LeBaron Headlight motor

[fleckster]

It seems my LeBaron GT 'vert just started a bit of a problem tonight. The headlight doors aren't closing all the way. They start to close (I'd guess maybe 20%) and then stop. They will open completely when turned back on. Is this a control module symptom? Maybe a motor or mechanical issue? I got home at 2:30am so I'm not going to mess with it tonight but I thought I'd post up and see if those that have had problems before could let me know if this is a common problem when control modules start to go bad.

Thanks!

[turbovanman²]

Doesn't Barry have a fix for this, if my memory is working, the module fails but its easily fixed.

[Dodge Aries K]

It's probably the bushings in the headlight motor. You'll have to replace them most likely.

[sdac guy]

I've not seen a module fail partially as you describe John. But, if there are two motors (some systems use a common motor with a rod to each light) and both of them act the same though, it would be too coincidental that both motors failed the same way at the same time.

Barry

[Dodge Aries K]

J body verts use one motor with a bar that runs across. I believe the ford window motor bushings at advance auto will fix it.

[fleckster]

I disconnected one of the headlight doors and the thing works fine. The lower load allowed the motor to work so I guess the motor is the culprit. I have it out of the car now. So, any simple instructions on how to replace the bushings? This isn't outlined in the service manual.

[fleckster]

It looks like the motor may be weak and needs to be replaced. I've taken mine apart and now I can't even get it back together. (Yes, I suck.) Mine felt notchy when spun by hand so I know it was pretty worn. So what am I looking at here to get this one fixed?

[Force Fed Mopar]

I think I may have one, but the trans is stripped out. motor worked fine though. LMK if you think you can use it and I'll hunt it down.

[fleckster]

By trans do you mean, the nylon "ring" gear that mates with the screw gear of the main shaft out of the motor?

[Force Fed Mopar]

I mean the square hole that the actuator rod goes through is at least partially stripped, I didn't break the ice off the doors by hand first one winter and it kinda twisted in the hole. AFAIK all the internal gears and stuff are fine. It would still open them fine, just didn't always close fully because of the slop in the hole. I'll try and find it today and take a pic.

[BIGBRUDDA]

I got a coupla Daytona headlight motors John.:nod: You figger if they'll work. Lemme no!:confused:

[turbovanman²]

I have some Daytona ones also, been in the for sale section for months, ;)

[fleckster]

I don't think the Daytona motors will work will they? The LeBaron uses a single center-mounted unit with a torsion bar running through it to each headlight door. I have never looked at a Daytona motor to see if it has the square drive "transmission" in the center of the ring gear. If they do, then I have a couple in an old nose piece I've saved that I was eventually wanting to use mounted on a wall hooked up as floodlights in a shop somewhere.

[BIGBRUDDA]

[I have a couple in an old nose piece I've saved that I was eventually wanting to use mounted on a wall hooked up as floodlights in a shop somewhere.[/QUOTE]

You got some sense -o- style there Johnny!:confused:

[fleckster]

How cool would it be to have a shop that when you flipped on a light switch, a Daytona nose mounted like it was sticking through the wall would have the headlight doors open and then the lights would come on? (It's from a black '87 Shelby Z) I was thinking of having above the garage door opening or something. Am I the only one that thinks this would be cool?!?

[turbovanman²]

Its way cool, :clap:

Got pics of your motors Fleck?

[fleckster]

I don't currently have a picture of the motor out of my LeBaron but I can take some when I get home from work and post them up in here tomorrow morning after I get up.

[Force Fed Mopar]

Daytona's are different, they use 2 seperate motors, one on each light.

Here's pics of my motor. The hole for the rod looked fine, so I took it apart to find the problem. Turns out it's the same as power window motors, it has nylon rollers in it that get old and brittle and crumble into little pieces. You can clean out the pieces and use steel ball bearings in place of them though, that's how I fixed the window motors in the Diplomat.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/ForceFedMopar/DSCF3376.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/ForceFedMopar/DSCF3377.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/ForceFedMopar/DSCF3378.jpg

[JDAWG]

daytona is different, a C body is the same, I think new yorker. They are still avail new pn 4467311 but on b/o. There are a bunch of dealers that have some sitting though, maybe one is close to you.

