Jammed headlight
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: LOMITA CA
Jammed headlight
One side functions properly. The other stays down unless i turn off the ign and give the manual screw a few turns up or down. I restart and then she goes up. I have to adj the screw every time i start the car to get it up. Any ideas?
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
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ideas?? yeah its Fd up 
try flipping the beige stops over....sometimes they get an indention in them and the light travels down farther than normal and won't pop back up....otherwise sounds like you have the start of a bad gear issue..
try flipping the beige stops over....sometimes they get an indention in them and the light travels down farther than normal and won't pop back up....otherwise sounds like you have the start of a bad gear issue..
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 174,312
Likes: 1,217
From: Here
Pilot of Beer Force 1
Tampa Regional Coordinator
CI 4-5-6-7-8 Veteran
Organizer St. Jude Fundraiser
I believe in the Beer Fairy
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,497
Likes: 7,176
From: CT
Solution::
I had ordered my replacement gear from Ecklers. They sent me the wrong version 3 times and have yet to refund me for one of them despite nearly a dozen customer contacts. Don't use them.
You can order the gears here: Rodney Dickman
Taking the headlight assembly out to replace the gear is pretty easy. You need a Philips screwdriver, a T15 or so torx, and iirc an 8mm socket or small wrench along with a 10mm for the motor itself.
Replacing the gears in the motors is dead simple and took just a few minutes. Removing and reinstalling the headlights takes about 10 minutes if you've done it before, or maybe 25 each taking your time.
If you're in there, it's a good opportunity to replace your bulbs.
I had ordered my replacement gear from Ecklers. They sent me the wrong version 3 times and have yet to refund me for one of them despite nearly a dozen customer contacts. Don't use them.
You can order the gears here: Rodney Dickman
Taking the headlight assembly out to replace the gear is pretty easy. You need a Philips screwdriver, a T15 or so torx, and iirc an 8mm socket or small wrench along with a 10mm for the motor itself.
Replacing the gears in the motors is dead simple and took just a few minutes. Removing and reinstalling the headlights takes about 10 minutes if you've done it before, or maybe 25 each taking your time.
If you're in there, it's a good opportunity to replace your bulbs.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,561
Likes: 1
From: Oakland Ca
St. Jude Donor '09
Solution::
I had ordered my replacement gear from Ecklers. They sent me the wrong version 3 times and have yet to refund me for one of them despite nearly a dozen customer contacts. Don't use them.
You can order the gears here: Rodney Dickman
Taking the headlight assembly out to replace the gear is pretty easy. You need a Philips screwdriver, a T15 or so torx, and iirc an 8mm socket or small wrench along with a 10mm for the motor itself.
Replacing the gears in the motors is dead simple and took just a few minutes. Removing and reinstalling the headlights takes about 10 minutes if you've done it before, or maybe 25 each taking your time.
If you're in there, it's a good opportunity to replace your bulbs.
I had ordered my replacement gear from Ecklers. They sent me the wrong version 3 times and have yet to refund me for one of them despite nearly a dozen customer contacts. Don't use them.
You can order the gears here: Rodney Dickman
Taking the headlight assembly out to replace the gear is pretty easy. You need a Philips screwdriver, a T15 or so torx, and iirc an 8mm socket or small wrench along with a 10mm for the motor itself.
Replacing the gears in the motors is dead simple and took just a few minutes. Removing and reinstalling the headlights takes about 10 minutes if you've done it before, or maybe 25 each taking your time.
If you're in there, it's a good opportunity to replace your bulbs.
I was about to order from Ecklers. My gears where making that awful noise when I close the headlights. I have the older headlight motors (98) so I don't have to do the "glue" method.
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,497
Likes: 7,176
From: CT
I found that I was quite happy to have my 99 for the exact same reason. Simply replace the gears and spin the screws down in order. No wait, no mess. Just toss them back in the car and away you go. 
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Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,497
Likes: 7,176
From: CT
That would be a LOT of work to hope that a jury rig might work. If the gear is stripped, rotating the motor will help nothing when the stripped section gets back to the screw and it stops again.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
It should take you about 15 minutes to do. That's how I tested mine, it worked for the rest of the summer before I changed the gear over the winter and I have a Canadian car that automatically turns the lights on any time the sun isn't out.