'85 Headlight wont stop
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,328
Likes: 15
From: Jacksonville FL
'85 Headlight wont stop
After searching, I find tons of info on 88 and later headlight issues with the bushings fragging, I finally run across one that tells me that the earlier C4's dont have bushings. My driver side light works fine until it is closed, then runs on with appropriate gear stripping sounds. Is there a contact that tells it its closed or is a relay bad altogether? I have seen I can swap relays to check them but this wouldnt necessarily tell me if a contact is bad somewhere else. What tells the headlight motor to turn off? Is it out of adjustment somehow? I am sure that the info is somewhere on the site but I cant seem to uncover it. I already bought new gears, anything else I may need? Thanks for the repeat question.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,838
Likes: 31
From: Australia
There are contacts in the end that are operated by the armature.When the light reaches the end of it's travel, the armature loads up and pushes on the contacts.
The diagram from the FSM showing the three relays makes it easier to understand.
The diagram from the FSM showing the three relays makes it easier to understand.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,315
Likes: 245
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,453
Likes: 347
From: SC
If you have the gears go ahead and take it apart. I just did mine(87) for the first time and it is pretty straight forward. It is a good opportunity to see what is going on in the motor. I though my gears were shot only to find them in near perfect condition. what I did find was the magnet in the metal housing was broken in half and loose. The headlight would jam and open and close with a little twist of the ****, which I guess the magnet was jamming the motor. I was able to glue it back together and epoxy it back into the metal housing. It spins freely now. I also cleaned everything up while it was apart. Haven't gotten a chance to reassemble yet but will post my results. Just wondering if anyone else ever had that happen.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 15
From: backwoods upstate ny
i've seen two that the contacts were fused together...cut thru the solder (or whatever it is) that fused 'em, filed the contacts with an "antique" ignition points file, both are still going after many years (probly more than 10, been too long)
oem assy's appear to be sealed with clear RTV...reseal yours after complete reassembly, do NOT apply RTV and then assemble unless you want to make potential future surgery very difficult.
Last edited by redrose; Dec 17, 2008 at 10:51 AM.
