quote Originally posted by fierobear: I might even be able to do it on the car, since there is an inspection plate over the contacts.

by now you probably have figured out that you might be able to do the right side, but not the left.

Alright here's a new one, my driver headlamp only worked manually, been that way since i bought the car, but now i decided to take it apart and find out why. The relay was good(tested) and all the wiring seems to check out. untill i got the cover off the limit switch. One of the brushes is wrapped atound the comutator, and the brush pad was wedged in one of the nylon gear teeth. although the motor part looks ok, where can i get a new limit switch?

I don't know of anywhere to find one new. I would go junkyard shopping for a used motor or two to salvage parts from. Where I scavenge a used motor is only $10- $15.

[This message has been edited by sanderson (edited 02-01-2007).]

The Brush/limit switch assy are available from Rodney Dickman.


http://rodneydickman.com/

look under electrical parts

Rich

quote Originally posted by Richjk21: The Brush/limit switch assy are available from Rodney Dickman. http://rodneydickman.com/ look under electrical parts Rich

Before I wrote my previous reply I checked Rodney's site cuz I thought he carried them. I just went back and checked and still don't see them in electrical parts

I apologize .... I just went back to where it was (I just bought one less than a month ago) and it's no longer on the page

yea I sent him an e-mail, we'll see if he plans on getting any. I remember seeing them there too. Although looking around at junkyards isn't a bad idea either. I'll see if i can get my hands on one. Was this motor used in any other cars? ('86)

oops, sorry i told you rodney had them in PMs. at least i know i'm not crazy cause other people saw them too.
let me know if you cant find a new one.

Well i found one, but it's from a passanger side headlamp assembly, my broken motor is a driver side. my question now is, are the limit switches the same? And does hot glue really work to replace the "impact bumper" things?

quote Originally posted by DMaxME: Well i found one, but it's from a passanger side headlamp assembly, my broken motor is a driver side. my question now is, are the limit switches the same? And does hot glue really work to replace the "impact bumper" things?

i have not tried the hot glue thing, but i DO NOT think it would be hard enough to last very long.
the parts of the motors are all the same, the only difference is the shiny metal shaft

quote Originally posted by DMaxME: maybe one of the brushes fell off first, and the tip got cought?

that sound like a very possible idea

quote Originally posted by DMaxME: i'm going to sand down the commutator with a fine grit paper to help the pads glide better,

be sure to clean between the pads afterwards.

Yea careful cleaning was in order, but it's all back together. I didn't use hot glue, as I agree that the stress levels and temperature changes would deteriorate the material quickly. I chose to use Polyueurathane as a filler. It's the material that's used to glue windshields in place. It's relatively stiff, but maintains it's flexibility at normal temperatures. It’s together now, sitting on the workbench curing. tomorrow I’ll put it back in the car and see how it goes.

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Without Fear there is no Courage { '86 Fiero 2M4 5spd, '05 Chevy 2500HD Duramax/Allison }

hey guys long story short 85 GT

headlights always worked no problem....it rained last night and the passenger side wouldnt go back DOWN......un did the relay earlier and played with the wires a bit and the headlight went back DOWN.......but now my pass side motor is spinning and grinding and wont shut the hell up im about to disconnect it...........i already ordered a new relay but will that stop the grinding?......or once it keeps SPINNING do i DEFINITLY need a whole new motor?...ughhh this blows any help/advice is appreciated

quote Originally posted by ForceFedFlesh: hey guys long story short 85 GT headlights always worked no problem....it rained last night and the passenger side wouldnt go back DOWN......un did the relay earlier and played with the wires a bit and the headlight went back DOWN.......but now my pass side motor is spinning and grinding and wont shut the hell up im about to disconnect it...........i already ordered a new relay but will that stop the grinding?......or once it keeps SPINNING do i DEFINITLY need a whole new motor?...ughhh this blows any help/advice is appreciated

if your pass side motor is doing this

then you have a stripped gear and you will have to rebuild the motor

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: if your pass side motor is doing this then you have a stripped gear and you will have to rebuild the motor

i appreciate the reply first off......and YES thats what the motor is doing.......even does it when the car is turned off....so i hadda unplug it in the UP position so i at least still have that headlight..(edit-not to mention keep my battery from being DEAD lol).............


