Passanger Side Headlight
Thread Starter
O.C.
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,511
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From: Garden Grove Ca
Passanger Side Headlight
My passanger side headlight won't go up. How can I determine if it is the motor or the gear? And how do you fix either or? Would greatly appreciate some input.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 431
Likes: 5
From: Chico CA
I don't have my manual out, but can give you a guess. If you can turn the headlight manual ****, behind the assembly, and lower/raise the door, the gears are probably okay. If you turn it and nothing happens (and it takes a few turns to start moving things, so don't just turn it once or twice and call it dead), the gears are suspect. Also, turn the lights on (or have a helper turn them on) and watch for the **** to turn. If it doesn't, the motor is probably suspect. Or stand and listen to the motor.
Can be a ground problem, also. There's a ground splice pack just behind the headlight, on top of the frame rail. You may want to disassemble it and clean it. Bill Curlee has a great write-up on it.
Good luck. Hopefully someone with more information will chime in.
Can be a ground problem, also. There's a ground splice pack just behind the headlight, on top of the frame rail. You may want to disassemble it and clean it. Bill Curlee has a great write-up on it.
Good luck. Hopefully someone with more information will chime in.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 6
From: Louisville Kentucky
Thread Starter
O.C.
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 0
From: Garden Grove Ca
Okay, I lifted the lamp halfway and it worked no problem. When it goes down it seems to go past it's stop point. When I do it by hand it feels quite tight. turn it a couple of time it make a knuckle sound. From that point it works no problem until it goes back down.
Is there a way to adjust that stop point?
Is there a way to adjust that stop point?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 6
From: Louisville Kentucky
Okay, I lifted the lamp halfway and it worked no problem. When it goes down it seems to go past it's stop point. When I do it by hand it feels quite tight. turn it a couple of time it make a knuckle sound. From that point it works no problem until it goes back down.
Is there a way to adjust that stop point?
Is there a way to adjust that stop point?
Some people will adjust that gear 180 degrees so that the motor is using the half that is still good. I hate gerry-riggin' stuff so I just went ahead and replaced mine. Here's my thread about the experience.
Last edited by Junkman2008; Mar 26, 2008 at 12:53 AM.
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http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=984927
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Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 6
From: Louisville Kentucky
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 6
From: Louisville Kentucky
When you order the headlight gear kit, it will come with its own glue. Because of the material that the headlight motor case is made of, a lot of normally strong glues will not hold it together. The stuff that they send with the kit works like cement. Just make sure you pay detailed attention to what you're doing when it comes time to glue it back together. You don't have a lot of time to work once you mix up the glue. Practice putting the cover back on before you mix up the glue. Trust me, you'll thank me later!
Thread Starter
O.C.
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 0
From: Garden Grove Ca
Gotcha. I just ordered the gear. I am going to do the driver side as well so I will know it's done. I hope ( but doubt ) I get the gears by Friday. I will do a trial run and double check before I mix the cement.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 6
From: Louisville Kentucky
Good idea. Once you do one side, the other side will take half as long. Another thing I forgot to mention in my original thread is to take the time to lube your adjusting screws while you have the headlight out of the car. If you turn those things while they are seized up, you'll break the shaft. Here's a picture to better describe what I'm talking about:
That long gold rod is the vertical adjusting screw. You want to lube it real good where I am pointing to in the picture, and once it has soaked in, slowly give it a half turn back and forth to make sure that it is free. This way, if you have to do any adjustments after your done (you shouldn't have to at all), that assembly will freely turn. If you turn it without doing so, you'll break the shaft and the only fix is a new headlight at $700 a pop (unless you can find a used one).
That long gold rod is the vertical adjusting screw. You want to lube it real good where I am pointing to in the picture, and once it has soaked in, slowly give it a half turn back and forth to make sure that it is free. This way, if you have to do any adjustments after your done (you shouldn't have to at all), that assembly will freely turn. If you turn it without doing so, you'll break the shaft and the only fix is a new headlight at $700 a pop (unless you can find a used one).