Just rebuilt the #$%@ headlight motors on my 86. I followed buddycraig's instructions and now am ready to toss in a grenade.....

Right side works up and down. Ocaisionaly it takes a tap on the knob to get it to go down (that does not sound right) anyway, with the hood down, the right motor will only open the door halfway before stalling. Is it the directional switch in the motor?

Left side goes up when it should go down and will not go down. Do I have the magnet in wrong? The hoops are pointing toward the gears. Before I tore them apart to replace the gears, they seemed to work ok (sans the stripped gears).

Does anyone know where I can find a couple of directional switch's? I talked to Rodney and he does not have them anymore. Thanks in advance for your responses.

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Katatak

Anyone out there?

Yes on the left side you have the magnet flipped, sorry you will have to correct that. The loops maybe pointing the riht direction but you may have to rotate the magnet a half turn. Note how Buddy said to watch the white dot of sealer that is usually on one side of the magnet..

On the right one, did you take the finger blocks and spring off the motor shaft and clean and lube the parts. Sounds like you might have the dogs and spring order wrong. The limit switches are there just to stop the motor which it is doing so they are working. How much load the motor can handle (if the gears are good) is determined by the spring tension on the limit dogs. If it is stopping to soom it has to be something adding extra load to the motor (internal to the motor or external) or an assembly issue. If you have to tap the knob on the motor that is usually due to the close limit switch contacts not touching eash other. Could be some dirt or burn marks on the contacts or again from the way the motor shaft was re-assembled. Take note of the placement of the rubber gromet under the knob also. It maybe out of place.
You can also take the little square cover off where the limit switch is located and watch the switches. You can push and pull the knob and make the switches click. The amount of force to move them should be about the same either direction. (it easier to push it than pull of course)
Sounds like your close on the rebuild but just need to check your work.

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

Thanks Dodgerunner. Was a late night when I finished assembly. Took a short cut and did not pay attention to the switchs. Sprayed some cleaner on them and stuck them back in the case. I will take them both apart, clean correctly and reinstall. We never learn, do it right the first time. I did replace the gears with Rodney's rebuild kit. The right motor turns a little tighter than the left. Maybe I have something out of alignment. I will post the results of my redo later today. Again, thanks for the input.

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Katatak

he said pretty much what i would have said.

I'm interested to see if this works. The earlier headlight system is a nightmare to deal with. Even with buddycraigg's help the only thing that fixed my headlights in my '86 was putting a 2nd gen system in it from a '87 Fiero. The 87-88 headlight motors are so EASY to deal with its not even funny. Converting it over to the newer style motors isn't that hard either.

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Now for the good news. Just finished tearing the motors apart - again- and putting back together.

On the right side, I changed the "stator"? & magnet and made sure that the armature was clean and the grooves were clean. I tore the switch apart exactly as Buddy explains to and reinstalled - works perfect.

Left side, tore apart, roatated the magnet 180 degrees, cleaned the switch, reinstalled, goes down, won't come up. Grabbed a relay off the parts car and presto - left works perfect.

Moral of the story, "Do exactly what Buddy Craig says, follow his instrructions and all will be right with your headlight motors".

Thanks a million Buddy for all your hard work and willingness to share with us mere mortals!

Thanks a million to all the others as well.

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Katatak

glad to be help