Flip-up Headlights

[CharlesBrown]

Is it posible for a flip-up head light to get "out of phase?." I.e., after a repair of the right side headlight motor, when lights are turned on, the repaired light comes up several seconds after the opposite light. Both go down at about the same time however the repaired motor will continue to run ...again for only a few seconds.

 

[boomdriver]

Is it posible for a flip-up head light to get "out of phase?." I.e., after a repair of the right side headlight motor, when lights are turned on, the repaired light comes up several seconds after the opposite light. Both go down at about the same time however the repaired motor will continue to run ...again for only a few seconds.

short answer...YES to D..all the above.

For clarity, 'out of phase' means that one goes UP while the other goes down. 180 degree out of phase.

Run-on....

you have to understand exactly how the motor works...

inside the motor shell are sets of breaker points that tell the relay when the motor has hit the end of its travel...door open or closed. If those points are the lease bit out of adjustment the relay continues to power the motor until it struggles to trip the breaker (glass bulb) or until the relay over heats. Sometimes the system is damaged by the build-up of resistence from a motor that cannot turn.

You have to disassemble the motor and adjust the points/contacts. The easier it is for them to break, better for the motor. These work by the motor shaft torque pulling the shaft one way or the other. That trips a lever that breaks the contacts.
The correct slot for the shaft spring is absolutely critical for proper operation...this is the most common mistake...not getting the spring plate in the right slot,.

The real fix is to upgrade to 89 & up motors. Takes some harness mods, finding a control module but there are a doz write ups on this.

 

[CharlesBrown]

Thanks for the prompt reply. However, when the motor was repaired only the cover from the worm and wheel assembly was dissembled (replacing the plastic dowels) motor remained in tact? I was further hoping this might be cured by making some adjustment to the assembly using the emergency knob on top of the motor.

 

[boomdriver]

Thanks for the prompt reply. However, when the motor was repaired only the cover from the worm and wheel assembly was dissembled (replacing the plastic dowels) motor remained in tact? I was further hoping this might be cured by making some adjustment to the assembly using the emergency knob on top of the motor.

if you had the delron dowels (3) in your motor you already have the upgraded drive that I was refering to. It may have been 88 that it changed...not sure.

Yous is completely managed by the control module.

 

[roger longman]

Hi Boom, Yes, my '88 has the dowels. I took the motor apart to replace them, not wishing to file the gear. A little tedious the first time, I admit. Hi CharlesBrown, I had been opening the headlights by hand, prior to the repair and, just make sure to note the position before removing the motor, then reinstalled with everything in the same position. They work fine. Possibly your's was slightly out of sync ?.......Roger.

 

[boomdriver]

Hi Boom, Yes, my '88 has the dowels. I took the motor apart to replace them, not wishing to file the gear. A little tedious the first time, I admit. Hi CharlesBrown, I had been opening the headlights by hand, prior to the repair and, just made sure to note the position before removing the motor, then reinstalled with everything in the same position. They work fine. Possibly your's was slightly out of sync ?.......Roger.

My first C4 back around '88 had a failed door motor and I was also opening the things by hand....completely unwilling to leave them UP cause it just wasn't very cool...

What was so damned aggrevating was the motor would be dead as a door-nail and I'd stand there for 10 minutes spinning that knob getting the door to open fully before my fingers cramped up...then the thing would wake up and spin like mad for 1 second and close itself !

That is what motivated me to get it fixed and the price of the shop doing the job is why/how I learned that particular task..