its retarded tho because it didnt do that at first....it was the connections in the relay at first which i wiggled and the light went back down(already have a relay on order too).........but THEN went to flip em back up and got a grind and i guess that did in that headlight "stopper" gear


anyways......ok so i know its not the whole motor cuz its obviously still functioning and has life.....so what exact part do i need to repair this on my own.......i saw a few items on ebay 1 was a white bushing kit and the other is this 1 black headlgiht repair gear.....which do i need......thanx in advance.

FFF

[This message has been edited by ForceFedFlesh (edited 05-10-2008).]

I'm sure Buddy will chime in but you need the gear.

Check out this thread he did on doing the rebuild yourself.

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/068488.html

You can order the gear and other parts from Rodney Dickman whose link is above in the vendor section.

Steve

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Where will the road take you today?

Some helpful links I've done
How to remove inner door panels, with pics.
How to remove outer door panels, with pics.
How to make rear coil-overs using factory struts, with pics.
How to remove rear bearing hubs, with pics.
How to modify the stock Fiero radio for MP3 players, with pics.
How to come up with the right coolant hoses for that engine swap...With Pics.
Basic Fiero electrical testing "How To" and equipment...with pics.

I have a Gen 1 headlight problem and I haven't found a thread that covers it, although this limit switch one is probably the closest. Both lights used to go up and down .. and then at some point the passenger one would go down but must not have been tripping the limit switch because it would drain the battery so we disconnected the blue wire.

I recently took the motor apart and the plastic gear was stripped in one location so I bought the rebuild kit and replaced it along with the rubber bumper things even though they were both still good. I also took the limit switch out and filed the contacts. I also sanded the motor armiture but never disassembled anything else on the armiture.

After re-installing into the headlight assembly (but not the car), I manually turned the mechanism both ways until I could see/hear the limit switches work. I then reinstalled the assembly into the car and the motor seems to run normally on the way down but suddenly slows and never seems to hit the limit switch.

This thread seems to imply that going down, no other relays are involved, so I'm concluding this is a limit switch issue but everything seems to turn smoothly during and after assembly. I did not disassemble the switch fingers (or the spring) on the armiture and they look ok... and the limit switch does seem to work ok on the way up. Is there another reason for the down limit switch or 'finger' to malfunction?

Update: after getting no replies, I revisited the BuddyCraig videos on YouTube about diagnosing relay issues and came to the conclusion that it must be something in the motor. So I took it out and apart for what seems like the 10th time .. but this time upon closer inspection, I discovered that the rubber bushing at the knob end of the armature was outside the enclosure and not in the grooved part of the enclosure. As the headlight reached the end of it's travel and the armature started to move toward the geared end, the knob must have started pressing against the rubber which caused it to start to bind. Anyway, I re-seated the bushing; reassembled the motor in the housing and everything seems to be working ok again.

IanR,

You are probably aware of this now but buddycraigg has several "how too" videos on youtube for rebuilding and ttroubleshooting gen 1's. In his rebuild thread, he goes into great detail about what happens should you not install the bushing under the knob correctly. I know, I know...."Now you tell me". Still, hat's off to you for discovering this on your own. Welcome to the madness...

Pat

I actually watched every one of those videos prior to doing the re-build .. and I don't remember anything about the bushing. As Denny Crane on Boston Legal would say .. "mad cow must be setting in"

quote Originally posted by IanR: I actually watched every one of those videos prior to doing the re-build .. and I don't remember anything about the bushing. As Denny Crane on Boston Legal would say .. "mad cow must be setting in"

I mentioned the black rubber bushing. I even joked about it being called "the sanderson effect" if you didn't put it in the right place.
start watching at the 5:24 mark on video 6 of 7.

[This message has been edited by buddycraigg (edited 04-16-2009).]

