if you dont want to read this, i have about an hour worth of video on youtube showing how to do it.
Rebuild of a Fiero Gen 1 headlight motor 1of7 * 2of7 * 3of7 * 4of7 * 5of7 * 6of7 * 7of7

Generation 1 headlight motor version 2.0
i first wrote this thread Generation I head light motor disassembly
but I have learned some tips to make things easier and cant post to the archived thread.

**Thanks to Jazzman, sanderson, $Rich$, and Rodvr6 for technical corrections and or pics**

please read the whole thing, there will be tips along the way that will help save you some headaches.

Remove the headlight assembly,
There are 4 10mm nuts with big washers attached to them that hold the assembly to the car.
The top 2 have to be completely removed. The bottom 2 only need to be loosened, but I prefer to remove all 4.
I never can get under the nuts when I’m trying to put it back together.
The nuts have locktite on the threads and will not turn freely.


Scribe around the nuts/washers on the top so you can get it back in the correct adjustment.


Raise the headlight, SAFETY NOTE. Unplug the blue wire, or disconnect the battery.
Remove the bottom nuts first. So the assembly isn’t falling all over the place while you’re trying to work.
Plug the blue wire back in and lower the headlights.
Remove the top nuts.

Now the assembly will move around a bit, use this to your advantage for having enough room to unplug the wires from the relay.
Unplug the blue wire, the wires on the relay and the connector to the actual headlight bulb.
ASSEMBLY NOTE notice how the wires for the bulb thread up through the framework of the headlight assembly. Remember this for putting it back together.


Now the headlight assembly is ready to come out.
I find it helps to open the headlight cover,
Push it open from the back side of the hood,


hold it open from the front side with your other hand.


And wiggle, twist, turn the assembly until it’s out of the car.

[This message has been edited by buddycraigg (edited 06-23-2008).]

Now you’ve got the whole assembly out.
Remove this clip.
Be careful, the first time I did this, the clip shot off going about mach 2 in a northwest direction. So if any one in Montana finds it, PM me and I’ll give you my address to mail it back.

Remove the 3 long bolts that hold the motor to the assembly and remove the motor.

Now that it’s out. Remove the 11mm nut on the shaft.

Next we have to remove the arm.
Some times they fall off, some times they are stuck on pretty good.
I have had people say they can get them off using pliers and wiggling back and forth.
But I seldom get this to work.

So I use a hammer.
Be careful not to damage the threads on the shaft. You may want to put the nut back on part way. This will protect the threads if you miss.
You want to hit the arm along the edge around the shaft.
Using light taps. Kind of like releasing a ball joint from a steering knuckle.

tap, tap, tap,
wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.
tap, tap, tap,
wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.

Do not beat on the stud. The treaded portion will mushroom out easily.

[This message has been edited by buddycraigg (edited 11-19-2005).]

Put the limit switch back in to the motor.
Notice these fingers

And how they are suppose to engage the limit switch.
At rest the fingers are not touching the limit switch. (red arrows)
and both contacts are closed. (blue arrows)

This is why I suggest that you put the limit switch in at the end.
If you don’t get the fingers in the right spot, the limit switch will not be able to function correctly.

if you want to know how the limit switch works you can read this thread.
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/068642.html

[This message has been edited by buddycraigg (edited 01-18-2006).]

Hellova job man

thanks rich.

anyone want to add any tricks. or make suggestions?

Great job, man!!

Here's my tip:

You can use hot melt glue in place of the green bumpers. Just clean all of the debris out and fill it up with the hot glue. You can still take it apart down the road.

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1986 SE 350 V8

[This message has been edited by tesmith66 (edited 11-14-2005).]

I converted to generation II. You want my old gen I motors?

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John DuRette
Custom 85 SE/87 Coupe
"Kinda makes you nostalgic for a Members Only jacket"

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: I have seen a problem at least 5 times personally. If I use the black rubber pegs that come with most rebuild kits. The armature doesn’t move far enough up or down to operate the limit switch. I’ve tried lubing the armature, take the motors apart again, nothing looks wrong so I put it back together and still wont work. I cannot explain why they don’t work. But in every instance, if I disassemble the motor again, rebuild it with hard nylon pegs the motor works like it should. I don’t like doing things twice and I really don’t like for customers to come back, so I only use hard pegs now. ADD PIC ADD PIC

Back when I was doing my basic research into the "sanderson effect", I was suspicous that the aftermarket bumpers were too elastic. I subsequently discovered the evil bushing and thought that solved it. Time has proven that one of these rebuilt motors is very touchy. Anytime I use the lights I need to verify that the driver's side has actually switch off. As soon as I start to trust it, the battery is dead the next am. I don't have a hard time believing that the elasticity of the aftermarket bumpers really is an issue.

[This message has been edited by sanderson (edited 11-14-2005).]

quote Originally posted by sanderson: Back when I was doing my basic research into the "sanderson effect", I was suspicous that the aftermarket bumpers were too elastic. I subsequently discovered the evil bushing and thought that solved it. Time has proven that one of these rebuilt motors is very touchy. Anytime I use the lights I need to verify that the driver's side has actually switch off. As soon as I start to trust it, the battery is dead the next am. I don't have a hard time believing that the elasticity of the aftermarket bumpers really is an issue.

you never did answer my PM qq.

Well now what?

