Well, my right headlight finally gave up in a sense. I went to the movies last night and after the movie, my right headlight refused to go up. It was about 25 degrees outside, but I don't think that is a reason for it to give up. I went to go check it out tonight and after about 20 seconds the right headlight decided to pop-up... I did it again and it seems to be lagging about 5 seconds behind the left headlight.

So as you can imagine I am puzzled by this new development... Does anybody have an explanation for my car's "lazy eye"?

Thanks

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1984 Firebird - Daily driver, 305 LG4, 3.23 rear, T5 - Hurst short shifter, Edelbrock 600 CFM 1406 carb, Performer intake - Edelbrock Pro-Flow air filter, gutted cat, IROC 16x8 5 Spoke Wheels, AIWA bargain basement (from Sears of course) CD player, Eight-ball shift ****
Check out my ride here

 

My car has recently developed this problem as well in both 'eyes' even though they both still come up (when the mood fancies them).

I believe Steve to have one of the better tech articles on this repair so I'll plug his page .......

http://www.transamtemple.com/modific...ght_repair.htm


------------------[*]my Formula Homepage [*]Collision P/Ns & Diagrams

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach
you to keep your mouth shut."

 

Well I didn't use bearings I used JB weld. (Best stuff ever made!!!)

Take a look.

www.shsu.edu/~stdvjs11

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1988 Formula L98
1988 IROC-Z supercharged
http://www.shsu.edu/~stdvjs11

 

I know what you guys are talking about very well! my driver side head light started going slow. then you could haer the motor turning sometime after i would turn them on or shut them off. From the little headlight motor there is a shaft with a gear on the end, that gear is metal. then the metal gear hooks up to another gear that goes inside a PLASTIC gear. the inside of the Plastic gear has stripped out. Im going to drill some holes and put 3 metal dowel rods in there. and if that doesnt work, ill be buying a 200 dollar new headlight assembly! your going to have to open the head light assembly up to know what im talking about!

 

The inside of the plastic gear hasn't "stripped out" there are supposed to be three rubber/nylon type ***** in there. Those have disintegrated, and you need those to drive your headlights up and down. Just put bearings in the gaps where they used to be (or dowel rod pieces) and you'll be good to go - there should be no need to drill anything. Check my page in the url above for pix and directions. Or email me with questions...

Steve



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Steve's Trans Am Temple

 

His headlight system has the older style motors which have a solid plastic gear attached to the metal shaft. Only in '87-up they went to the newer 2-wire motors which have the 3 plastic bumpers/bushings inside the gear (these would break at a certain pressure to prevent those powerful little motors from stripping out the plastic gear). You will probably need to make a boneyard run to replace the gear. Don't put dowels in there. Those won't last and you'll be doing this all over again.

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'87 Red Formula Firebird
-mostly stock LG4 w/cowl induction setup borrowed from '83 TA and T5 tranny

'85 Corvette
-stock L98/4+3 manual tranny
-z51 package

 

Well, I just drove the car for the whole weekend without a glitch, the light seems to be going up in synch with the other now... It would apear to me that some ice got in and froze something in there.

 

Oops, my bust - didn't pay attention to his sig.

Steve