Headlight keeps trying to go up?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: charleston sc
Headlight keeps trying to go up?
I replaced the passenger headlight motor on my 86. Now both headlights flip up and down however, after both have flipped up for about 3 or 4 seconds, i can hear the passenger motor trying to turn (and the headlights dim as its trying to use power).
I initially noticed the headlights dimming and a clicking sound from the headlights when the lights were on. The sound appeared to be coming from the passenger side, so i unplugged the pass motor and the noise/dimming/power draining stopped.
I have replaced one of the headlight relays located on the front of the drivers side fender well but im not sure which one. Note this system is different than the later model c4.
Whats going on here?
I initially noticed the headlights dimming and a clicking sound from the headlights when the lights were on. The sound appeared to be coming from the passenger side, so i unplugged the pass motor and the noise/dimming/power draining stopped.
I have replaced one of the headlight relays located on the front of the drivers side fender well but im not sure which one. Note this system is different than the later model c4.
Whats going on here?
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
You have to go BACK in the motors and adjust the contact breakers that set on either side of the armature. Those breakers control the stop/start or the travel of the motor.
Many ppl upgrade to 88 or later because that system was eliminated for something less finicky.
Adjustment is sort of trial & error.
be damn sure the flat plate near the **** is dropped in the correct slot in the housing...it needs to compress the spring slightly. THAT is what you need to look at first...if that does not solve the prob, go to the breakers...
Many ppl upgrade to 88 or later because that system was eliminated for something less finicky.
Adjustment is sort of trial & error.
be damn sure the flat plate near the **** is dropped in the correct slot in the housing...it needs to compress the spring slightly. THAT is what you need to look at first...if that does not solve the prob, go to the breakers...
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: charleston sc
Not sure what the contact breakers are. Hell i dont even know what exactly the armature is (the coil portion?) I just had 2 motors that didnt work so i used the best looking parts from both to make a single motor. The black gear on one was trash and the two outer magnets on the other had come loose from the housing ring. How do you adjust the breakers (pull them in, out)?
Note: the motor doesnt keep cycling when closed, only when open. Is one of the "contact breakers" specific to up vs down?
The plate near the **** is in the slot. This required that the spring sit on the "inside" of the slot, thus putting some pressure on the spring. I believe thats what your referring to.
Note: the motor doesnt keep cycling when closed, only when open. Is one of the "contact breakers" specific to up vs down?
The plate near the **** is in the slot. This required that the spring sit on the "inside" of the slot, thus putting some pressure on the spring. I believe thats what your referring to.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
Not sure what the contact breakers are. Hell i dont even know what exactly the armature isthe shaft portion with the large wire winding (the coil portion?) I just had 2 motors that didnt work so i used the best looking parts from both to make a single motor. The black gear on one was trash and the two outer magnets on the other had come loose from the housing ring. How do you adjust the breakers (pull them in, out)? yes, unfortunately thats trial & error unless you can detect the point of contact in relation to the motors position...I can;t. Bend the tabs on one or the other side to make the contact easier or harder. The torque of the amrature is what operates the breakers. As the armature hits the end of the travel it jerks the points apart on one side, closed on the other. This tells the motor to stop. As the motor is told to rotate the opposide direction by the headlite **** you control, it again hits the end of travel, jerks the shaft in the other direction slightly and opens one set of points, closes the other. LOOK CLOSELY at the shaft between the windings and the spring. You will see the breakers on each side. IF you are real lucky you will see one that is obviously not making contact. Adjustment is slight...the easier it is to make contact the better. They do NOT need to be slammed or forced hard against each other...rather the opposite. They need to be barely able to touch...easy to move. If they are bent to make them too hard pressed against each contact, its harder to break that when the shaft rotation bottoms out.
Note: the motor doesnt keep cycling when closed, only when open. Is one of the "contact breakers" specific to up vs down? YES, which I dunno.
The plate near the **** is in the slot. This required that the spring sit on the "inside" of the slot, thus putting some pressure on the spring. I believe thats what your referring to.
Note: the motor doesnt keep cycling when closed, only when open. Is one of the "contact breakers" specific to up vs down? YES, which I dunno.
The plate near the **** is in the slot. This required that the spring sit on the "inside" of the slot, thus putting some pressure on the spring. I believe thats what your referring to.
Took me about 5 trips inside to figer the system out...once I understood the breaker-points (just like points in an old car ignition system) it was pretty easy to see what to do.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: charleston sc
I did find them last night, and adjusted as lee advised. I could feel one side wanting to stick to its contact a little more than the other. Gave it a VERY SLIGHT push outward so that it made light contact and it worked after only one adjustment. Spot on guys. Thanks.