I assembled the motor with the arm and the bracket. I spun it manually about 150 times and the armature fingers never break the contacts in the limit switch. After this I grabbed the arm and there is alot of play in it.

So, I took the motor apart and the metal gear seems sound. But the plastic gear spins freely on it's shaft. How can the armature move and break the contacts in the limit switch if the plastic gear doesn't bind?

quote I have seen a problem at least 5 times personally. If I use the black rubber pegs that come with most rebuild kits. The armature doesn’t move far enough up or down to operate the limit switch. I’ve tried lubing the armature, take the motors apart again, nothing looks wrong so I put it back together and still wont work. I cannot explain why they don’t work. But in every instance, if I disassemble the motor again, rebuild it with hard nylon pegs the motor works like it should. I don’t like doing things twice and I really don’t like for customers to come back, so I only use hard pegs now.

or The Sanderson Effect has you.

quote Originally posted by btklassy: But the plastic gear spins freely on it's shaft.

that cant happen unless something is broken
the nylon gear can turn almost half way back and forth if the green bushings are destroyed but it cant spin all the way around on the shaft.

did the headlight move up or down when you turned the knob 150 times?

[This message has been edited by buddycraigg (edited 11-20-2005).]

I don't think Sanderson's Effect is getting me. The grommet looks like it's installed correctly.

I'm sorry I'm so dim with this stuff. I just don't understand how the gears bind which allows the worm gear to move the armature an 1/8 up or down. If the shaft was bound with the plastic gear then when the arm attached to the headlight reached each end of it's arc that could function as a stop. But the plastic gear turns freely on it's shaft so - no stop.

The green bumpers inside the plastic gear could function as a stop but the metal plate that covers them also spins freely on the shaft - again no stop. What stops the gears?

quote Originally posted by btklassy: but the metal plate that covers them also spins freely on the shaft

there's your problem.

The purpose of the green bumpers is to act as a shock absorber when the light bucket hits its up or down limit stops, that's why the worm gear will eventually strip once the green bushings disintegrate. Without the shock absorbers the gear takes a sharp shock at travel stop and that drastically increases wear on the plastic, eventually leading to failure.

JazzMan

You are awesome.

Now I understand. The shaft binds on the metal plate which then binds the plastic gear. Seems like the definition of a Rube Goldberg device. Gotta be a better way...

Thanks again.

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: you never did answer my PM qq.

Just sent one. Sorry I don't routinely check the PM box

quote Originally posted by JazzMan: The purpose of the green bumpers is to act as a shock absorber when the light bucket hits its up or down limit stops, that's why the worm gear will eventually strip once the green bushings disintegrate. Without the shock absorbers the gear takes a sharp shock at travel stop and that drastically increases wear on the plastic, eventually leading to failure. JazzMan

I don’t agree with you 100% on this one.
I’m sure they where designed to absorb the impact of the sudden stop.
But I have disassembled many motors, and I haven’t found any rhyme or reason to the nylon gear being stripped out.
I’ve seen the gear be stripped out with the green bumpers still in tact.
And I’ve seen the green bumper be completely gone and the nylon gear is still ok.
And you understand as well as I do, once the ears of the metal plate rotates around to contact the fins inside the nylon gear is the same as being solidly mounted.

I like the idea of the cushion. But I’ve had too many instances where the motor wouldn’t snap the limit switch, going up or down.
I put in hard pegs and it works.

As for longevity we’ll have to wait and see.
Remember the gear that I made out of two bad ones?
I did that on 01/08/2004.

It was mounted solid with the shaft.
I marked the motor with the word “GEAR” and put it in my V6 car (which I drive 80% of the time) for testing.
At least once a day I would have to use my headlights either on the way to work or the way home depending on the season.
It hasn’t failed yet.

buddy - here's a fixture I made up to work on the motor. I too do a lot of rebuilds and holding the motor steady could be a pita.

I used some scrap 1/4" aluminum plate I had left over from doing the top of my bench (in the pic). I used 1/4" ready rod and use one nut on each side of the plate. Then I use two nuts on each stud to lock them at a position high enough to work on a left or right motor. The other two screws and nuts are to keep the plate level. Finally I screw the plate down to my bench (flat head in the pic) to prevent any movement while working on the motor. You know how difficult that can be when lining the rubber bush or placing the switch actuators. For dimensions, all you have to do is measure the holes in the motor. as you know they are the same LH and RH. Knowing you, you proly already have something else. I also make my own absorbers out of very hard rubber. Oscar.

quote Originally posted by buddycraigg: See this little guy… He is evil. And wants to ruin your day. This rubber seal is under the knob and has to fit into a slot when you are putting the armature back into the case half.

LOL that is so true.

someone needed headlight motor help.

TY
I found this thread in a search last weekend, and it helped fixed my Headlight problem.
along with another thread by sk8tr
sk8tr's solution was a good example of what NOT to do ..... but, his was closer to my problem

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1985 Fiero SE - Plain Red V6 Coupe
3.1 Crane272 MSD 4.10-4spd DarthChip Borla
D.A.M.M. - Drunks Against Mad Mothers

Where does one buy brushes? I couldn't find any, and would like to rebuild a motor at home.

Thanks.

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http://www.cheetahonline.com
My Fiero

quote Originally posted by cheetah: Where does one buy brushes? I couldn't find any, and would like to rebuild a motor at home. Thanks.

you can get brush/circuit breaker assemblies from rodney dickman.