Passenger Headlight Problem
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: Clovis California
Passenger Headlight Problem
I was hoping that someone here has had this problem, and that it didn't involve having to replace the motor. Anyway here's the problem. My passenger headlight seems to get stuck to where only the driver's side headlight pops up. I get out to manually loosen the ****, and it pops right up. Just seems that when I turn off the lights and they close, it closes too tightly. My question is whether or not it is possible to adjust the tightness of the **** so it doesn't close sooo tightly the motor can't open the light. Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: Clovis California
Anyone?
Only reason I ask is I don't want to buy the motor, install it, then find out that wasn't the issue (there's no return on electrical parts). Already had this happen once when I thought the harness was out, but then found out it was the switch.
Only reason I ask is I don't want to buy the motor, install it, then find out that wasn't the issue (there's no return on electrical parts). Already had this happen once when I thought the harness was out, but then found out it was the switch.
Last edited by C5Joe559; Oct 31, 2008 at 03:13 AM. Reason: No returns
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 504
Likes: 0
Could be the gear or the rubber bushing inside the gear that also is prone to failure. It isnt the motor. The gear gets worn and gets out of sequence and opens later slower makes noise. You need to disassemble before buying anything but it probably is the gear/bushing. Since they are a weak link you could/should buy replacement so your disassembly only needs to be done once. The headlights are really a weak part of the great C5
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: Clovis California
It does open after the driver side headlight. I'm just afraid of buying the kit then finding out that the motor is just weak. I'll buy the kit next weekend, and hope that solves my problem. Thanks for the info!!!
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
The gear is likely damaged and binding more when it closes. Mine did the exact same thing. Try this;
Pop the lights up.
disconnect the wiring harness for the motor - it's right beside it
turn lights off
remove the light surround
reach in there with a 10mm wrench and remove the nut holding the arm on the motor
turn the **** on the motor until the output has moved almost 180 degrees
reassemble everything
If it is a bad gear, turning it 180 degrees will put the bad spot to a different location and when it closes the gear will be good where the motor is driving. So, it should begin to work again.
I drove mine another 15k miles after doing the above. It was still working but I had the front end apart so I changed it anyways. In theory, it should last as long again as it worked the first time before acting up.
Peter
Pop the lights up.
disconnect the wiring harness for the motor - it's right beside it
turn lights off
remove the light surround
reach in there with a 10mm wrench and remove the nut holding the arm on the motor
turn the **** on the motor until the output has moved almost 180 degrees
reassemble everything
If it is a bad gear, turning it 180 degrees will put the bad spot to a different location and when it closes the gear will be good where the motor is driving. So, it should begin to work again.
I drove mine another 15k miles after doing the above. It was still working but I had the front end apart so I changed it anyways. In theory, it should last as long again as it worked the first time before acting up.
Peter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati OH
I recently had this problem after insataling a new brass gear. The headlight was way overtorqing itself. Here is what I did...
After lots of experimenting I found that if you stack washers around the pin inside the motor creating pressure against the gear it will not overtighten itself! If you do this right the bad headlight will popup erverytime but just not as fast as the other one. You will have to find a happy medium of pressure by adjusting the number of washers inside the gear, between the headlight popping up as fast as the other, and not popping up at all.
Let me know if you are confused. I have some pictures of what I did (somewhere???) as I was working with Brent Franker to solve the problem. I bought the gear from him and it didn't fit correctly in my motor but I used it anyway. I may have a slightly different motor in my 98 than many other C5 owners.
After lots of experimenting I found that if you stack washers around the pin inside the motor creating pressure against the gear it will not overtighten itself! If you do this right the bad headlight will popup erverytime but just not as fast as the other one. You will have to find a happy medium of pressure by adjusting the number of washers inside the gear, between the headlight popping up as fast as the other, and not popping up at all.
Let me know if you are confused. I have some pictures of what I did (somewhere???) as I was working with Brent Franker to solve the problem. I bought the gear from him and it didn't fit correctly in my motor but I used it anyway. I may have a slightly different motor in my 98 than many other C5 owners.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: Clovis California
The motor itself isn't different, but the way it's assembled is. The 97-99 has 3 screws that hold the case on, whereas the 00-04 it's just glued on.
Nevertheless, I got a pm about how the "stopper" or some nylon tabs might have broken. Apperantly they're the things that adjust how far the gear turns. I wish I was sent pictures, but I didn't bother asking. Maybe the tabs are broken which causes it to tighten up so much. If I learn anything, I'll be sure to post it. Until then, do you guys think I should still buy the rebuild kit? Or just wait to find out if it's something else?
Nevertheless, I got a pm about how the "stopper" or some nylon tabs might have broken. Apperantly they're the things that adjust how far the gear turns. I wish I was sent pictures, but I didn't bother asking. Maybe the tabs are broken which causes it to tighten up so much. If I learn anything, I'll be sure to post it. Until then, do you guys think I should still buy the rebuild kit? Or just wait to find out if it's something else?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati OH
Couldn't hurt to pull it apart and look at it. Here are pictures of mine disasembled.
Here are the stops and you see how they have been smashed by the overtorqing when the light closes.
My old plastic gear had a slot in this side for another plastic piece to fit into. The brass gear is machined flat. So I stacked washers on it to take up the extra space. These washers are what you use to create the pressure against the gear inside the case. As the pressure inside the case increases you will notice the **** will be harder to turn manually. This will keep the motor from overtorqing itself. I ended using more washers than in this pic.
I believe on most other gears these hooks are on the other side of the gear.
