90 vette headlight trouble

Hey all. I just bought a 90 vette from a private seller. When I bought
it he told me he had trouble with the drivers headlight not always
opening and or closing. My thought is the motor bearings are going out.
Not the problem I need help with though. When I get the headlights to
come up the drivers side is very very dim. I changed the lights and
still have the same problem. Does anyone know what may be the problem?
Aside from that the high beam indicator on the dash stays on. If anyone
can give me some advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like you have a couple problems.. Opening & Brightness.

This will get your headlights opening and closing properly.

http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2002...hts/light1.asp

On the brightness.... maybe check the connectors when doing the bushing
repair.


keithdesselle wrote:

>Hey all. I just bought a 90 vette from a private seller. When I bought
>it he told me he had trouble with the drivers headlight not always
>opening and or closing. My thought is the motor bearings are going out.
>Not the problem I need help with though. When I get the headlights to
>come up the drivers side is very very dim. I changed the lights and
>still have the same problem. Does anyone know what may be the problem?
>Aside from that the high beam indicator on the dash stays on. If anyone
>can give me some advice it would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
>

--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove –SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

Thanks Ric. I'll check it out more, but as far as I can tell all of the
wires are plugged in well and no smashed sections. I'm thinking that
both problems are from the same spot for some reason, they both started
at the same time.

Sorry this is long but I've tried to cover the waterfront here.

Ric is right on the probability that the bushings in the motor gearbox
are shot. The website Ric referenced is great. Go slowly in loosening
the screws between the motor and the gearbox (so that you can tip the
motor and release pressure between the worm gear and the teeth on the
big nylon gear). Scrape off the black paint around the screw heads and
leave a drop of penetrating oil on each screw overnight -- saves
shearing the screws -- which would get you into another fussy repair.
(Post here if that happens and we can offer tips.)

Elecrical symptoms point to a ground problem between the ground terminal
on the left headlamp and its chassis connection. Following is based on
pages 100 and 102 from the '89 shop manual -- '90 should be similar
however there was a change in the harness connector between the frame
harness and the actual headlight units (I think this was to support the
higher wattage lamps that went into the '90).

There are separate grounds for the right and left headlights; however,
there's a tie wire between the two grounds. The broken or poor ground
is causing headlight and/or motor controller current to return through
the hi-beam indicator causing it to stay on.

If the hi-beam indicator is on only when the headlights (either hi or
low beam) are on, then the broken ground is between the left headlamp
and the headlight motor controller. (Trace between the connector on the
back of the headlamp, through the short harness on the headlight
assembly then through the connector between the assembly into the
harness to where the ground from the headlight motor control unit (small
black box in the left-forward of the engine compartment) connector
enters the harness. If the hi-beam light is on all the time (headlights
off or on) then the ground break is between the controller and the rest
of the stuff on that ground leg.

The stuff on that ground leg includes: Left engine compartment light, LH
Horn, LH Cornering Light & the headlight motor controller for both
headlight motors. If most of those things are working OK I'd put money
on the black wire close to the headlight or the actual connector to the
sealed beam itself. If that's not the case, your break is probably
buried inside a harness. In that case, the easiest fix will be to run a
ground wire from somewhere near the headlamp to a solid frame ground
point. (Unless you are a purist. If so, then it's harness repair--no
picnic.)

Hope this helps....

Happy SuperBowl results everyone!
--
…PJ
Two-wheeled (white sidewalls) Weber barbecue



RicSeyler wrote:
> Sounds like you have a couple problems.. Opening & Brightness.
>
> This will get your headlights opening and closing properly.
>
> http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2002...hts/light1.asp
>
> On the brightness.... maybe check the connectors when doing the bushing
> repair.
>
>
> keithdesselle wrote:
>
>> Hey all. I just bought a 90 vette from a private seller. When I bought
>> it he told me he had trouble with the drivers headlight not always
>> opening and or closing. My thought is the motor bearings are going out.
>> Not the problem I need help with though. When I get the headlights to
>> come up the drivers side is very very dim. I changed the lights and
>> still have the same problem. Does anyone know what may be the problem?
>> Aside from that the high beam indicator on the dash stays on. If anyone
>> can give me some advice it would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>>
>>
>

MANY MANY thanks PJ!! I checked it out and the ground connection at the
headlight plug was either loose or not making a good connection. If I
take the ground wire off the light it remains dim, but as soon as I put
it back on, or connect a new wire to the ground upstream of the
headlight plug harness it comes on bright and the high beam indicator
goes off. It's working fine for now, but I will try to replace the
ground connector at the light as soon as the parts store opens in the
morning. You have really saved me a bunch of heartache and money on
having someone check it out. Hope you have a good Superbowl Sunday and
best wishes.

