Ok gurus please help me out. Tonight when I turned my headlamps on the driverside would not flip. It is acting like it is stuck. I rotates about a 1/2 inch. I just ordered the FSM but in the mean time how hard is it to remove and inspect. What should I be looking for? Any help would be much appreciated. The other problem I have is I can't get it back into the carport due to the condition of my back yard. (can you say mud pit). So it may be a while before I can do things due to the rain we get here in the great NW.

Mike.

PS I"m posting here first for some help.

sounds like a classic case of worn out bushings. Theres plenty of info on how to do it. Do a search maybe. I did mine on my 89 coupe a few years back. Not a big deal & actually pretty fun.

If its an original type headlight motor it does not have bushings like the 89. Does it continue to make noise but the headlight is not moving? Gear. If it is not making noise and just stops turning, could be armature.

If its an original type headlight motor it does not have bushings like the 89. Does it continue to make noise but the headlight is not moving? Gear. If it is not making noise and just stops turning, could be armature.

Are the housing screws backing out of the sides? Mine did this several times and they'd snag the hood on the way up. I tightened em back down with some locktite.

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Ouch. Had that happen to mine. Darn screw gouged the hood, on the way down (off)

One thing to check before you tear it apart. Make sure the motor connector didn't unsnap. The cable out of the headlight box/motor is about 2 ft long, and the connector is usually hiding deep in the wheel pan (or whatever you call the dead space area by the horn. Also had it happen with mine)

They are original. No screws sticking out. I was able to open it by hand using the emergency procedure. There was no grinding noise. It would start to open and just stop. Thanks agen86 for the diagrams. I'll try to look into this this weekend if it isn't raining. I do appreciate the help.

Update. I just went out and plugged them back in. Now they are working good as new. Go figure. stubborn old broad she is. Well I can't get to mad at her she gives me plenty of fun.

Mike

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Didnt know that...thanks.

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So wait, they work fine now?

And before they would just stop rotating.....no grinding noise associated?

Voltage....had to be voltage or binding. The stop switch on these headlights basically is a Volt meter. When it senses a voltage spike from the light hitting the limiter it stops sending power to the motor. Yours had to be binding up or the switch is getting old or the connection was gummed up...

I had a simular problem with a headlight motor that was a reproduction of the original. It would work for a while then quit. Moving it by hand would get it started again. I took it apart and found some kind of grease all over every thing so I cleaned it all out. That worked for couple of weeks. It did it again, cleaned it again, worked for a while, quit again, so on. Bought a rebuilt original. So far it works. The reproduction looks the same outside but not as heavy duty on the inside. If you just acquired your 85 might be something to look for.

Fixed it for you. Not sure if we give users the ability to delete posts, but we should.

That grease is needed for lube, or for the electrical insulation if it's near electrical connections. The factory dielectric grease is usually greenish. The factory black grease is usually concrete after 20 years.

If you remove it, replace it with fresh grease.

This was white grease . Never heard of greasing an armature before

Thanks for all the help. I'll keep and eye on it and if it happens again I know I can come back to this post and reread.

Mike

I guess I was not clear in my grease post. The brush armature area is where I cleaned the grease ou. I left grease on the gears and other moving parts but not the brushes and armature.