Buddy I need your help.I rebuilt both motors ,using your 7 part Utube presentation (good stuff)
Put it all back together as soon as the power was applied to the relays the motors both went down . Turned the headlight swith back on nothing , head lights would come on but motors would not come on to bring up the headlight housing. I've played around doing testing removed the assemblies again took off the motors and just plugged them into the relays and they run constantly with the light switch off so I know the motors ar working but, when I turn the head lights on the motors quit.

Parts supplier tells me that the isolation relay is the same as the headlight relay so I have tried new relays, with same results.

Any Ideas. From anyone?????

email is dobie44@hotmail.com

Good write up.

quote Originally posted by dobie1: Buddy I need your help.I rebuilt both motors ,using your 7 part Utube presentation (good stuff) Put it all back together as soon as the power was applied to the relays the motors both went down . Turned the headlight swith back on nothing , head lights would come on but motors would not come on to bring up the headlight housing. I've played around doing testing removed the assemblies again took off the motors and just plugged them into the relays and they run constantly with the light switch off so I know the motors ar working but, when I turn the head lights on the motors quit. Parts supplier tells me that the isolation relay is the same as the headlight relay so I have tried new relays, with same results. Any Ideas. From anyone????? email is dobie44@hotmail.com

Iso relay and bucket relays are NOT the same. Parts stores are wrong when saying that. For one thing the iso relay has an added diode in it that is needed that the bucket relay does not have.

I believe I'm correct that if you have the motor output disconnected from the bucket then the motor should run either direction depending on the position of the headlight switch. Both limit switches in the motor should be closed so changed the light switch should make the motor reverse direction. If the motor does not run in both positons then is sounds like a limit switch problem in the motor. (as long as you have the right relays installled.)

Per BuddyCraigg

the isolation relay.
it's number is 10022620.
it might be called a control module in the price books, but that is what you want.

and i could NOT get a correct part number from any of the autopart stores web sites.
they all want to sell you the headlight motor relay.
YOU DO NOT WANT ANY OF THESE NUMBERS BECAUSE THEY ARE FOR THE MOTOR.

gm 10031018

Oreillys borgwarner R3230

Delco D1784

Autozone MR86

Parts America niehoff DR5049

Napa ECH AR690

[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 05-04-2009).]

dobie1
I bet they sold you the wrong relay.

and try these tests with your old relays back in place.

Thanks everyone , Buddy you did it again. Troubleshot the problem it was a relay!!!

Now the right light isn't hitting the limit switch and shutting down as I can hear the heat switch clicking on then off and the knob is heatting up.

So from what I understand Buddy you figure it is the rubber bumpers that came with the new gears ?
So I should take the motor apart and rebuild with JB weld in for a solid mount?

can anyone steer me to supplier for a new limit switch passenger motor.

Thanks
Wayne

You might also check the rubber bushing under the knob is in the right position. That can keep it from hitting the limit switch also.

Have rebuilt my right motor (1986)

All seems well apart from when it reaches the stops (both up and down) there is a small pause and then the right motor manual adjuster turns about 45degress and there is a click. Seeing as this doesnt happen on the left I am a tad confuzzled. If it happened on both sides I might have concluded it is due to the 1/8" that BC describes in this thread.

Any suggestions please?

[edit]: Its not the constant clicking problem (Sandersons effect ;0)), does anyone understand how the bumpers could cause this effect? Also if Sandersons is caused by the bumpers somehow, why don't the motors do it when the bumpers are worn to green sand (its hurting my brain)? In my case, there is a solitary click after a second delay, no repeats.

[This message has been edited by PK (edited 05-17-2009).]

Ahhh think I may have answered my own question. Having started the rebuild of the second motor, I noticed that the new gear had a looser fit than on the other motor. In fact it was effectively an interference fit/solid mount on the other motor, as it would be with BC's JBWeld version. I think my single twitch at the end of the up/down motion is due to the lack of cushioning from the solid mounting of the new gear. My guess is BC has the same thing with his solid JBWeld rebuilds?