in the motor housing had broken in half and loose from the metal housing. I assume the magnet was jaming the motor. I did work however.

 

accidently posted before I finished.

I was able to super glue the magnet back together and epoxy it back into the metal housing. While it is apart I will replace the gears and reassemble, I am confident it should work when I am done, since it worked with the loose magnet. I will post my results when it is reassembled.

Hopefully my experience will help with troubleshooting these headlight motor problems.

 

Well, I got the headlight assembled and reinstalled and worked like new. Just another possible issue with these headlights. Hope this helps with troubleshooting problems.

 

I have an unusual headlight problem that could poetntially could be causing my battery to drain in less than two-three days. Here is the sympton. Everytime i turn the ignition on, the right headlight motor begins to spin (whether or not the headlight switch is on) for about 5-8 seconds, then stops. I bought a set of factory service manuals and asked 2 gm technicians who can not provide any help to why my battery is going dead so quick. With a millamp test, the car draws a constant 85 milliamp with everything off. Tried removing fuses one by one, as well as the wire from alternator can not get the milliamps to drop, techs say that it should be between 25-50 milliamps only. My only theory is that somehow the headlight motor (yes gears /bushing need replacement probably) is stuck open with some unknown relay that i cant find, causing the drain. Help!!! I have posted several requests under "losing battery" thread, no success. The headlight continuing to spin may be my cause, can anyone help a brother out?

Thanks,

brian

 

By the way its a 1995 c4 with 73k miles

 

Brian,
The headlights on your car "turn off" when a certain ampherage feedback is reached from the unit hitting either the open or closed stops....this portion is all solid state technology no ol' school relays on the headlight motors for your car. From what your describing the sticky silicone goo inside your headlight is busted. Replace the busted goo with the "repair" bushings on the problematic headlight and see if your problem doesn't go away....bushing are less than $10 for a set.

 

Great, I will try these, will look for a link on this site to get a good quality set as well as instructions on how to replace them. From what I have read, the bronze gears should not be used, too much strain on the motor and sometimes bind...

Thanks again,

Brian

 

Brian, I just replaced the bushing (short dowels) in my 95 last night. I was having some battery issues as well. My left light was running a few seconds after hitting the stops, open and close.

I used 0.5 inch hard wood dowel cut to 7/16 inch length...worked great. Look at these:



http://mywebpages.comcast.net/zrjuan/headlight.html


http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2002...hts/light1.asp


http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...air-w-pic.html

Joe

 

After you replace your bushings, you should also make sure your lenses are plastic, not glass. GM switched to plastic lenses in 1992 to reduce headlight motor strain and fatigue.

 

Hey guys,
I have an issue with my drivers side headlight. Originally it wouldn’t flip up or down so I Replaced the gear and the 3 pegs inside the motor. After reassembling it and putting it back on it will flip up but it doesn’t flip back down. The motor doesn’t even make a sound either so I’m thinking it could be some type of wiring issue. Not sure if I should take it apart again or just get a new motor altogether as I’m not too sure and can’t find any videos on it
thanks

 

This thread is fourteen years old. OP hasn't been active on the forum for twelve years. Please start a new thread with your question.