Firebird Headlights--ALL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS REGARDING HEADLIGHTS GO IN HERE
#1521
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I feel your pain. The metal gears are often not a solution to the real problem with the motors (looseness between the motor and the gear case) and I had to switch to new motors: https://ls1tech.com/forums/stereo-el...ght-doors.html
In addition to the gear issue, I also lost the epoxy on one of my covers, which also helped press the issue...
#1522
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The looseness I can feel and I was going to try and put washers there, but I didn't. I already ordered one of the new headlights you mentioned in your link, couldn't find on RockAuto until now but cancelled my Amazon order and got one through them. Daniel mentioned the screws and that is a way better design. I might end up with the driver's one too if they are good. I assume I can still put the metal gears in these or no? - or should I bother?
#1523
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You could put the metal gears in. The motors are great except mine had some wiring issues. (One of the motors had the wires power wires spliced buy just twisting them together - I guess the factory switched spools and someone got lazy - and the connector seals were the wrong size. So, I put a proper structural splice on the wire and replaced the connector seal plugs with the proper ones.) It was a lot of work, but I figured that ordering the proper connector seals and installing them myself was less work than returning the motors and looking for other ones.
Kind of disappointing for a "new" motor. Hopefully that quality control issue has been resolved - the connectors don't take too kindly to moisture.
I did some math, making some assumptions, and figured out that (with the motors with screwed on doors) I can easily change the nylon gears if they ever strip again. So, I'm going with nylons now and in the future. For the price of the metal gears, I can buy nylon gears every 5 years until I die and have some money left over for a burger and fries. (Not sure how I'll buy a burger and fries once I die, but I'll feel good about having a little extra cash in my pocket.)
Kind of disappointing for a "new" motor. Hopefully that quality control issue has been resolved - the connectors don't take too kindly to moisture.
I did some math, making some assumptions, and figured out that (with the motors with screwed on doors) I can easily change the nylon gears if they ever strip again. So, I'm going with nylons now and in the future. For the price of the metal gears, I can buy nylon gears every 5 years until I die and have some money left over for a burger and fries. (Not sure how I'll buy a burger and fries once I die, but I'll feel good about having a little extra cash in my pocket.)
#1524
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As an update, got the other one in. Noticed a little slack when I got it, figured whatever. Put the metal gear in, absolutely no slack. Got the connectors switched over for the headlights and installed, works perfectly. Driver's side is also being a bitch so looks like I'll be ordering one for that side too and ditching the POS design of the original motors (mainly the epoxy..the screws are a much better design IMO and should've been there from the start, but OEMs don't exactly make things serviceable as we all know).
#1527
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If you look down the wire to where it goes in the connector body, those seals should be tight to the cylinder cavity that the terminal and wire slide in to.
#1529
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There's an excellent faq at the top of this forum with all your headlight answers. You can find temporary fixes or permanent ones with good step by step walk throughs
#1531
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I have one lazy headlight. It will not go up when I turn headlight switch on. The other goes up. I have to turn lights on/off several times then it goes up. Light will go down if turned off right away, but after driving awhile it stays up when lights are turned off.
Previous owner had motors replaced at GM dealer just before I purchased the car. I've only driven the car once in the dark since last October. Since an Ebay purchase and seller stated all operates as it should…they had me take car to GM service. They could not find ny issue, headlights operated properly the said.
Since new motors I guess this could be the connector from the car side? Also when the light finally comes up, when it goes down it hits bottom louder then the properly functioning headlight. I've WD-40's the light but that did not seem to do anything.
Suggestions? Thanks
Previous owner had motors replaced at GM dealer just before I purchased the car. I've only driven the car once in the dark since last October. Since an Ebay purchase and seller stated all operates as it should…they had me take car to GM service. They could not find ny issue, headlights operated properly the said.
Since new motors I guess this could be the connector from the car side? Also when the light finally comes up, when it goes down it hits bottom louder then the properly functioning headlight. I've WD-40's the light but that did not seem to do anything.
Suggestions? Thanks
#1532
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#1534
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One thing to look for is if the plastic bumpers are still there for the door actuating arm to land on. They get brittle and will come off. If they are gone, then they can be replaced with a small section of heater or fuel hose. This calms things down and the slam isn't so hard.
#1535
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One thing to look for is if the plastic bumpers are still there for the door actuating arm to land on. They get brittle and will come off. If they are gone, then they can be replaced with a small section of heater or fuel hose. This calms things down and the slam isn't so hard.
If they are slamming then something is wrong.
#1536
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I have a 98 TA racecar. All of the factory wiring was removed from the car and replaced with a basic wire harness and fuse panel. I have all of the lights and stuff working. Only problem is I can't figure out a way to get the headlights to go up and down. Is there any way to get the headlights to work correctly without a BCM?
#1537
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I wouldn't call it a slam, it's just less... 'dainty' than I thought it would be. I thought a more slow, fluid motion like a power window going up and down, I guess is the best way to explain it. I don't know if that makes sense or not? I rarely use them anyway, I try not to drive at night to avoid having to scrub all those bugs off the front bumper!
#1538
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I have a 98 TA racecar. All of the factory wiring was removed from the car and replaced with a basic wire harness and fuse panel. I have all of the lights and stuff working. Only problem is I can't figure out a way to get the headlights to go up and down. Is there any way to get the headlights to work correctly without a BCM?
I'm pretty sure you need the headlight control module but not the BCM.
#1540
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HELP!! okay my Passenger side headlight motor went out this weekend i went out and replaced the motor with a refurbished one for $63 at orileys my friend had the same problem and replaced his like a year ago so I knew what I was doing. I Got the motor in and everything BUT the problem is now that when I turn on my lights my driver side goes up like normal but the passenger stays down BUT!!!!! when I turn off my lights the Driver side goes down like normal and the PASSENGER Side goes UP!!! WTF!! I literally spent 4 hours trying to figure this out last night we even compared to my friends passenger side trans am and the arms move the same the wires are the same and everything please help! Pontiac Firebird 2001 Alternating Headlights