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Headlamp Door Won't Raise

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Old Nov 18, 2009 | 08:51 PM
  #1  
Blind Driver's Avatar
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Car: 1986 Trans Am
Engine: 5.0
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Headlamp Door Won't Raise

If I knoack on the door. it sometimes opens. Or I have to pop the hood, then flick the adjuster **** and the door magically raises. Sometimes it actually works properly on its own

Do I need a rebuild kit? I've tried to adjust it, but nothing changes.
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Old Nov 18, 2009 | 09:11 PM
  #2  
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From: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Headlight Control Module on the fireawall. When they work off & on, there is a short in it somewhere. Open it up & see if you can find a cracked solder connection, causing it to work off & on.

You could just buy another one, but try fixing yours first.
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Old Nov 18, 2009 | 11:22 PM
  #3  
y84pauloflondon's Avatar
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From: London, Ont, Canada
Car: 87 T-Top GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Well if your knocking on the headlight lid and the pop-up motor to get it to raise up, and you are NOT tapping on the headlight Control Module on the fireawall to make it lift. Then it sounds like the me that you might need a rebuild kit!!!

Q. When your lights Do pop-up, do they bounce up and down a little bit when your driving? (if so, then I would have to say its time for a rebuild kit). Ebay has them for $3.00-$8.00 US.
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Old Nov 18, 2009 | 11:49 PM
  #4  
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From: Texas
Car: 1986 Transam/1996 Trans AM
Engine: 5.7 LT1 .030 over
Transmission: Borg-Warner T-56 6 speed
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

You should really check out this web site, it finally solved my problem,

Thanks,

Eric.....http://www.manxyanks.com/82-86%20Fir...ot%20guide.pdf
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Old Nov 19, 2009 | 04:58 PM
  #5  
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Car: 1986 Trans Am
Engine: 5.0
Transmission: 700r4
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Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Originally Posted by y84pauloflondon
Well if your knocking on the headlight lid and the pop-up motor to get it to raise up, and you are NOT tapping on the headlight Control Module on the fireawall to make it lift. Then it sounds like the me that you might need a rebuild kit!!!

Q. When your lights Do pop-up, do they bounce up and down a little bit when your driving? (if so, then I would have to say its time for a rebuild kit). Ebay has them for $3.00-$8.00 US.
No, they stay steady. It just need a slight push on the ****. That **** keeps trying to take off my finger if I'm not careful It always works when I give it a slight turn.
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Old Nov 20, 2009 | 02:52 PM
  #6  
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From: London, Ont, Canada
Car: 87 T-Top GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Originally Posted by Blind Driver
No, they stay steady. It just need a slight push on the ****. That **** keeps trying to take off my finger if I'm not careful It always works when I give it a slight turn.
LOL, yeah watch out for that.

Q. Do you need to push on both *****, or is it just the one side that keeps on sticking??? I'm starting to wonder if your problem is the motor itself...If so I don't think there's a rebuild kit for that!!! And if there was a kit, I don't know how to fix a electric motor! I NEVER did one before.
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Old Nov 20, 2009 | 03:04 PM
  #7  
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From: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Originally Posted by y84pauloflondon
Q. When your lights Do pop-up, do they bounce up and down a little bit when your driving? (if so, then I would have to say its time for a rebuild kit). Ebay has them for $3.00-$8.00 US.
When my driver's side headlight was doing that, it was just a loose nut on one end of the lifting arm link. Tightened it up & all has been good ever since.
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Old Nov 20, 2009 | 03:18 PM
  #8  
y84pauloflondon's Avatar
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From: London, Ont, Canada
Car: 87 T-Top GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Originally Posted by Stephen
When my driver's side headlight was doing that, it was just a loose nut on one end of the lifting arm link. Tightened it up & all has been good ever since.
Yeah, I read that post of yours on another thread somewhere. Lucky you!!!LOL That was a Cheap and Easy fix. But I think by the sounds of it that his "arm" isn't loose. I'm still leaning towards the motor.
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Old Nov 20, 2009 | 08:05 PM
  #9  
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Car: 1986 Trans Am
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Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Originally Posted by y84pauloflondon
LOL, yeah watch out for that.

Q. Do you need to push on both *****, or is it just the one side that keeps on sticking??? I'm starting to wonder if your problem is the motor itself...If so I don't think there's a rebuild kit for that!!! And if there was a kit, I don't know how to fix a electric motor! I NEVER did one before.
I only have to rotate the LH **** a little bit, then wooosh it opens right up
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Old Nov 20, 2009 | 08:37 PM
  #10  
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From: PA
Car: 1985 trans am
Engine: 1969 chevy 350 .060 over
Transmission: 5spd
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Originally Posted by ericgzhc4t
You should really check out this web site, it finally solved my problem,

Thanks,

Eric.....http://www.manxyanks.com/82-86%20Fir...ot%20guide.pdf
im gona have to look at that one of these days, mine wont go up, they will go down on their own, but I have to manually open them

thank god Im still restoring it and i dont have to do that every night.
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Old Nov 20, 2009 | 10:46 PM
  #11  
y84pauloflondon's Avatar
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From: London, Ont, Canada
Car: 87 T-Top GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Originally Posted by bakes85
im gona have to look at that one of these days, mine wont go up, they will go down on their own, but I have to manually open them

thank god Im still restoring it and i dont have to do that every night.
What do you mean by manually?...Do you turn the motor **** by hand?
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Old Nov 21, 2009 | 10:09 AM
  #12  
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From: PA
Car: 1985 trans am
Engine: 1969 chevy 350 .060 over
Transmission: 5spd
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

yeah. Like to get my headlamps up I have to turn the ****, but they go down on their own
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Old Nov 22, 2009 | 09:08 PM
  #13  
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Car: 1986 Trans Am
Engine: 5.0
Transmission: 700r4
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Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

I took the cover off of the motor and cleaned it out with brake clean. Got a bunch of black dust and it all looked new and purdie

It works better, but the same basic problem is there. I used a jumper wire to a different ground, but it started blowing fuses

It still acts like it need a little extra ooomph. I'm not sure if the **** needs help turning or getting pushed down so it can turn. Weird problem, but I will eventually kick it's butt...even if I have to replace the motor
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Old Nov 23, 2009 | 02:57 PM
  #14  
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Car: 1985 trans am
Engine: 1969 chevy 350 .060 over
Transmission: 5spd
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Ok i figured it out

problem #1 you dont need your headlights, you are a blind driver.
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Old Nov 23, 2009 | 09:36 PM
  #15  
y84pauloflondon's Avatar
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From: London, Ont, Canada
Car: 87 T-Top GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Headlamp Door Won't Raise

Originally Posted by bakes85
Ok i figured it out

problem #1 you dont need your headlights, you are a blind driver.
OMG, LOL, lame but funny!

Attached to the motor is what I like to call "the headlight Tranny" for lack of better words! I would guess that 80-90% of headlight pop-up problem are caued by the internal parts of this "Tranny", it acts like a tranmission for the motor, and inside are 3 small plastic rings that WILL wear out over time. That's why I've been asking you guys if your headlight bounces up and down a little. If it does bounce, 99% of the time it is that "Tranny". You can buy rebuild kits($3.00-$10.00 on Ebay). If it was me, I would open up the Tranny to take a look inside. If there are little bits of white plastic or white dust inside it.....Buy a kit! If not, rebuild motor or replace it!
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