I have a couple of headlight problems. Can you help me out?

1. The headlights work only every now and then. Previously I only had to wait for a while for the lights to pop up, now it's like they pop up once a week. I think the motors work just fine.

2. The driver side lamp is too low. When I turn the lights off, the driver side light actually goes so low that it gets stuck under the front bumper and makes a nasty popping sound when I raise the lights. How can I adjust this?

 

You need to repair the headlight actuators with a headlight repair kit. The bushings inside the gear are broken and need to be replaced.

Lon

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/Bod...ght-repair-kit

 

There are two adjusters on the h/l, one in the center and one on the outside depending on what side it is. Also there are 3 small adjusters on the back side of the h/l bracket that can adjust up or down. Might be your problem. Or worse case there are 2 mounting brackets yu might have to play w to readjust. I completely disassembled mine and I'm rebuilding them w new parts and re painting them so i tore mine completely down.

 

If you look closely in this pic you see a small white adjuster. There are 3 of these in the h/l assy that you can adjust. But to get them you have to take the 6 torx screws out and take the h/l cover off.

 

This picture shows the adjusters on the top of the center and the one on the side.

 

The two brackets in this picture are the ones that move the h/l side to side and top to bottom and might also be your culprit. Good luck! Hope you fix your issue!

 

Thanks guys!

Considering this repair kit
http://www.top-downsolutions.com/Bod...ght-repair-kit

Do you know if it works for '86 firebirds as well? It says '87 onwards.

 

The TDS 207280 or TDS 209280 kit are made to repair the 87-92 2-wire motors. If yours is a 1986 model year it should have 3-motors. There is a headlight repair kit available IF your motor has the diagonal-cut gears. You won't know that until you drill the rivets and open the motor. Some Firebirds came with straight-cut gears. Fieros have the diagonal-cut gears inside their 3-wire motor, so if you discover yours has the straight-cut internal gears you could swap them for the diagonal-cut gears from a Fiero, then use the repair kit.

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/Bod...-firebirdfiero

Another option is to swap the entire wiring (including headlight control module) and 2-wire motors from a 87-89 or 90-92 Firebird. The 2-wire motor was a vast improvement over the 3-wire motors used previously. Personally I'd swap the 90-92 style since the modules from any 90-2002 model year will work. 87-89 modules are a lot harder to get considering they were used for just 3 model years.

Lon Salgren

PS: If you add your car year and model info to your profile it will help those answering your question.

 

Thank you, Lon.

Is there any quick fix I could do right now, like turning the gear 180 degrees so the worn side is not in effect anymore?
I've heard people doing something like this on newer Firebirds.

 

Turning the gear only works on 4th gen Firebirds and only briefly. In your case the quick fix is a trip to your local pick-a-part yard and hope they have a 82-86 Firebird or 86 of older Fiero and pull the motor from that car. Buy the warranty in case it too is a bad.

Lon