Headlight motor porblems
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 7,760
Likes: 0
From: Lost in the mountains of TN
Headlight motor porblems
While I was at MeanGreen's house last night I noticed that my drivers side headlight would not retract. It flipped over just fine. But upon turning the lights off the drivers side would go only 1/4 the way and then stop. Then it would not go back up. It just sat there. I went and turned the **** on the motor to the open position and turned the lights back on. When I turned them off I got the same result. I tried to close the light with the ****. While I was turning the **** it got really tight. So I said the heck with it, left the lights on and drove home.
Once I got home I started tinkering with it again and I broke the **** on top of the motor while trying to flip the light to the off position. It took a pair of pliers to get the **** past the tight spot. After that I could turn it by hand again. Now if I turn the lights on they both open fine. But once I turn them off the passenger side operates just fine and the drivers side retracts only 1/4 of the way. And once the drivers side light is locked in the 1/4 closed position it will not go back to the open position without turning the **** on the motor.
Can I rebuild that motor? Or should I just replace it? And does any auto parts stores carry a part like that?
TIA
Jason
Once I got home I started tinkering with it again and I broke the **** on top of the motor while trying to flip the light to the off position. It took a pair of pliers to get the **** past the tight spot. After that I could turn it by hand again. Now if I turn the lights on they both open fine. But once I turn them off the passenger side operates just fine and the drivers side retracts only 1/4 of the way. And once the drivers side light is locked in the 1/4 closed position it will not go back to the open position without turning the **** on the motor.
Can I rebuild that motor? Or should I just replace it? And does any auto parts stores carry a part like that?
TIA
Jason
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia MO
Re: Headlight motor porblems (BiZ)
I'm not sure about the **** on top of the motor. It sounds to me that the bushings are probably bad in your motor. You can buy them from mid am for like 5 or 6 bucks. I just had my replaced and I also went ahead and had bronze gears put in. Yours is newer than 87 so you only have one gear in the motor! Good Luck! :cheers:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 972
Likes: 0
From: Springdale AR
Re: Headlight motor porblems (BiZ)
It sounds like something is in a bind not allowing the motor to complete the downward cycle. I would check all the linkages. You should be able to flip the head light all the way up and back down fairly easy, just by turning the *** on top of the motor. Even if the motor was bad, you should still be able to turn the *** by hand. Since you said that the motor works on the way up, I would think the motor is OK.
[Modified by vette92_1, 9:54 AM 10/6/2002]
[Modified by vette92_1, 9:54 AM 10/6/2002]
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 1
From: Pinellas Florida Misfit
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Headlight motor porblems (vette92_1)
Jason,
If you have to go the rebuilt motor route for some reason.. the shop on Dale Mabry is the only local place I know that has rebuilt ones in stock.
If you have to go the rebuilt motor route for some reason.. the shop on Dale Mabry is the only local place I know that has rebuilt ones in stock.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 4,414
Likes: 0
From: financial-freedom-for-all.com
Cruise-In V Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Re: Headlight motor porblems (BiZ)
Jason, I'd say it's the bushings too. I replaced mine a few years ago and had the same problem as you. When i took the motor apart the old bushings were completely dust! :crazy: It was really a simple job to do.
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Walnut Cove NC
Re: Headlight motor porblems (9vette3)
I you have any mechanical ability you can fix it yourself with the bushing fix they are speaking of. Go ahead and do the gears also as you will be inside the motors anyway. I once had a housing screw fall out and prevent the full rotation so check around all moving parts for obstructions. Good luck! :yesnod:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,179
Likes: 13
From: Coal Valley IL
CI 4-7, 9 & 10 Veteran
Re: Headlight motor porblems (9vette3)
About how long does it take to rebuild the motor assembly with the kit from MidAmerica? The reason I'm asking is someone from our local club is having this same problem with their C4. I'm planning on helping him with this.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Headlight motor porblems (JTE)
When the nylon bushings go the resulting powder can get lodged in the gears and cause hangups.
The first rebuild will likely take 2-3hrs with getting the headlight motor assembly out (several Torx bolts are a little difficult to access), driving out the drift pin, etc. The next one will be much shorter.
You may need to dress the new bushings a little to get them to slide into the case.
Do his first. :D
The first rebuild will likely take 2-3hrs with getting the headlight motor assembly out (several Torx bolts are a little difficult to access), driving out the drift pin, etc. The next one will be much shorter.
You may need to dress the new bushings a little to get them to slide into the case.
Do his first. :D
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Instructor
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia MO
Re: Headlight motor porblems (JTE)
About how long does it take to rebuild the motor assembly with the kit from MidAmerica?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 473
Likes: 8
From: Shreveport LA
Re: Headlight motor porblems (BiZ)
Doing the same thing with my car.
Question, with an '89 do I need to order one bushing/gear rebuild kit, or two?? Both of my headlights began screwing up at the same time and in the same manner. Someone said that Vette's built after 1987 only required one gear/bushing kit to rebuild. Anyone knowlegable on this?
Question, with an '89 do I need to order one bushing/gear rebuild kit, or two?? Both of my headlights began screwing up at the same time and in the same manner. Someone said that Vette's built after 1987 only required one gear/bushing kit to rebuild. Anyone knowlegable on this?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,999
Likes: 14
From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '12
Re: Headlight motor porblems (JTE)
About how long does it take to rebuild the motor assembly with the kit from MidAmerica? The reason I'm asking is someone from our local club is having this same problem with their C4. I'm planning on helping him with this.
First headlight will take about 2 hours. Take your time and clean all the old bushings out of the gear area. Use a lithium grease to lube everything up when you put it back together.
Second headlight will take a little less time.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,878
Likes: 2
From: Madison Mississippi
Re: Headlight motor porblems (BiZ)
The rebuild is not that bad at all, but the motors are not mirror images so you have to remove more stuff on 1 side so it takes longer. Everyone is right about the bushings, once they are gone they turn to powder... I was shocked when I rebuilt the ones in my '88 and saw all the powder fall on the floor. :eek:
The kit comes with 3 bushings, and you will need 3 bushings per motor so order 2 kits...
BiZ-- Not sure about the headlight motor ****. How bad did you gimp it up? Could you glue it back on? **** replacement sounds like a Jeff Kopp topic... :D
The kit comes with 3 bushings, and you will need 3 bushings per motor so order 2 kits...
BiZ-- Not sure about the headlight motor ****. How bad did you gimp it up? Could you glue it back on? **** replacement sounds like a Jeff Kopp topic... :D
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,029
Likes: 63
Re: Headlight motor porblems (Redbob45)
One more tip: take a look at my thread about headlight problem - you just might avoid one potential problem.
Here is a link: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zero...ply&id=4249381
ToniH :D
Here is a link: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zero...ply&id=4249381
ToniH :D
