C2 Headlight Issue

[James R.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

[quote=Roger Piper (50141);

"the slow bucket will eventually stop working mid-rotation. If I wait a few minutes and try again, it will work and finish the rotation. "

Roger,

I have this exact same problem with my right side bucket. I did rebuild my motors following the guidance in that earlier post and everything worked fine. Subsequent to the rebuild I developed this problem. I am in the Chicagoland area so my 65 is still in hibernation. I would be interested in hearing how everything ends ups for you so that I know what to look for in April when I get it ready for the summer.

Jim

[Stuart F.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

I have a related issue with my 63. Since I hit a deer in 1992, and had the car repaired, I have trouble with my left side bucket opening (the side that took the brunt of the hit). Ironically, all I have to do is rotate the manual opening wheel in a CCW direction a few turns and it will work fine until the next time I need to use lights. It seems the wheel works itself tight (CW) by itself and causes binding - just enough to prevent the motor from moving the bucket. I know I should get busy and find out what the real problem is, but my health limits my activities. Therefore, I have a routine where at a night show or cruise in, before I drop the hood to leave, I reach in and loosen the manual wheel and I'm good to go.

I cleaned my up/down switch once (based on an article in the restorer) and that seemed to help some, but did nor cure it. I didn't think it would (logically), but the article described the problem similar to mine so I thought it worth a try.

Stu Fox

[Stephen P.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

It's fairly easy to tell if your problem is in the bucket attachment or the motor gear. If you disconnect the motors and slide them out to disengage, the buckets should rotate freely. If they rotate freely, the problem is most likley the motor gear. You wouldn't need to take the motors apart to check this out, but it's one of those things that once you get that far, you'll probable may want to replace the motor gear and lube things, take apart the buckets, maybe replace the bearings, etc. While none of this is difficult, like most other things with the Corvette, if your like me, once you start, you want to clean up everthing and replace damaged or worn parts. You then order and wait on parts. So if your primary goal is to drive your Corvette only during the day, maybe you should wait a while on this. With me, I don't feel good driving my 65 if I know there's something I need to fix. Good Luck.

[James R.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

It's fairly easy to tell if your problem is in the bucket attachment or the motor gear. If you disconnect the motors and slide them out to disengage, the buckets should rotate freely. If they rotate freely, the problem is most likley the motor gear. You wouldn't need to take the motors apart to check this out, but it's one of those things that once you get that far, you'll probable may want to replace the motor gear and lube things, take apart the buckets, maybe replace the bearings, etc. While none of this is difficult, like most other things with the Corvette, if your like me, once you start, you want to clean up everthing and replace damaged or worn parts. You then order and wait on parts. So if your primary goal is to drive your Corvette only during the day, maybe you should wait a while on this. With me, I don't feel good driving my 65 if I know there's something I need to fix. Good Luck.

Stephen,

When I first rebuilt my motors, I rotated the gear inside the motor 90 degree to use the good side. After putting the motor back in everything worked great. When I developed the problem with the one bucket moving slower, I took the motor back out and replace the gear altogether. That didn't solve the problem. This was at the end of the year last year and it has bugged me ever since. Like you, I don't like driving my car know that there are problems no matter how small. Alot of good suggestions in this thread for me to take a look at in the coming months.

Jim

[Harry S.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

I had a very similar problem with my 63 headlights. I narrowed the problem down to the motors, actually one of them. I took both motors apart and swapped all the internal parts. The problem did not change.

It turns out that the brass bushing that the armature rides-in at the bottom of the motor was bad. As soon as I replaced the bushing, they both close in less than a second apart.

[James R.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

I had a very similar problem with my 63 headlights. I narrowed the problem down to the motors, actually one of them. I took both motors apart and swapped all the internal parts. The problem did not change.

It turns out that the brass bushing that the armature rides-in at the bottom of the motor was bad. As soon as I replaced the bushing, they both close in less than a second apart.

Harry,

Where did you get the brass bushing for the motor?

Jim

[Harry S.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

I looked at what it would take to replace the bushing and decided that I did not have the tools to do it. I'd had a customer relationship with Steve Hack at Eastern Corvette. I sent him the motor to only replace that bushing. I paid for shipping both ways and as I recall the cost to fix was very low because he was not touching the gears or doing any cosmetic work. Steve is at:

http://www.easterncorvettes.com/contact%20information.html

I believe he will sell just the bushing. You may also want to try a small appliance repair store. The motor is a low-tech motor with a standard armature and brushes.

[Francis F.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

Hi, my name is Roger and I am new to NCRS. I purchased my '65 convertible this past summer, and my family and I have been cruisin' "topless" in South Florida for 6 months. I have been in love with C2's since I was about 14, and after nearly 30 years of dreaming, it was time to make dreams come true (with some encouragement from the wife and kids). We're a bit lighter in the pocket, but I think it's worth every penny!

My current issue is that one of my headlight buckets won't open and close consistently (intermitent problem). Sometimes, neither one will open. Other times, both will open and close without an issue. It doesn't make any sense, but it appears to get better once the car is running and "warms up". My son and I opened the hood and used a mirror to see the motors and wiring, and I found a slice through the insulation of 2 side-by-side motor wires. We taped them, but that alone didn't fix the problem. Could I be experiencing a short due to exposure/corrosion of the wires (although they look clean)? It could have been this way for years. Any thoughts? Thanks for your help.

HI,I'd go for the up/down switch on the dash first,#1 because it's
easiest to do and because the headlite motors draw high amps
the cnotacts get arcked up and fail tp pass the current.Good luck

Francis

[Roger P.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

Gentlemen, I've got good news! As I reported last night, I cleaned the "gel" from the contacts of the firewall connection. Typically, when I got the both lights to work at night, only one would work in the morning. Not only did both lights work this morning, I tried them several times during the day and they both worked every time. I am one happy camper!! James and Stuart, I would recommend that you check all the electrical connections, and if necessary the switch, to make sure all the contacts are clean and in good shape. I believe you will solve your problem just like I did. My passenger-side bucket is still about 3 seconds slower than the driver-side bucket, but I can live with that as long as it works. If it stops working one day, I will deal with rebuilding the motor at that time - including replacing the brass bushing that the armature rides in at the bottom of the motor as Harry suggested. I hope the motor rebuild won't become an issue for quite some time! I will probably put a few drops of oil on the slow motor shaft to see if it helps. If not, I'm still good as long as it continues to work. Thank you all for your interest and excellent suggestions!!

[Gerald C.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

Roger,

Welcome! You're going to enjoy your midyear convertible for years to come and the smile will never leave your face! You may be a little lite in the pocketbook, but these are just a few of your investments where you won't lose 30% to 50%!

Enjoy,

Jerry Coia

[Roger P.]

Re: C2 Headlight Issue

Roger,

Welcome! You're going to enjoy your midyear convertible for years to come and the smile will never leave your face! You may be a little lite in the pocketbook, but these are just a few of your investments where you won't lose 30% to 50%!

Enjoy,

Jerry Coia

Thank you so much for the warm welcome, Jerry. We had a great day today cruising "topless" to two local classic car shows. We always get the "thumbs up" and "awesome car" comments - even when we're not part of the show. You're right, the smile stays on my face until I park my baby in the garage and put the cover on for her work-week rest. The smile grows even a bit larger now that my lights rotate upon command! There's nothing like enjoying your investment in lieu of watching the stock market toy with your retirement fund - a strategy that our V.P. endorses, too. Here's to good times ahead!

All the best, Roger