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Quick headlight motor/gear question...

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Old Sep 20, 2009 | 07:28 AM
  #1  
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Default Quick headlight motor/gear question...

Last night my driver's side headlight started buzzing when it's closed (buzzes for about 20 seconds when I turn the lights off, then stops)... I read a little and discovered this is most likely the headlight gear going bad... which is fine... I can replace it, I know there's a DIY for it...

However...

The thing is, when I turn my parking lights on now the headlights come up (the lights don't come on, but the housings come up)... is this gear-related or is there another problem I need to take care of as well?

Thanks
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Old Sep 20, 2009 | 07:42 AM
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Nope, thats common. WHen the headlight gear goes and you put your Parking lights on, that happens.. Happened to me about a month ago. Not sure of the "mechanics" or the "electronics" of WHY this happens but when you replace the gear motor, everything will be back to normal

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Old Sep 20, 2009 | 07:43 AM
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Originally Posted by 4GTABODT
Nope, thats common. WHen the headlight gear goes and you put your Parking lights on, that happens.. Happened to me about a month ago. Not sure of the "mechanics" or the "electronics" of WHY this happens but when you replace the gear motor, everything will be back to normal
Got ya... maybe I'll take care of it today. I hope a&a or advance or wherever might have a headlight gear in stock... fat chance tho I'd bet.

Thanks
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Old Sep 20, 2009 | 12:13 PM
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Eckler's or Mid America.

There is a good post with pictures on how to do the rebuild. Run a search on the subject.
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Old Sep 20, 2009 | 12:36 PM
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Originally Posted by RideZX6R
Got ya... maybe I'll take care of it today. I hope a&a or advance or wherever might have a headlight gear in stock... fat chance tho I'd bet.

Thanks
Make sure when you replace it you get a brass or aluminum gear, You don't want plastic again.
http://www.rodneydickman.com/corvette.html



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Old Sep 20, 2009 | 01:14 PM
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The brent franker gear is a better choice. The design eliminates the rubber portion that wears out as well.
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Old Sep 21, 2009 | 02:32 AM
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Already bought the plastic on again... but it was all of 8 bucks so if it fails I'm not out that much money... just an hour of time.

However, the reason they fail evidently from what I read is because water gets in and my car is garaged for the most part so I think it'll be fine for a while.
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Old Sep 21, 2009 | 03:30 AM
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Originally Posted by RideZX6R
Already bought the plastic on again... but it was all of 8 bucks so if it fails I'm not out that much money... just an hour of time.

However, the reason they fail evidently from what I read is because water gets in and my car is garaged for the most part so I think it'll be fine for a while.
First time I heard it was from water, I helped change 2 some time ago and there was a lot of grease and no signs of water around the gear.
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Old Sep 21, 2009 | 07:58 AM
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Yeah I have to go with Bill on that notion. This is essentually the same motor system used in the C4 for 12 years and then 8 more for C5's and it's always related to the plastic gear they used. Many times the grease dries up and is just dry material in thre when they are disassembled. Both my C4's and C5 are garage kept and all them had the motors go out. If o ly one goes expect the other to go in a couple months. Just seems to work that way.
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Old Sep 21, 2009 | 03:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Jet-Jock
Yeah I have to go with Bill on that notion. This is essentually the same motor system used in the C4 for 12 years and then 8 more for C5's and it's always related to the plastic gear they used. Many times the grease dries up and is just dry material in thre when they are disassembled. Both my C4's and C5 are garage kept and all them had the motors go out. If o ly one goes expect the other to go in a couple months. Just seems to work that way.
Perhaps I shall order the metal ones then in the future and do it over the winter.
Thanks again guys!

Last edited by RideZX6R; Sep 21, 2009 at 03:37 PM.
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Old Sep 21, 2009 | 06:13 PM
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The part that sucks, this motor use to have screws to make it easier to disassemble for a rebuild, these used in the C5 you have to break apart and then epoxy them back together. So here's a big woot for GM engineers, not only did you leave your brains in the bathroom and could not come up with a different motor to drive the lamps but you went one step further and made it nearly impossible to rebuild them.

For that Chevy gets for stupidity.
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