Cascade Crew

stormy69 · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:39 am Post subject: headlight issue

Hello all! New guy here. I recently acquired (building a 455 olds for a 78 t/a in trade) an 86 T/A. Manual windows and locks, but i wish it had manual headlights anybody have any troubleshooting experience on them? it seems like a simple system, a controller, 2 relays and 2 headlight motors. Sometimes the pass side raises, lights come on but they don’t raise though motors spin (then stop). I disassembled one, it had some small pieces of teeth in between the gears making for some rough spots. Cleaned them out, relubed and reassembled. bench tests fine. installed it and wham it went up no prob, but wont go down now.... arrgghhh. they are now in the "gay" position (raised and disconnected). i really would like to get them working but don’t have tons of time to dedicate toward it. any help appreciated.

Xophertony · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:29 am Post subject:

welcome to the crew. you should make a post over in the back porch and introduce yourself and tell as a bit more about your trans am.

headlights. hmm.. failing to lower... i had one on my GTA do this, i was able to get another unit from the junkyard to fix the problem. however i found out later, that for CHEAPER i could have fixed it by simply repairing the headlight actuator. the repair would have lasted longer as well, my junkyard actuator is going bad now as well. top-down solutions sells a kit for a reasonable price that will get the job done. the best part is, even if this turns out not to be the problem, you only spent 20$ on it, AND the actualtors probably could have used a rebuild anyway.

http://www.top-downsolutions.com/product_info.php?cPath=35&products_id=87 link to the product i am talking aout.

stormy69 · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:41 pm Post subject:

thats for 87 up motors, they are different. thank for the reply though.
James

iansane · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:14 pm Post subject:

I don't know how that system works. I've got the later style. Does it take a certain voltage or lower it back down or what?

stormy69 · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:42 pm Post subject:

its supposed to reverse the voltage. after they go up, it looks like a torque sensing assy inside that should trip it over.

BigDaddyVu · Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:27 pm Post subject:

i have that problem with my 86 fireturd when you turn off the lights they don't retract but there not lit up. switch on the parking lights and turn them off again and they shall go down. its a power wire issue within the external relay.

stormy69 · Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:01 am Post subject:

i'll get to it. for now i will be driving it soon. while putting on the cts, i noiced i need belts. picked them up today, goin on tomorrow.

stormy69 · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:50 am Post subject:

well, i did manage to stumble upon one issue, the headlight switch! if i turn them on just right the pass side works as designed. drivers side will run up but power is staying applied to make it go up even when i turn them off... all of the relays are working correctly. Confused

chevymad · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:57 pm Post subject:

If the motor runs without moving the headlight, there's a plastic clutch assembly that comes apart. Supposed to be some round plastic cushions that go in between 2 plastic gears. This is what happened with my headlights. All I did to fix it was clean everything out and fill the space between the 2 gears with jb weld. been workin 4 or 5 years now that way.

stormy69 · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject:

thats the 2 wire 87 up headlights, 86 and earlier are different. it will raise the light but wont go back down and keeps poping the thermal breaker inside the motor so power is staying applied aarrrghhh