First of all thanks for the response's on my last headlight rotation thread. I took the switch off, took it apart and cleaned( filed) the contacts. I reassembled the switch and tried it, without installing it under the dash. It ran the headlight's most of the way down(the passenger one was still part way up). It would not go down after trying again. I then tried running the headlights back up, they would not move. The switch housing got warm. I then took a jumper wire and jumped across the terminals and ran the headlight's up and down the wire got warm also. The schematic shows a circuit breaker in this circuit. I am assuming(I know what this does to me) that I need a new switch. All help would be appreiciated. thanks Dale
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Re: C-2 headlight rotation switch
It sounds to me like the circuit might be overloaded. I would think the motors would be the cause of that. Have they ever been serviced? The old lub turns to cement after 40 years and they might need to cleaned and lubed. -
Re: C-2 headlight rotation switch
Absolutely agree with Bob. I've owned my car long enough where I have now rebuilt my headlight motors twice (31 years). Both times the lube had solidified. Both times the rebuild (thorough clean, relube, index the main gear) fixed the problem. And I'm still running on the original switch. Good luck!
PeteComment
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Re: C-2 headlight rotation switch
Dale,
I ran mine up and down 5 or 6 times, and the switch never got hot. If you jumped the wires at the switch, and the head lights went up and down normally then it's not the circuit breaker (which is on the feed side of the switch, red wire on 67).
So it must be the switch, or the motors are pulling too many amps through the switch.
The motors are designed to stop when they are pulling too much load. The limit switches on the pivot shafts have nothing to do with the motor operation. They just operate the light on the console.
So you have a mystery, is it the switch or the motors? Maybe there is too much drag on the motors and when you introduce a marginal contact switch it pushes the motors over the amp limit and they stop, and the wiring gets hot.
Try rechecking out the switch first, then try shooting in a little Tri-Flow into the pivot shafts and the motor gear. If that doesn't work then you are going to have to pull the motors. What a fun job and it's twice the fun getting them back in with the hood in place.
If you are going to go through the trouble of pulling the motors, you might want to get one of those rebuild kits for the pivots. To pull the buckets for the pivots, you need to remove the hood, and removing the hood makes it easier to pull the motors. Just ask my chiropractor.
Hope this helps,
Jerry Fuccillo
#42179Jerry Fuccillo
1967 327/300 Convertible since 1968Comment
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Safety Note
Dale,
If you pull the motors with the hood left on remember to pin the hood support so the hood can't accidently come down.
WayneComment
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Wayne's advice should be well taken
Dale,
Before you monkey with the headlight motors, with the hood up, you need to secure the the hood brace with a bolt, or screwdriver. Or else you could be seeing more then a chiropractor. The lever of the hood could break both your arms while you are in a contorted position. What do they call a bone specialist?
To work on the headlight motors, you really need a six inch tall mechanic.
Jerry Fuccillo
#42179Jerry Fuccillo
1967 327/300 Convertible since 1968Comment
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Re: Wayne's advice should be well taken
Jerry, I would not attempt it with out removing the hood. DaleComment
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