Keith

PJ, do you think it is possible that the black connector on the
headlight where all three wires make contact with the light could be
allowing current to travel between the green high beam supply and the
black ground wire? When the ground is connected and the beam is dim
there is a slight current on the green connector at the light,
according to my light tester. When the light works as it is supposed to
there is no current on the green wire if the lights are on low beam.
Just trying to figure it out before I go hacking wires to replace
connectors.Thanks again for the help you have given. Hopefully one day
I'll be able to return the favor.

<STANDS CLAPPING>
Good on ya PJ! Now get out and drive that sucker Keith! :-)

keithdesselle wrote:

>MANY MANY thanks PJ!! I checked it out and the ground connection at the
>headlight plug was either loose or not making a good connection. If I
>take the ground wire off the light it remains dim, but as soon as I put
>it back on, or connect a new wire to the ground upstream of the
>headlight plug harness it comes on bright and the high beam indicator
>goes off. It's working fine for now, but I will try to replace the
>ground connector at the light as soon as the parts store opens in the
>morning. You have really saved me a bunch of heartache and money on
>having someone check it out. Hope you have a good Superbowl Sunday and
>best wishes.
>
>Keith
>
>
>

--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove –SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

keithdesselle wrote:
> MANY MANY thanks PJ!! I checked it out and the ground connection at the
> headlight plug was either loose or not making a good connection. If I
> take the ground wire off the light it remains dim, but as soon as I put
> it back on, or connect a new wire to the ground upstream of the
> headlight plug harness it comes on bright and the high beam indicator
> goes off. It's working fine for now, but I will try to replace the
> ground connector at the light as soon as the parts store opens in the
> morning. You have really saved me a bunch of heartache and money on
> having someone check it out. Hope you have a good Superbowl Sunday and
> best wishes.
>
> Keith
>
Glad to help Keith.

It really sounds like you've got a major break in that ground line from
the left headlamp and possibly a minor problem downstream from there.
I've forgotten what the right and left front engine compartment grounds
look like. Those might be contributing--particularly if the car has
ever played in some deep gutters or flooded streets.

This morning, "Management" has me cleaning up the residue from
yesterday's bash. (as many dead soldiers in the pool as in the trashcan
on the patio--plenty of rib-soaked paper plates in the flower beds etc.
etc.) C4 is several blocks away in a buddy's feed barn but uncovered.
I'll swap cars late this afternoon and "stare aimlessly" at the grounds
for the forward engine compartment. Then will wash it for tomorrow's
commute. Today started foggy but we've moved into a windy 'Santa Ana'
condition with plenty of dust falling out of the sky.

Should have an answer (or dumb look report) for you tonight or early
tomorrow.
--
…PJ
Rusted trashcan dolly

"PJ" > wrote in message
news:nxMFf.152041$WH.19398@dukeread01...
> Glad to help Keith.
>
> It really sounds like you've got a major break in that ground line
> from the left headlamp and possibly a minor problem downstream from
> there.
> I've forgotten what the right and left front engine compartment
> grounds look like. Those might be contributing--particularly if the
> car has ever played in some deep gutters or flooded streets.
>
> This morning, "Management" has me cleaning up the residue from
> yesterday's bash. (as many dead soldiers in the pool as in the
> trashcan on the patio--plenty of rib-soaked paper plates in the
> flower beds etc. etc.) C4 is several blocks away in a buddy's feed
> barn but uncovered. I'll swap cars late this afternoon and "stare
> aimlessly" at the grounds for the forward engine compartment. Then
> will wash it for tomorrow's commute. Today started foggy but we've
> moved into a windy 'Santa Ana' condition with plenty of dust falling
> out of the sky.
>
> Should have an answer (or dumb look report) for you tonight or early
> tomorrow.
> --
> …PJ
> Rusted trashcan dolly

You're really getting into this exotic acquisitions and properties
thing PJ.

Dad
Soiled latex life containment vessel

keithdesselle wrote:
> PJ, do you think it is possible that the black connector on the
> headlight where all three wires make contact with the light could be
> allowing current to travel between the green high beam supply and the
> black ground wire? When the ground is connected and the beam is dim
> there is a slight current on the green connector at the light,
> according to my light tester. When the light works as it is supposed to
> there is no current on the green wire if the lights are on low beam.
> Just trying to figure it out before I go hacking wires to replace
> connectors.Thanks again for the help you have given. Hopefully one day
> I'll be able to return the favor.
>
Don't know about the connector but found the grounds. On the '89, each
is on the frame extension right over it's respective horn. I pulled one
and found only a slight surface rust under the lug. But, a lockwasher
was holding to clean metal. Might be worth pulling them and checking
for any rust under the washer. Hope all gets well.

--
…PJ
’89 HookerCar, ’02 E-blu 6-spd Coupe