Hi All,

The headlights on my '87 Formula 350 seem to be stuck down.
When I press the headlight button, the headlights come on, the motors spin, but the housings don't go up.

I've tried manually turning the ***** to raise them, no go.
I've tried pulling up on the headlights, but they don't budge.
I've tried pulling up on the headlights when the motors are active, and when I'm just manually turning the *****.

Any suggestions as to why they're not moving?

 

Rebuild the headlight motors, the clutch pellets have turned to Parmesan Cheese.

 

So even with the gears turned to dust I cant manually lift the headlights? Do you think I just need the replacement gears or will the full rebuild kit be requied?

 

Well... The motors turn a worm gear attached to the end of the armature, the worm gear drives a round gear attached with plastic pellet bushings to the arm that lifts the headlight. Turning the manual **** just turns the armature. The worm gear can turn till the cows come home, either by hand or angry pixies, when the pellets are turned into powder, the powder can't bear between the plastic gear and the shaft attached to the arm that lifts the motor.

The pellets are cheap and can be found all over Ebay or any of the restoration/specialty houses that deal with Firebirds, Corvettes, Fieros, etc. You could even get super sneaky and cut chunks off a wooden dowel, or pieces of hot glue stick, but really I think I paid $8 on ebay for a set of Delrin bushings machined to fit exactly. One set of 6 bushings does both motors. Takes longer to get the motor out, then it takes to replace the bushings.

 

I have the exact same problem. Question: how to replace motor or bushings when headlights stuck in down position? Everywhere I look the assumption is you are starting work with headlight up!

 

So I've now fixed mine, I used TDS's rebuild kit for gaskets/bushings, and that fixed them right up. Best thing I can advise is to take the whole assembly out first (2 bolts up top, 2 underneath). You'll have to jack the front end up to get to the ones on the bottom, unless you can squeeze your arm and a 10mm socket wrench underneath, which I was able to do. But for first time taking them off, you'll want the car jacked up.

With the assembly out, try to get the 10mm nut off the actuator arm. If that's off the lights can rotate freely. That's the best option from what I can tell.

 

there is a manual dial that you can turn to get them up. It takes a bit but works every time. I had to do that so I could rebuild the motors.

 

If the pellets are completely shot, you can sit there turning the **** until the Yellowstone caldera erupts and the headlights won't come up.

 

If the gear is stripped would turning the **** manually lift them or does that 100% mean it's the pellets? I'm having the same issue. Also, are the brass gears made for 91's? I only saw them online for 93+.

 

Nope. Just go ahead and remove the 4 bolts (2 top and 2 underneath) holding the whole headlight/motor assembly in place to take the whole thing out. You can then unbolt the motor, take it apart, and replace the bushings. Don't try to force the headlights up. They won't go up until you fix the bushings.

 

Ask Lon at topdown solutions! Hes got the parts and repair tips to fix your lights.
http://www.top-downsolutions.com/

 

You can get it to come up, but you've waited so long to do the repair that you've turned a 1-man job into a 2-man job. Have someone get in the car and press on and off the headlight switch. You will grab hold of the headlightdoir lid. Your job is to bang, shake and curse the headlight while you continue to hit it and curse. Eventually it will suddenly rise ( if you don't run out of curse words). Once you have it up you can proceed with the repair following the instructions.

Good luck.

Lon