headlight motors
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,939
Likes: 14
From: Baltimore Md.
headlight motors
Just passing on some info. Just had my left HL motor replaced and now my chrome cover for it won't fit. Apparently, GM had so many problems with those motors that they changed the design; now the aftermarket vendors need to create a new cover. Just wanted to let everyone know and hope this isn't old news.
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Just passing on some info. Just had my left HL motor replaced and now my chrome cover for it won't fit. Apparently, GM had so many problems with those motors that they changed the design; now the aftermarket vendors need to create a new cover. Just wanted to let everyone know and hope this isn't old news.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,554
Likes: 3
From: pasadena in the great state of TEXAS
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
after i changed my gears my lights may or may not come up, most of the time they will not come up. i don't know if it is an alignment issue or what. does anyone have a pic of the area where the motor and are connect together or the position on the are on the stops? if i can't figure it out then i will be off to the stealership cause it is very embarrassing to have to get out and open them manually.:o....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,724
Likes: 2
From: Holland Landing Ontario
after i changed my gears my lights may or may not come up, most of the time they will not come up. i don't know if it is an alignment issue or what. does anyone have a pic of the area where the motor and are connect together or the position on the are on the stops? if i can't figure it out then i will be off to the stealership cause it is very embarrassing to have to get out and open them manually.:o....
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,554
Likes: 3
From: pasadena in the great state of TEXAS
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Same thing happend to mine. Upon inspection, I found that the end plate that you epoxy back on did not hold. I pulled it out, reglued it and then put 3 wire ties around it. The ties are slightly visible, but the light works perfect now. Some day I will replace the white ties with black ones.
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Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 577
Likes: 6
From: The Woodlands Texas
Take three washers and slightly bend one side down on each washer, place the bolts through the washers and align the bent part of the washer over the cover of the motor, tighten your bolts down on the cover and notice the wonderful way the washers hold the the motor cover in place. Did this procedure on both of my motors and it works fine!
Racer
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 269
Likes: 9
From: Greensboro NC
Take three washers and slightly bend one side down on each washer, place the bolts through the washers and align the bent part of the washer over the cover of the motor, tighten your bolts down on the cover and notice the wonderful way the washers hold the the motor cover in place. Did this procedure on both of my motors and it works fine!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,939
Likes: 14
From: Baltimore Md.
HI Tim, I didn't know you could replace the gears. Are we talking about the same thing. My mechanic never said anything about replacing any gears;I'll have to ask him.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,554
Likes: 3
From: pasadena in the great state of TEXAS
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
yes you can replace the weak plastic gears with hardened aluminuim or brass. alot of people have had good luck doing it. mine work fine when they work with the new gears. you can replace both gears for ~ $80
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 6
From: hagerstown md
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
If he replaces the gears, then he will never see you again for another motor.
According to Rodney Dickman(THE man when it comes to the GM headlight motor) the motor design is dam near bullett proof. He has only ever seen 3 motors fail out of tens of thousands. The flaw is the plastic gears. Over time, the teeth break off due to stress being applied as the motor tries to continue to turn for a moment when it hits the stops. Replacing the gears with brass, or aluminum, ones makes for a permanent fix.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,939
Likes: 14
From: Baltimore Md.
Either he doesn't know you can replace the gears, or he screwed you Doug. I'd guess the latter.
If he replaces the gears, then he will never see you again for another motor.
According to Rodney Dickman(THE man when it comes to the GM headlight motor) the motor design is dam near bullett proof. He has only ever seen 3 motors fail out of tens of thousands. The flaw is the plastic gears. Over time, the teeth break off due to stress being applied as the motor tries to continue to turn for a moment when it hits the stops. Replacing the gears with brass, or aluminum, ones makes for a permanent fix.
If he replaces the gears, then he will never see you again for another motor.
According to Rodney Dickman(THE man when it comes to the GM headlight motor) the motor design is dam near bullett proof. He has only ever seen 3 motors fail out of tens of thousands. The flaw is the plastic gears. Over time, the teeth break off due to stress being applied as the motor tries to continue to turn for a moment when it hits the stops. Replacing the gears with brass, or aluminum, ones makes for a permanent fix.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 6
From: hagerstown md
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
The mechanic is a club member and friend but I will ask him about changing gears. He also said that it is a fairly frequent problem and just replaced one recently. That is why GM changed the design which is quite different in size from the old one and my chrome cover won't fit.
They did the same thing in the mid 80's, again in the 90's, and once again when they changed the Corvette/Trans-Am/Firebird headlight motors.
