headlight motor troubleshooting

[Aurora40]

Hey, so a friend's ZR-1 is doing the cyclops thing. The passenger side light doesn't go up intermittently.

But here is the odd part. It doesn't make any noise either, the motor doesn't spin or anything. Sometimes it will go up partway, though the motor sounds rough/clunky when doing so. And if you open it by hand, it will generally close when turned off.

I don't think that would be the bushings, as the motor generally spins away.

I put a voltmeter on the electrical connector to the motor (disconnected the motor to do this), and it spikes up for a second. It seems to do that every time, and does the same thing on the working driver's side. So that makes me think the controller is working properly, but that might be a lame way to troubleshoot it.

Thoughts?

[bldavis11]

... and there is no white dust indicative of worn out bushings? With all of the rotation that these things do I can easily picture everything sliding into place one time and fall out of sync after the headlamp has rotated down.

[xlr8nflorida]

... and there is no white dust indicative of worn out bushings? With all of the rotation that these things do I can easily picture everything sliding into place one time and fall out of sync after the headlamp has rotated down.

I'd crack that motor open and look at gears. I rarely have ever seen a motor go bad. That goes for my friend who is a mechanic too- he has been working on corvettes for like 30 years.

[bldavis11]

I'd crack that motor open and look at gears. I rarely have ever seen a motor go bad. That goes for my friend who is a mechanic too- he has been working on corvettes for like 30 years.
I can't speak with that kind of authority, but when I opened the motors to replace the bushing the gears themselves were in prestine condition. Everything looked mint except the bushings.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

I will have to agree that the motor has to be opened up. I had the exact same symptoms, but at first had working light and just a little bit of noise after closing. Then when one stopped opening there was no noise, but then worked again later with noise. I just happened to go through the rebuild last week to find this:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j86/hawaiizr1/DSC02913.jpg

I wondered how it even worked looking like this?

The other side was working fine but I thought not knowing the history I should just replace the bushings it while I'm at it to find this:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j86/hawaiizr1/DSC02916.jpg

It was like WTF, Batman! Full of blue grease and rounded off steel nuts.


http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j86/hawaiizr1/DSC02917.jpg

I had no idea or who or how long and even though they worked fine I did not like the idea of steel on plastic and replaced the bushing on this right side too. Everything is perfect now.

[xlr8nflorida]

I meant to say the Bushings first and then the gears.

What I am saying is that in the 12 years I have owned various Corvettes (mostly C4's and 1 C5) It is 90% of the time the bushings, 10% the gears and never the actual motor itself. As a matter of fact, all the C4 bushings have been replaced in my C4's probably done it 6 times or 3 full cars.
One time it was a gear too!

Your experiences might be different but my friend and mechanic said he has maybe replaced one motor in his life.

So crack it open and I think you will find a problem with the bushings, gears or possibly both but most likely not the motor itself.

The motor is pretty heavy duty.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

I meant to say the Bushings first and then the gears.

What I am saying is that in the 12 years I have owned various Corvettes (mostly C4's and 1 C5) It is 90% of the time the bushings, 10% the gears and never the actual motor itself. As a matter of fact, all the C4 bushings have been replaced in my C4's probably done it 6 times or 3 full cars.
One time it was a gear too!

Your experiences might be different but my friend and mechanic said he has maybe replaced one motor in his life.

So crack it open and I think you will find a problem with the bushings, gears or possibly both but most likely not the motor itself.

The motor is pretty heavy duty.

That is good news to hear about the motors as the gears and bushings are cheap and easy to replace. At least my gears were good and no issues. So how long can I expect to go with new bushing until needed them again? I know it depends on usage, but do you have an idea on an average?

Thanks,

Craig

[xlr8nflorida]

[QUOTE=HAWAIIZR-1;101450]That is good news to hear about the motors as the gears and bushings are cheap and easy to replace. At least my gears were good and no issues. So how long can I expect to go with new bushing until needed them again? I know it depends on usage, but do you have an idea on an average?

I don't think you will be doing them anytime soon.

