Okay, I searched and searched but got nothing related to my gremlin... sorry if it HAS been covered
I'm not new to automotive wiring, and i know how to use all the equipment... but for the life of me i cannot get my headlamp motors to fire up! They work in the 'twist my ****' mode but nothing from the switch or jumping the wires... i'm out of ideas. My real concern is that the kid i bought the car from had replaced the whole assembly (light & motors) when he gave me the car. I've got a two wire connection coming from the chassis & a three wire connection coming from the motor assemby... i cant get them to operate in any formation... i'll try to get a pic up

Thanks for any help

 

okay attached is the passenger side wiring - the drvr side was the same but i stripped the connects to try direct hardwire...

 

The motors are for a pre-86 Firebird, and won't work with the 87-up wiring.
You'll need to acquire some newer-type two-wire motors, or swap in an earlier wiring harness. Easier to swap the motors, and you can sell the current ones on eBay, or to another board member...

 

New headlight motor assemblies can be expensive though. So contact IROCZDAVE at his website to get good used motor assemblies for '87 and later models(a search will find him). Dave's usually got some. But if he doesn't have any, try Tom at www.houseofcamaro.com Tom usually doesn't have any, but sometimes he does.

And if neither have them, try a junkyard.

Any chance the previous owner might still have the old motor assemblies? I'd bet they're still good. A lot of people think the motors are going out when it's simply the gears inside, which are easily repairable. Or the other more common problem is the relay. The motors themselves usually don't quit--usually don't, but sometimes...

 

wouldnt it be cheaper to just find out what the wires do and rewire it to your needs
i mean.. up-down.. cant be that complex :P
im sure someone has a diagram, ive only got for 87-up though sorry

 

thanks petes, thats what i was starting to worry... ugh. no, these lights came with the car and the disclaimer read "..just gotta wire up the lift motors but the lights are up & work fine..."

i did try the cheap way, went over the Haynes diagrams for both year ranges and tried jumping the wires into every config but to no avail.
then a test light confirmed that the car's wiring has two wire leads - they reverse polarity by the light switch.
the (older) motor wiring has one constant power and the other two wires are switched. I'd have to split the constant into a splice with both the other two... not good.

okay... off in search of new(er) lights thanks folks

 

quick question, 91 headlamps fit into 88 bird??

 

i was having problems with my motors ill look for the link for you

 

Yes Well, the motor assemblies will swap. If you mean the entire headlight assembly(frame, light, etc.), then I'm not sure, but I think they will too.

 

Will they ? Yes.
Properly.. no.
The 91-2 birds did not have the recessed 'light pocket' as the elders do. Everything is different except the motor and mount bracket (part everything attaches to and it to the rad. support)

 

I had my fair share of fun doing the "why dont my headlights work" dance

The reason you cant get the 3 wire motors to work is because the three wire type motors used relays mounted on the inner fender(or was it firewall..dont remember) where as the two wire type connect directly to the headlight control module mounted on the firewall behind the master cylinder (Labled "guide" on the plastic box) You would need to unbolt the motors off the headlights and bolt on a set of 2 wire motors. I think its like 3 bolts..

if your junkyard quests or online searching doesnt find anything..remember you can use fiero motors too, the two wire style, just the motor that would be the left side on the fiero is the right side ona bird, and vise versa..

check out http://www.fiero-headlights.com/ thats where i sent mnie to be rebuilt but you can buy rebuilt ones..maybe you can even send him your 3 wire ones for a credit like i did and get the 2 wire ones for next to nothing..

hope this helps
joe