Ok so i have a 1992 firebird and i had replaced the large plastic gear in the motor and the motor works spinning and all without the light lever connected to the output shaft from the motor and as soon as i put the light conected to the motor shaft the light wont go up or down! Any ideas????? I thought it shorting out but it works without the light on it! Anything would help thanks!!!

 

Yes, I can help. You need more than just the new gear. Inside the gear is a triangular-shaped cavity. Within that cavity there were 3 cylindrical-shaped hard gel bushings. These bushings transfer the load to the case zinc 3-lobe hub that is staked onto the shaft that connects to the lever arm to raise or lower the headlight door.

Unlike the earlier 3-wire motors that were used from 82-86 there is no internal limit switch to turn off the motor when it reaches the end of the up or down cycle. Instead the power goes through a part called the headlight control module (located on the firewall between the brake master cylinder and the windshield wiper motor) the word GUIDE is molded on the lop left of the cover. When the motor has reached it's end of physical travel in either the up or down cycle the headlight control module senses the spike in current and shuts off the power to the motor.

That is SUPPOSED to be how it works. However, after thousands of up/down cycles these hard gel bushings begin to crack, then split and eventually become ever smaller chunks. At this point there is no longer that hard hit at the end of the up or down cycle because the gear will continue to rotate. Fortunately GM designed a secondary timer circuit to shut off the motor after roughly 6 seconds if it fails to sense that spike in current.

You need to replace these bushings. The aftermarket (including me) makes these bushings of Delrin which is far superior and will never fail again.

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/Bod...ght-repair-kit

Lon Salgren

 

I think I may have a similar problem. I have an '88 Trans Am, and the last time I tried to use my headlights, the driver's side didn't come up all the way. The motor was spinning, but headlight wouldn't go up more than about 1/2way. I can grab it and pull it up and then it will be fine. I checked the passenger headlight and it was in the beginning stages of the same issue.

 

Thanks lonsal !! Makes sense. My (89 GTA) right side light comes up halfway and flutters, if I put it up/down a few times eventually it pops up. Since I've owned the car the motors always cycled the 6 seconds up/down ... maybe this will fix it. -?

I just read all the testimonies on your site (TDS) ... sounds like just what I need. Just ordered a kit.

 

I ordered a kit as well.

 

Nice video on YT....

 

this a bit of topic my head lights go up but not down could it be a fuse and there seems to be no power if it is a fuse witch one sorry if its off topic

 

Headlight goes up, but won't go down = blown tail light fuse.

Lon Salgren

 

Check dash switch also, supposedly available from autozone.

 

Yeah that is good, but unfortunately it only shows the passenger-side headlight. The driver's side is more complicated. Watch that vid 1st, then watch these vids (which aren't as good) about the driver's side, in order:

 

I haven't had time to fix my headlights yet. I took the car out last weekend and it started getting dark, so I turned on the headlights, got out of the car, and manually pulled them all the way up. But after I drove a few miles and hit a few bumps, they fell back down again.

I pulled them up again, but this time I popped the hood so I had enough room to reach in and make sure that the lever that raises each headlight was pushed all the way against the stop. I then drove about 15 miles home and didn't have any problems.

 

I know its not a switch or a fuse because you can hear the motor still turn. So i just ordered a new motor. The repair kit did not work for me.

 

Lon is the man. Attention to detail and very knowledgeable about our cars. My car is in outstanding condition and I am VERY PICKY about used parts that go on the car. He delivers top notch parts every time to keep my 'Bird going!

 

Thanks but its not a fuse because the motor still turns

 

Saw a pretty nice looking Fiero in a parking lot yesterday, and noticed the headlights were locked in the up position. I saw the driver heading over to the car, so I stopped and chatted w/ him for a few minutes. He said he couldn't find a working set of headlight motors, so I told him about the kit. Hopefully he'll buy it and get his headlights working again!

 

FWIW, autozone sells rebuilt motors for a decent price, and comes with a warranty.