Headlight Motor Spinning but not grabbing
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Headlight Motor Spinning but not grabbing
Bave an 89 trans am... Having some trouble with the headlight motor. When I flip the switch the headlights sometimes pop up and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes it will get stuck half way. It’s only one of them by the way. I noticed that the top of the motor is spinning very fast and keep spinning long after the working one stops. To me it almost seems like something in the motor isn’t grabbing whatever mechanism nonnects to the headlight to make it go up and down. Any idea what’s causing this and how I can fix it?
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,812
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From: Central NJ
Car: 86 Trans Am
Engine: 408 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser full floater m9, 3:70 trutrac
Re: Headlight Motor Spinning but not grabbing
There are 3 little plastic pucks which drive the gears in the motor. They break and turn to dust and everything spins. TDS makes some nice repair kits to solve that problem.
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,812
Likes: 110
From: Central NJ
Car: 86 Trans Am
Engine: 408 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser full floater m9, 3:70 trutrac
Re: Headlight Motor Spinning but not grabbing
Top Down solutions. The owner Lon is a sponcer here
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From: Hollywood, FL
Car: '88 Black GTA, T-tops, digital dash
Engine: 5.7 TPI w/custom chip
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 327 posi
Re: Headlight Motor Spinning but not grabbing
Those kits work great. I repaired mine years ago with TDS kits and I also rebuilt the hatch pull down motor with their kit and they still work fine.
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Re: Headlight Motor Spinning but not grabbing
Excellent, thanks for the help. I have seen other threads talking about the plastic gear in the motor. If I am going to be taking it apart does it make sense to just change that gear with a brass one at the same time?
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Joined: Aug 2013
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From: MICHIGAN
Car: 1988 Trans Am
Engine: L03
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 2.73 Open
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From: NYC
Car: 1982 Recaro TA, 1989 TTA#948
Re: Headlight Motor Spinning but not grabbing
Your gears should be fine. Those 3 plastic pieces turn to dust and they are what is locking the gear to the output shaft.
Last edited by 82tarecaro; May 12, 2018 at 12:17 PM.
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Re: Headlight Motor Spinning but not grabbing
Just a follow up in case anyone else ever refers to this post for the same issue. I am far from a mechanic and with the kit from TDS (and a little youtube help ) I was able to do the entire repair in about 30-45 minutes.
Re: Headlight Motor Spinning but not grabbing
Not a bad video, but I'd say it's easier to go under the car, and remove the lower bolts between the lower bracket and the radiator support. Reason being that there's less adjustment between the bracket and the body, than between the headlight bucket and the bracket. Makes it easier to realign when it goes back together.
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