Headlight problem

[Justardnck]

I know I am new here and I hate to start out right away asking for help but tonight was the first time this has happened and I am unsure what would cause this. I have a 1992 and the right headlight didn't come up all the way tonight so I got out and checked it and it flops around looking for the lowest balance point. The electric motor works and all of the linkage is hooked up, the bushings look good and seem to be tight. Could this be the gears inside the motor? Can I buy a kit to repair them or do I need a new motor?


Thanks In advance for your comments and help.

 

[Justardnck]

The problem has been solved. Originally I pulled the motor apart and saw new bushing and thought that well those are ok so now what. I reinstalled the motor and adjusted the tension on it and found I still had the problem. I pulled the motor again and this time I put it under the microscope. I found that the disc under the bushings has a splinned and pressed on shaft. The splines were stripped so at this point I figured I was done and needed a new motor. Well I am not in a position to spend $350 on a motor during this time of year. I drilled the disc through the spline and installed a pin and ground the edges to clean them up. I reinstalled the motor and all is perfect. If anyone need me to elaborate I will do so at request. Just a little RedNeck enginering!

 

[SKIP780]

hot dang! this is the kind of stuff that i do. some may call it afro engineering but i call it resourseful. am glad to hear that there is someone out there like to me that will take a different aproach to the problem-that is not going out rite away and buying a replacement. and lets not even go into having some-one else fiddling with MY vette. thanks for a breath of fresh air. R/S Frank

 

[vetteboy86]

Thats wonderful. It is great to here stories like that. Never know what can happen when us determined vette owners wet out to solve a problem.

Good Luck
Craig

 

[Hrtbeat1]

Geterdone

Hey I'm intrested. I replaced both sets of bushings in mine and still had one occasionally do that. I replaced my lights with non-popup type but would like to know the fix if I decide to go back.


Thanks

 

[Justardnck]

Hey I'm intrested. I replaced both sets of bushings in mine and still had one occasionally do that. I replaced my lights with non-popup type but would like to know the fix if I decide to go back.


Thanks

When you r+r the motor and motor cover to replace the bushings there is a plastic gear. Remove the plastic gear to access the bushings, under the bushings is the pop metal or aluminum bushing retainer/plate with a steel shaft pressed into the retainer plate. My shaft was splined into the retainer plate. The splines in the aluminum plate strip out making the motor assembly worthless and unrepairable (repair parts are not sold outside of a new motor). Set your shaft in a vise and press your retainer plate onto the shaft to the point of where it belongs. Turn your retainer plate sideways in the vice and and drill a hole in the lowest part of the top of the plate and drill straight through the shaft and the plate. Use a drill bit slightly smaller than the pin (or what ever you want to use as a pin) you will be using. Once the hole is through the entire shaft and plate you will need to press the pin in place. When pin is in place use a dremel to smooth all edges nce and clean (if not you will prematurely wear out bushings). Reassemble the motor assembly and reinstall in the car and you are done. I wish I was able to take pictures so I could show you what I did step by step, but I wasn't able to. If someone has pictures of a bushing replacement in progress to share I will show you in the pictures.


Thanks for your Interest.

 

[Hrtbeat1]

Pretty good thinking. Thanks for sharing the fix.