djenkins214

Hey all, I am a new member and I recently purchased my 88 Vette. She had been sitting dormant in a barn for 2 years, wasn't running and needs a lot of work. I have slowly been bringing her back to life, but can't seem to figure out the headlights. Both headlights wont open fully. They open 3/4 of the way and stop. I can't crank them open any further, but can crank them all the way closed. When I turn the lights on, they will flip to 3/4 open and stop. The motors stop running and they don't make any unusual noises. The lights will not close when I turn the switch off. The lights will turn off, but the lights stay 3/4 open. Any suggestions would help as I am lost. I'm attempting to attach a pic of what it looks like when they are open.

antfarmer2

Open the hood and turn them on and off what do they do? Might just need six bucks of pucks.


Welcome to the forum!!!!

djenkins214

They will not turn any more to open, seems like it is all the way open on both sides, but obviously not, will shut smoothly if turning them manually, nothing with switch.

antfarmer2

Does the motor run a few seconds after the lights stop moving? And when you turn them by hand does the **** lock up or just turn without the lights moving?

djenkins214

No, both motors will rotate the lights to that position and stop running

djenkins214

They do nothing when I turn the headlight switch off, the lights will go off though

antfarmer2

What do they do if you try to open by hand from there does the **** turn and they not move?

antfarmer2

What happens if you open the hood and try?

djenkins214

No, **** won't turn bc its tight like they are open all the way

djenkins214

They do the same thing with the hood open and closed

antfarmer2

Ok look for the rubber stops and see if the PO ajusted them to do that. Might be a bubba fix to ajust the headlights beam down.

djenkins214

No, the stops aren't even close to touching. I think I'm going to pull the motors off and zip tie them up for now so I can at least drive it at night.

antfarmer2

It is strange that they are both the same. It must be binding linkage or broken gears jamming up. You can get the gear and pucks off ebay for about $15 a side and the linkage bushing for about $20. I would not try to pull the motors. Look on youtube to see the video on how to fix. Do not get the metal gears.

djenkins214

Awesome, thanks for the input!!

aklim

I'm going to say that if it were mine, I'd take it apart and see why it doesn't go any further. Kinda weird that BOTH would go exactly the same. I'd suggest turning the **** manually without the electric current and see what the max of each light is but you said you already did that.

I'm kinda suspicious that it is the pucks. If it runs without stopping, sure but that it stops at exactly the same position on both lights, IDK. I'd want to take it apart and see why it does what it does.

I would definitely recommend the metal gears. Yes, I have heard that you'd be better off sacrificing the plastic but last time I took them apart, I haven't seen anything as far as abnormal wear on either gear. Further to that, how much longer they are going to keep making them is an unknown and plastic gets older and more brittle with age. Mine looked fine till I had time to use a light and look it over. Saw a couple of hairline cracks that I didn't notice. So I would and did go with metal.

djenkins214

Thanks, I'll be pulling them apart next. Prob zip tie them up so I can drive it.

aklim

Sounds stupid when you say it out loud but do take a video of you taking it apart. DO NOT do both at once. It is a BAD idea. Ask me how I know.

A Peter C4

Bring the car to someone that has experience with CORVETTE problems/Corvette shop that is capable of fixing your problem first hand before you do more damage trying to fix with little or no experience.The forum members can only give you good advice from your thread input.Lots of info here but not issues can be solved without car in hands of the experts in this forum,good luck with headlite issue.

aklim

Or you can use a rebuild service if you don't feel up to it. http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...050f&ukey=9271

http://www.corvetteamerica.com/cf/di...ategoryid=X860

As a winter project, it isn't too bad.

antfarmer2

they have moving pictures now. Why would you pay hundreds of dollars to do a simple repair?