1987 Headlight Problems

[Bobby Dick]

I recently bought a 1987 Corvette Convertible. It's a nice rider, looks and runs great but from day one, the right side headlight works or doesn't work kind of like a poltergeist?

Again, it's one of those annoying things when you wish it would make up it's mind rather than tease you or not pop up when you need it the most. In any case, headlight goes on but does not pop up? And then sometimes it does?

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Bob

[Joe L.]

Re: 1987 Headlight Problems

Bob-----

This is a very common problem with 84-87 headlamp actuator assemblies. The gears fail and cause the problem you describe. You have 2 possible solutions:

1) Purchase a gear kit from the Corvette vendors that carry it. Bairs is a good source for this part. This allows you to repair an 84-87 motor with an improved gear. No parts for the 84-87 actuators are now or ever were available from GM;

2) Upgrade to the 88-96 actuator assembly. The 84-87 are no longer available from General Motors inasmuch as the original manufacturer of these assemblies went out of business and GM chose to not assign manufacture of the parts to an alternate supplier. Instead, GM recommends the conversion of the actuators to the 88-96 type. These are a more reliable unit. Installing the 88-96 actuator assemblies requires a conversion kit available from GM dealers.

[Larry E. Howard]

Re: 1987 Headlight Problems

Bobby,
Sounds like a contact problem. Try getting a can of spray contact cleaner like Radio shack carries and unplug the boot to the motor and clean the contact good.
If that doesn't fix the problem, Try borrowing a spare motor. hook it up and see if it works OK, IF it does replace the motor.
In the mean time if you need the light up there is a manual knob on the motor that will raise the light.

[Wayne W.]

Re: 1987 Headlight Problems

Relays

[Jim T.]

Re: 1987 Headlight Problems

Bobby I replaced the plastic gears in one of my 85's headlamp motors about 10 years ago and no problems yet with the other headlamp. I bought the cheaper non metal gears, its nice to have a choice. My sisters 91 Formula Firebird had headlight motor failure, so Corvettes are not alone with their headlight motor problems.