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1984 Firebird headlight motor wiring problem

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Old Jan 22, 2018 | 11:10 AM
  #1  
Cyborge-Bolt's Avatar
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From: Washington
Car: 1984 Pontiac Firebird S/E T-Top
Engine: 305 Chevy Small Block
Transmission: 5-speed manual from a 1996 Camaro
Axle/Gears: Stock (Same as a Trans-Am)
1984 Firebird headlight motor wiring problem

We've had this project car for a while now, and this is a head scratcher between me and my dad. The problem is a bypass that was put in place by the previous owner that is unfinished and doesn't bear any clear indication of where to go. Here is what happens:

Whenever the headlights are switched on to go up, they don't. We know the motors work because of several things:

A. When the switch is thrown on, the dials both visibly and audibly move.
B. If the motors are connected, they will resist manually bringing them up via the dial.
C. If you disconnect the motors, manually bring them up, and reconnect them, they reorientate themselves back down automatically.
D. If you disconnect the motors, bring them up, turn the switch on, and reconnect, they stay up and go back down when shut off.
E. When the switch is on and the bypass wire is contacted with the positive of the battery, the headlights then move up like they should (but blows a fuse when done more than once. Replacing the fuse brings it back to where it was.

While we try to get in contact with the previous owner, I'm hoping someone will shed some light onto this problem (no pun intended). I will take pictures and post them later, if someone is willing to help
Update: Upon further inspection, I have discovered that the pink wire from the wiring harness is dead. There is power reaching the relays and testing with a multimeter shows that the relays do work, but power fails to reach the driver's side relay. This would mean the bypass was meant to connect to the relay like I was mildly predicting. As soon as I can, I will splice the bypass wire to the connector for the isolation relay. I will update everyone on whether or not this solves my problem.
Update: It's gotten worse now. I've re-checked and I must've done something wrong, because now the motors don't even move when the switch is thrown. They still react to the "Down" signal and resist manual manipulation. I realize that obsessing this way is going to continue to impede progress, and decided to just disconnect the isolation relay and work on mounting the bumper. If anyone might know what I need to look into doing, I am open to suggestions.

Last edited by Cyborge-Bolt; Jan 25, 2018 at 11:07 AM. Reason: Update on current situation; Potential solution found
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Old Jan 22, 2018 | 01:20 PM
  #2  
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Car: 1967 Camaro, 91 z28
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Re: 1984 Firebird headlight motor wiring problem

Does this use the isolation relay ?
http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/088867.html
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...ion-relay.html
The head light blowing the fuse could be worn gears.
You might pm member johninri he might have the schematic for your headlight circuit.

Last edited by Tuned Performance; Jan 22, 2018 at 01:32 PM.
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Old Jan 22, 2018 | 10:17 PM
  #3  
Cyborge-Bolt's Avatar
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 2
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From: Washington
Car: 1984 Pontiac Firebird S/E T-Top
Engine: 305 Chevy Small Block
Transmission: 5-speed manual from a 1996 Camaro
Axle/Gears: Stock (Same as a Trans-Am)
Re: 1984 Firebird headlight motor wiring problem

I have looked at the schematics. The fuse is most likely me putting to much power when directly connecting to the battery. Here, some pictures to show what I'm dealing with
This is the wire bypass on the left/driver's side relay
This is from the Right/Passenger side relay. Hard to see but there is the red branching off from the pink, which hooks to the wire from the bypass
And then we have this little bugger that has no home. When this touches the battery, it moves the headlights, but blows a fuse
all in all, I think the wire schematic as it is currently looks like this Pink is original wire, red is the bypass, blue is splice points, and green is unconnected
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