Head Light Sticks -- Need Assistance

[NevadaJim]

I've read several threads lately concerning head lights. Most of them address the motor spinning, but the light(s) not coming up or not going back down.

Here's my problem: Over the last couple of weeks, every once in a while when I turn on my lights, the driver's side remains down. I pop the hood, get out and turn the gray knob on the actuator/motor a couple of turns and it pops right up. Then it works fine for a while.

When it's been stuck, I've had my wife turn them on and off while I've listened -- no motor sound on the stuck side.

Is this another sign of the bushings going bad or something else?

 

[taegdh]

You got that straight, you might want to clean up the gears and apply something like a thin film of lubriplate to them, but that is a sign that the motors or the gears are getting ready to give up the ghost.

Replacement gears are available from most of the aftermarket purveyors, and you can replace the plastic with bronze. I seem to remember them selling for about $50.

I also recall in a recent VETTE reading about converting the actuators over to the newer model which was supposed to be lighter and more reliable. I seem to recall them saying about $240 or so for that.

Lots of Luck on the repair, any which way you go.

 

[JonM]

http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2001/december/headlights/head1.asp

 

[tyrel]

It is almost certainly the bushings, a cheap $10.00 fix and a couple of hours of your time, and the new bushings will last much much longer than the old ones, which are most likely turning to powder inside their safe little cubbyholes. Deteriorating headlight bushings are something that needs to be addressed on any aging C4.

 

[1995 RedVette]

I had an 87 before I bought my 95, and I had a similar problem. The solution was quite simple. On the driver side finder well (side toward the nose of the car) is a gray box that covers the three headlight relays. One is the power relay for the driver light, one is for the passenger, and the other is the isolation relay. For about $30.00 you can replace all three. Just a note. The power relays are easy to find at the local parts shop, however, you may have some trouble finding the isolation relay. When I bought my set last year, it wasn't even in the parts computer. The store clerk had to look the part number up in a paper catalog. That said, be sure to get the part numbers off of the relays before you go to the parts store. It will save you some time.

Brett

 

[onedef92]

I'll lay odds its your bushings. Go to Home Depot and ask for item number 595609. You will need six of these nylon spacers to repair both headlights. They cost me .69 cents (plus tax) for a pack of three at my local Home Depot store.

Much cheaper than the $7.99 price in MAD, Eckler's and some of the other specialty catalogs and they are the exact same Delrin spacers. Go figure.

If there's a TechTips portal on this Forum search under "headlight bushings." If not, let me know and I'll see if I can get you a copy of the instructions I used when I replaced mine a couple of months ago.

 

[behnevette]

I'll lay odds its your bushings. Go to Home Depot and ask for item number 595609. You will need six of these nylon spacers to repair both headlights. They cost me .69 cents (plus tax) for a pack of three at my local Home Depot store.

Much cheaper than the $7.99 price in MAD, Eckler's and some of the other specialty catalogs and they are the exact same Delrin spacers. Go figure.

If there's a TechTips portal on this Forum search under "headlight bushings." If not, let me know and I'll see if I can get you a copy of the instructions I used when I replaced mine a couple of months ago.

Do not buy the ones from Home Depot! They are not the right size, and you'll be rebuilding your motors again very soon!! I found this out the hard way!! Spend the extra few bucks and fix it right!!!!!!

 

[Vis Croceus]

Do not buy the ones from Home Depot! They are not the right size, and you'll be rebuilding your motors again very soon!! I found this out the hard way!! Spend the extra few bucks and fix it right!!!!!!

Dude. Get back on the meds now.