[fleckster]

I've checked the nylon gears in mine and they actually looked pretty good! I think mine is more of an electrical problem with the motor. It will drop them fine (less power required with gravity helping) but when closing, it pulls them up most of the way but quits after about 80% of the way. When I disconnected one headlight, it worked fine. I think the lesser load was fine for the motor. I'm thinking the brushes or the bushings are worn enough that the motor can't handle the full load of both doors.

[Force Fed Mopar]

Well, I can sell you this one for $15 + shipping, lmk if you're interested.

[fleckster]

Thanks to Nate (88pacifica) for coming up this evening and helping me with the motor. With me helping him do all the work, everything got cleaned and polished up. The nylon rollers inside the gear (I didn't pull the gear off the cover to look in that side of the gear the first time I had it apart.) were nothing but chunks. With that cleaned out, it's all back together minus me getting three ball bearings from work next week, packing them with grease and putting them in and the motor should be better than new! I'll keep everyone posted.

Again special thanks to Nate! :hail:

[88_pacifica]

Hey, it's the least I could do for a "life saving" TD'er... He's helped me out WAY more than a little "headlight motor" repair! I really didn't do anything other than put it back together the way it came originally. ;)

However, the highlight of my night was when he took me for a ride in his Spirit R/T. All I can say is "wow...." I am truly amazed. I've seen them run and I now they can be made fast, but it was 'uber cool to experience firsthand. It's every bit as fast as my GN, and it's a 14.1 car in it's own right. This may even be quicker... Thanks again for the ride John and I look forward to hanging out again! Let me know next time your bored "twiddling your thumbs..."! :D :thumb:

[fleckster]

Daytona's are different, they use 2 seperate motors, one on each light.

The hole for the rod looked fine, so I took it apart to find the problem. Turns out it's the same as power window motors, it has nylon rollers in it that get old and brittle and crumble into little pieces. You can clean out the pieces and use steel ball bearings in place of them though, that's how I fixed the window motors in the Diplomat.


Do you remember what size balls you used? I'm fairly sure I can find them at work after checking around tonight but if I knew the size it would be much easier and quicker.

[fleckster]

I managed to get some ball bearings out of the Fuji Lathe tail stock bearings from once replaced at work. They work great and I have a couple extra sets in case anyone needs them. With all of those machines we have, I can get a ton more! I got them installed and packed with grease. The motor works whisper quiet! I finally get around to putting the motor and torsion rod and everything else back into the car yesterday. It works great! But there was one problem, it was working backwards! When the headlights were turned on, the doors would go up and close and the lights would come on and try and shine through the covers and when the lights were turned off, the doors would drop and the lights would go off. My neighbor across the street who is an Electrical Engineer with Dephi, came over last night to chat and actually wanted to test his new electric trailer brake control by hooking up to my car trailer helped me test and then swap the wires in the connector to get the polarity correct to the headlight motor. It is fantastic to have working headlight doors again!

I want to thank: Nate (88pacifica) for his help in troubleshooting and getting the motor apart, cleaned, and put back together; the maintenance supervisors at work who found the ball bearings for me and now a source for those needing them in the future, my neighbor who helped me get the wires switched; and Force Fed Mopar for pointing me in the direction of the rollers that I didn't locate the first time I took it apart and recommending the ball bearings to replace them. Once again, this Forum proves it worth ten times it's price for the knowledge and friendship that we get from it! You guys rock!

[88_pacifica]

not a problem... :D :thumb: that's what we're here for!

[fcasta308]

Posts from 2007, helping me in 2014... This Thanksgiving I'm giving thanks for this forum. :hail: