I've got one headlight that only opens up half way, but closes fine. I pulled the motor apart and installed a new large white gear since I already ordered one. Gears were ok, but the bushings had some wear.

Hood is up, nothing seems to be obstructing the headlight. If I push up on the manual close **** I can feel the motor engage and the light flips up a bit more. Any ideas? I didn't find much in a search and most people didn't follow up on their threads with an outcome.

 

Sorry to hear of your problem, I had a similar issue with my '86, but it wasn't closing all the way. Occasionally I would hit a bump turning the car around to park and the light would complete it's travel into the hood. So I suspected contact trouble. I had already replaced the large gear with a brass model, however the lack of info about the lights stopping before they closed, told me to pull the box apart again. When I cracked it open, I recognized the contacts on one end were wearing thin. After spreading them apart, it was easy to see they were not making good contact. I tried folded sand paper, but it wasn't strong enough. Luckily I build models for a hobby and had purchased a pack of emery boards which I used to resurface the contact, I would polish the surface until the sand glued to the boards surface was gone, pull it out, snip the used end off and repeat. I used a small flathead screwdriver to open the points each time, just be careful not to bend the contacts. I sealed it back closed and bolted it back to the hood, no problems closing anymore. A few months later it stopped opening, I knew I should have done both ends when the gear case was open. I don't remember now, but one end was harder to get at. Anyway I got home late from work and in the cold & dark, removed the gearbox again. Cracked it opened it to find the same problem on the other end, only to find my sealer (clear silicone) dried up due to the cap splitting and I was low on emery boards. So a trip back into town to the 24hr Walmart at 11:30 to buy supplies, while trying to avoid the law, due to only one headlight. It was about 12:30, at 28 degrees while reinstalling the gearbox and success. I didn't mention, I did use carb cleaner and pressurized air to remove the bits of sand, and then dab a little grease on some moving parts. One of my sets of contacts was very thin, which worries me that if it needs surfacing again, it may cost a lot more to repair again. I hope my experience helps in some way, best of luck.

 

So it sounds like you think the contacts aren't making a good connection causing the motor to stop lifting in the open direction. I'll pull it apart again and check that out.

 

Replace the bushings too a few bucks at the parts store in the help section.

 

Hookdbyvettes, you are da man! One of the contacts was bent back a bit and wearing on an angle, like a bad set of points. I filed them down a little and bent the tab back. It's working so far.

If anyone else runs into this, I guess the test is to push up a little on the manual headlight **** at the bottom of the motor. That must have put pressure on the contacts which turned the motor then open the headlight a little at a time.

 

No "bushings" in the '86. This should be well known info by now.

 

Sounds like you got off easy. I changed the gear, rebuilt it myself, then sent it off to be rebuilt, and nothing worked...turned out to be one of the weatherpacks, and I am pretty sure that's all it was all along. Live and learn...