It is strange that you have this problem if you havn't messed with the motor or gear. I installed an improper gear in mine which is where my problem stemmed from. I would recommend dissambling it though. The job if fairly simple. Go out and buy the HID foglight conversion kit and install that why you have everything apart. You will love it! Thats what I did.
Here are the stops and you see how they have been smashed by the overtorqing when the light closes.
My old plastic gear had a slot in this side for another plastic piece to fit into. The brass gear is machined flat. So I stacked washers on it to take up the extra space. These washers are what you use to create the pressure against the gear inside the case. As the pressure inside the case increases you will notice the **** will be harder to turn manually. This will keep the motor from overtorqing itself. I ended using more washers than in this pic.
I believe on most other gears these hooks are on the other side of the gear.
It is strange that you have this problem if you havn't messed with the motor or gear. I installed an improper gear in mine which is where my problem stemmed from. I would recommend dissambling it though. The job if fairly simple. Go out and buy the HID foglight conversion kit and install that why you have everything apart. You will love it! Thats what I did.
Last edited by kevin40zx; Nov 3, 2008 at 05:35 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
The motor itself isn't different, but the way it's assembled is. The 97-99 has 3 screws that hold the case on, whereas the 00-04 it's just glued on.
Nevertheless, I got a pm about how the "stopper" or some nylon tabs might have broken. Apperantly they're the things that adjust how far the gear turns. I wish I was sent pictures, but I didn't bother asking. Maybe the tabs are broken which causes it to tighten up so much. If I learn anything, I'll be sure to post it. Until then, do you guys think I should still buy the rebuild kit? Or just wait to find out if it's something else?
Nevertheless, I got a pm about how the "stopper" or some nylon tabs might have broken. Apperantly they're the things that adjust how far the gear turns. I wish I was sent pictures, but I didn't bother asking. Maybe the tabs are broken which causes it to tighten up so much. If I learn anything, I'll be sure to post it. Until then, do you guys think I should still buy the rebuild kit? Or just wait to find out if it's something else?
The stoppers just set where the light stops, not the torque.
Oh well, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink...
Peter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati OH
Your post is a quick and easy way to stop the "machine gun" noise caused by a stripped gear. As far as I know this guy said nothing about the infamous grinding noise. And even with a stripped gear my headlight popped up every time. Its only when it goes down does it grind like crazy for like 20 sec. The fact that it goes up after losining the **** slightly points to overtorque as the problem. Mine did the exact same thing. It was a pain in the a$$.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
Did you read my first post?
Once again, mine acted EXACTLY THE SAME as the OP described. To make it even clearer, I took the motor apart and found damage on the gear. Not enough to slip but enough to jam up. I could pop the hood and turn the **** 1 turn and then the headlight would pop-up and re-close fine but not open again the next time.
Peter
Peter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati OH
Did you read my first post?
Once again, mine acted EXACTLY THE SAME as the OP described. To make it even clearer, I took the motor apart and found damage on the gear. Not enough to slip but enough to jam up. I could pop the hood and turn the **** 1 turn and then the headlight would pop-up and re-close fine but not open again the next time.
Peter
Once again, mine acted EXACTLY THE SAME as the OP described. To make it even clearer, I took the motor apart and found damage on the gear. Not enough to slip but enough to jam up. I could pop the hood and turn the **** 1 turn and then the headlight would pop-up and re-close fine but not open again the next time.
Peter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: Tampa Florida
I am going thru some problems with my lights as well. If you buy a new unit make sure you buy the same style . a 99 will not work in a 2000 the mounting bolt pattern is different. Also if you have the new style with the sonic welded cap not the cap w/ 3 screws(pre 2000), buy the rebuild kit with the modification that holds the reinstalled cover on with a brace. I cleaned mine really well and did a perfect job epoxying the cover on but it has fallen off and is gone, now I need a new motor.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: Clovis California
Couldn't hurt to pull it apart and look at it. Here are pictures of mine disasembled.
Here are the stops and you see how they have been smashed by the overtorqing when the light closes.
My old plastic gear had a slot in this side for another plastic piece to fit into. The brass gear is machined flat. So I stacked washers on it to take up the extra space. These washers are what you use to create the pressure against the gear inside the case. As the pressure inside the case increases you will notice the **** will be harder to turn manually. This will keep the motor from overtorqing itself. I ended using more washers than in this pic.
I believe on most other gears these hooks are on the other side of the gear.
It is strange that you have this problem if you havn't messed with the motor or gear. I installed an improper gear in mine which is where my problem stemmed from. I would recommend dissambling it though. The job if fairly simple. Go out and buy the HID foglight conversion kit and install that why you have everything apart. You will love it! Thats what I did.
Here are the stops and you see how they have been smashed by the overtorqing when the light closes.
My old plastic gear had a slot in this side for another plastic piece to fit into. The brass gear is machined flat. So I stacked washers on it to take up the extra space. These washers are what you use to create the pressure against the gear inside the case. As the pressure inside the case increases you will notice the **** will be harder to turn manually. This will keep the motor from overtorqing itself. I ended using more washers than in this pic.
I believe on most other gears these hooks are on the other side of the gear.
It is strange that you have this problem if you havn't messed with the motor or gear. I installed an improper gear in mine which is where my problem stemmed from. I would recommend dissambling it though. The job if fairly simple. Go out and buy the HID foglight conversion kit and install that why you have everything apart. You will love it! Thats what I did.
Cruising
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Did you finally fix the problem or find why the motor was over torquing? I'm having the same problem and the one stop insulator is badly dented. I manually turn the **** and the light opens when turned on, but just the once. I say a good thread about disassembly of the headlight and motor, but lost it, do you know who posted it?