I'd say easily 3-5 years but it depends on how often you use your headlights etc.

I've seen some go 100,000 miles.

Personally, I think it depends on wear and age of plastic etc rather then mileage because we all do mileage different.
Given 12,000 miles a year, many tend to go in the 50-100k range which is about 4-8 years.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

[QUOTE=HAWAIIZR-1;101450]That is good news to hear about the motors as the gears and bushings are cheap and easy to replace. At least my gears were good and no issues. So how long can I expect to go with new bushing until needed them again? I know it depends on usage, but do you have an idea on an average?

I don't think you will be doing them anytime soon.

I'd say easily 3-5 years but it depends on how often you use your headlights etc.

I've seen some go 100,000 miles.

Personally, I think it depends on wear and age of plastic etc rather then mileage because we all do mileage different.
Given 12,000 miles a year, many tend to go in the 50-100k range which is about 4-8 years.

Okay, thanks. I ended up just buying these from Ebay and I know it would have been easy to just go to hardware like Lowe's or Home Depot to get the material and cut to make, but easier for me to just have in my mailbox.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CORVETTE-HEADLIGHT-MOTOR-REPLACEMENT-BUSHINGS-1988-96-/160429939702?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item255a5e9bf6

[USAFPILOT]

the bushing in mine are solid nylon now and the gear is brass. I used a kit from mid america and it works great. you may have to sand down the bushing but I just pressed mine in. I wonder how long they will last because they are really tight, but all they do is center the shaft. Nothing inside the gear actually spins.

[bldavis11]

you'll be good for quite some time! I ordered my bushing from Mid America as well. Tight fit!!

[Aurora40]

I am aware bushings go bad. However, I've never seen that happen where the motor didn't run at all. Rather it would run and not move the housing, or it would sort of rock the housing as it failed to move it.

So has anyone had this same behavior happening, or are you just saying "change the bushings" because they are known to go bad? Don't take it the wrong way, I appreciate the responses, but I'm not asking "what can go bad in headlights?". I'm asking if anyone has seen this particular behavior, or if anyone has ideas on how to troubleshoot it.

[GOLDCYLON]

Bob its got to be the bushings or the motor may have bound. Either way the motor is going to have to be opened up to determine what has happened. My money would be on the bushings as well

[GOLDCYLON]

I will have to agree that the motor has to be opened up. I had the exact same symptoms, but at first had working light and just a little bit of noise after closing. Then when one stopped opening there was no noise, but then worked again later with noise. I just happened to go through the rebuild last week to find this:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j86/hawaiizr1/DSC02913.jpg

I wondered how it even worked looking like this?

The other side was working fine but I thought not knowing the history I should just replace the bushings it while I'm at it to find this:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j86/hawaiizr1/DSC02916.jpg

It was like WTF, Batman! Full of blue grease and rounded off steel nuts.


http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j86/hawaiizr1/DSC02917.jpg

I had no idea or who or how long and even though they worked fine I did not like the idea of steel on plastic and replaced the bushing on this right side too. Everything is perfect now.


The Hillbilly's have moved to Hawaii Craig :razz:

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Bob,

As I stated, but did not articulate too well I had the exact symptoms where it did not work and no motor noise at all when it last failed. Not saying it is bushings but mine started with motor noise continuing after opening and closing, then not working at all with no motor noise.

Daryll,

Well, based on CARFAX.........my Z history started out in IL and moved to FL then I bought it from FL, so the hillbillies came from one those areas based on prior ownership. Neither one will claim they have hillbillies.:dontknow::D

[xlr8nflorida]

I'm saying replace the guts and I bet your motor is just fine.

[GOLDCYLON]

Hmm im hearing Banjos from Florida and Illionis LOL ;)

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Hmm im hearing Banjos from Florida and Illionis LOL ;)

Daryll,

You peaked my interest so I had to look at my old docs. The only known owners I tried to track down is Chris Molenda from Palatine, IL and Seth Morris from Palm Harbor, FL. Other registration shows Odessa, FL but some of the old timers may know the names.