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@$&€ing headlight motor!!

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Boxin' Robin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Boxin' Robin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: @$&€ing headlight motor!!
    Posted: 06 March 2011 at 10:07pm
Okay, long story short...my headlight motor (86 GT) was spinning
endlessly by itself a few months ago. So I figured the gear must have
been stripped and promtly disconnected the blue wire. Today I got a
rebuild kit from Rodney and tried to do it with a friend (a car guy).

Well, over FIVE HOURS later we managed to follow all instructions
and put everything back in. And guess what? Now it would not spin at
all! Sounds like the motor is trying to turn but perhaps stuck. Is this
because the inside of the motor halves (the gears) did not line up
properly when we put them back together? Or the motor is fried? Or I
should just leave it and keep the darn lights up permanently?

So frustrating!! Five hours man...five hours :(
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Romeo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Romeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 1:00am
Well, one could figure out if it's gears or motors by trying to hand crank it up. If it cranks by hand, its the motor. If not, it's the gears. Also, if the motor is caught off-brush, it may not try to turn, although that seems unlikely.
Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 1:01am

Originally posted by Boxin' Robin Boxin' Robin wrote:

...my headlight motor (86 GT) was spinning endlessly by itself a few months ago.

Now it would not spin at all!

Well, at least it's not spinning endlessly anymore.

Yeah, those headlight motors can be a real pain. On my '84 I've got one headlight that is hesitant to go up, and the other headlight is hesitant to go down. For awhile I was just leaving them both up most of the time, as I didn't want my Fiero to have the "blink" look going for it.

Recently however, I've found if I flick the switch enough times, I can get both headlights to cooperate and go up and down. It's just a matter of time I realize before my luck runs out and I'm forced to tear into them (unless it's actually the relays which are acting up).

 

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Boxin' Robin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Boxin' Robin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 6:38am
So I tried cranking the knob by hand. It is very VERY stiff now and the headlight barely move (if at all). Does this definitely mean the gears are not meshing properly inside the motor? Should I open it up and try to line things up again?

I'm sure it won't take five hours this time! Perhaps 2-3 hours haha
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Romeo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Romeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 10:13am
Sounds like there's interference somewhere, be it in the gears, or between the brushes and motor. Best bet would be just to pull it apart (Again) and check everything. Any excessive wear or gouging will be the indicator of where things are too tight.
Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 12:03pm

Originally posted by Boxin' Robin Boxin' Robin wrote:

So I tried cranking the knob by hand. It is very VERY stiff now and the headlight barely move (if at all).

That motor is geared down a lot, so yes, it takes quite a bit of turning to get the headlight to move. However, the knob should turn freely.

Take it apart Robin, you've got something binding in there!

 

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Dawg View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Dawg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 1:45pm
Yes and this time, test it before you put it all back together.

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Post Options Post Options   Quote Boxin' Robin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 1:51pm
The rematch will commence immediately! I refuse to keep losing both in and out of the ring! Will try my best to get the car all prepped up for this Saturday's meeting!
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 3:14pm

Originally posted by Boxin' Robin Boxin' Robin wrote:

The rematch will commence immediately!

Don't take too many head shots in the process!

[EDIT] Or maybe I should've said... Don't get your headlights punched out.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Quote Capt Fiero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 3:58pm
If all else fails take it to Dr. Fiero in north Delta, he rebuilt my 85GT headlight motors for me, I think it took him 15mins start to finish on each motor.  (not including removal from the car as I did that. However that should only take about 20 mins per side.)
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Boxin' Robin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 4:18pm
Originally posted by Patrick Patrick wrote:

Originally posted by Boxin' Robin Boxin' Robin wrote:

The rematch will commence immediately!


Don't take too many head shots in the process!


[EDIT] Or maybe I should've said... Don't get your headlights punched out.


 



Well if you count the beer, I took roughly 3 head shots last night while working on the motor. Maybe that's why it took 5 hours with no success

And actually the headlight was already punched out by someone or something. It now has a brown band-aid covering the hole
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Dawg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 6:02pm
Cross cross undercut....
You dream it up....I'll make it
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 7:20pm

Jab jab roundhouse....

 

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Post Options Post Options   Quote Romeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2011 at 11:54pm

Feint feint CHUCK NORRIS.

?

Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Boxin' Robin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 March 2011 at 7:22pm
Good news!!! The headlight received a knock-out blow! It is now
working perfectly! Thanks to you all who recommended taking it apart
and doing it all over again. I guess I didn't line everything up properly
before I shut the two halves the first time around.

This time it only took about 1.5 hour from start to finish. This comes
from a guy who didn't even know how to properly check the oil half a
year ago! You guys gotta be proud of me
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 March 2011 at 7:42pm

Originally posted by Boxin' Robin Boxin' Robin wrote:

This time it only took about 1.5 hour from start to finish.

I betcha this time was minus the brewskis.

Ya ya, we're proud of you!

 

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Post Options Post Options   Quote Bassman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 March 2011 at 8:01pm
Good job...I do have a Dickman brass headlight motor gear for that one day I'll have to rebuild...lol
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Boxin' Robin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 March 2011 at 8:41pm
Originally posted by Patrick Patrick wrote:


I betcha this time was minus the brewskis.


 


One Canadian to get started. And one Canadian to celebrate
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 March 2011 at 8:53pm

Originally posted by Boxin' Robin Boxin' Robin wrote:

One Canadian to get started. And one Canadian to celebrate.

Gotta love a patriot!

 

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Post Options Post Options   Quote kharmata Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 March 2011 at 9:17pm
Originally posted by Bassman Bassman wrote:

Good job...I do have a Dickman brass headlight
motor gear for that one day I'll have to rebuild...lol

Are these still available? How much $ thanks. Found em. $35 for
each motor. Aluminum gear should be better than nylon(plastic) i think.  More info on plastic replacement here =   http://www.westcoastfieros.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?FID=1&a mp;a mp;TID=2361&PN=1&get=last
Cheers
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