ok, i just bought a 90 firebird and neither of the headlights come up. I have not diagnosed whether the switch is the problem or not. But i woul dlike as much info regarding the system as poss. I know the headlight motors are trash, but do the motors burn up or do the gears strip like the 4th gen? If they strip, does any1 know if and where you can buy better replacements. I want to fix this right the first time and be done. 2ndly, is there 1 relay for both lights or 2 relays, one for each? any help you guys can provide is much appreciated. I spent 4 hours on the web today and havent had much luck finding info on the gears. I did read somewhere about a composite housing with replaceable lightbulb like most newer cars have gone too. Any info on that?

Thank you for the help. AirmanWhite

The gears do sttrip out on the 3rd Gen headlight motors. Repair kits are available, check out Top Down Solutions (one of our sponsors - look up on top).

If you switch the lights on (reach in through the window so you can run up to the front and hear real good), do you either either motor running? If the hood is up, can you see the little shaft coming out of the top of the motors turning? If not, could just be the relay....

There are headlight conversions - I've tried them - and I went back to the Silverstar sealed beams. Still nice and bright and a lot less trouble. Wiring haness needs to be upgraded fro teh conversions to really work right. Plus mine collected water and blew the bilbs whenever it rained very much. YMMV, of course.


- Vern

thanks for the reply. Im just trying to get ahead of the game here if poss. Porb gonna out new motors in it to be safe anyway, but would like to put metal gears in at the same time if poss.

AW

Zilch on the metal gears. Even the repair kits for our third gens are nylon gears. But do the checks I mentioned. Could be that the motors aren't running at all which could just be a relay or power supply problem. Good Luck!