Amethyst643

Since I bought my '87 vette in November '10, I've had problems with both headlights. The driver's headlight motor has water damage, and will not move. The passenger's headlight will close like it is supposed to, but not open. (At least I can open and close them manually.)

So, I just bought some used headlights/motors and attempted to install them. They are from an '89, so they are the newer style and have metal gears and Sylvania bulbs. I knew they were wired a little differently, but I was hoping it was possible and I could figure out how to do it. Well - I failed. From messing arround with the driver's-side headlight, here's what I found out:

My '87 headlight motor was connected with 3 wires (Green, White, and Grey) and a vaccum line. The new headlight motor has only 2 wires (Green and Grey). With the headlights turned off, I ignored the white wire coming from the car and connected Green to Green and Grey to Grey. The headlamps opened. I left it plugged in like that for a few minutes and the motors got hot, so I unplugged the wires. Then, with the headlights still turned off, I ignored the white wire again and connected Grey to Green and Green to Grey. The headlamps shut.

Also, any connection with the white wire will result in nothing. Also, if the headlamps are turned on, I can connect green to green, grey to grey, or green to grey, grey to green and nothing will happen. It only seems to work if the headlights are off.

Does anyone know what I need to do to make the headlight motors work normally, or should I give up, sell these, and buy some from '84-'87?

Thanks in advance!

Amethyst643

After a little ebay search, it looks like I might need a module that '88-'96 Corvette's have. ...maybe some parts like these:





In which case I need to know how it is wired in. :/

leesvet

There are several threads here with those details...just do a search for headlite motors...

One thing I highly reccomend is getting a FSM for this car. The 2 book GM manuals sell for $75 used on flea-bay.

I just rebuilt my 87 original motors. The weak link is the multiple plastic drive gears AND the elect control system with relays, internal limit switches and a sliding armature....its more complicated than it needs to be and thats why everyone upgrades to the 88+ motors.
Find a module, locate the threads here for instruction, and its fairly easy.

BTW...when you get the new ones installed, I'd like to hear what you'd sell the old ones for...working or not. They have parts value to me.

Amethyst643

I actually found the wiring diagrams for both my '87 and the '89 in my Chilton book. It looks like the 89's Headlight Control Unit takes the place of my 87's Left Hand Actuator Relay, Right Hand Actuator Relay, and Isolation Relay. Does anyone know where these relay's are located on my '87? It looks like if I buy a Headlight Control Unit then it will be easy to wire it in since they have the same color wires (White and Yellow) coming from the headlight switch and the same two red wires going to the fuses (on both the 87 and 89).

kawchop

Front driver's side innner fender stacked vertically. You just slide them inward and they will lift out.

Amethyst643

Thanks! I'm going to purchase the parts I need right now. I'll update when / if I actually get them working or not.

ecorse66

Here's what you need.

http://content.mamotorworks.com/pdf/601685.pdf

Dave T.

Amethyst643

Thanks! That helps too! I think I've got what I am going to do figured out.. .. just waiting on parts to come in.

Amethyst643

Okay. I looked at the Chilton 1987 wiring diagrams and made a little map with 'paint' on my computer. Then I looked at the 1989 wiring diagrams and made another one from it. Then, I made a third diagram of how my wiring would look when I cut the three relays out and the new headlight control unit in.



After 3 hours, they work perfectly. After never seeing them work before, they really are neat-looking when they work.

I must have blown a fuse or something though (and I'll check for it in the morning), but my car seems to have 2 side-effects of having working headlights. 1) As long as the headlights are on, the chime will 'ding' constantly, even if I am driving). It goes off when I turn the headlights off. 2) The rearview mirror light doesn't work. (May be burnt bulb or coincidence that I just noticed it or something, though).

Any ideas on why that happend would be greatly appreciated!

Amethyst643

Oh yea. I also found a red plug with two wires going to it down below where the driver's-side headlight is. It's not plugged into anything, and it looks almost identical in size/shape to the engine lamps' plugs except it is red. Curious as to what it goes to...

oldalaskaman

Mid america has the exact wire diagram you need for those lights on that year, its in their light upgrade section. mine was the same but I went with later year than you.

Amethyst643

Just looked at the fuse panel schematics, and the 'tone generator' and 'dome lights' are on the same fuse.

So that's GOT to be what's up. I'll check it out in a sec.

Amethyst643

The fuse was the problem. It was blown.

blue87corvette

ok question how do I get my 1987 corvette headlights wired into my 1988 corvette since my 87 is the donor vehicle.

Can anyone provide a schematic?

Ty.

oldalaskaman

youre down grading your lights to the years that everyone tries to get away fromthis is completely different from your first post...did I miss something?

bondouvich@aol.com

,,,My 1987 corvette had a lot of frame damage so I purchased a 1988 corvette for $500 that was missing its entire front end the rest of the car was completely intact , Therefore I need to know how to make the 87 headlights work with the 88's headlight module. Being that these parts can be astronomical in price it's more feasible to convert to the older style being that I already have the parts. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

artvette

Change the motors or backwards wire the old style relay system into the car for a three wire motor.
Follow the above posted pdf file in reverse.