88 Headlihgt motor broken

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:06 pm

Well for the first time my headlight motor went, it is the passenger side on my 88GT.

When Doug sold me the car he told me that they are extremely easy to rebuild. So could someone run me through it? Some pics would be great!

I'd ask over at the better Fiero Forum, but I am afraid of getting banned--my bar is quite red right now. :bootyshake:

Thanks guys!

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:21 pm

Buy Rodneys kit

Follow directions

take you 1 hour tops

Its a peice of cake

Thank the lord for 88 motors.

txf · Post by **txf** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:22 pm

Or get your own bushings from teflon Rods sold at Hobby Lobby but that's all I'll tell ya. Oh $2 tops.

Fast88Fiero · Post by **Fast88Fiero** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:22 pm

Yep, just get rodney's kit. Easy stuff!

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 1:06 am

What is Rodney's website again?

Fast88Fiero · Post by **Fast88Fiero** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 1:08 am

Aaron wrote:What is Rodney's website again?

http://www.rodneydickman.com/

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:10 am

So I need every one of these parts?

87-88 Headlight Actuator Rebuild Kit
Code Qty Description Item Cost
1987-1988 Headlight Actuator Rebuild Kit (each)
$3.00 S&H*
Vehicle: 87-88 Fiero87-92 Firebird88-96 Corvette88-02 Lotus $5.75

87-88 Headlight Actuator Side Cover Gasket
(Order 2 if you are rebuilding both headlight actuators)
$2.00 S&H*
$1.50

87-88 Headlight Motor Gasket
(Order 2 if you are rebuilding both headlight actuators)
$2.00 S&H*

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 12:14 pm

dont buy shit. take the motor out, and pull the plastic gear out, depending on side this can be easy or difficult. Then you will get a bunch of crap out of it that looks like ground up wax. Cut three pieces of hot glue gun glue sticks to 1/4" long. Stick them in the recieving hub and put the other drive gear back in. when you take it apart you will see what I mean. Its so simple. One side requires more effort because the plastic gear has to be pulled across the worm drive gear, so when you get it out there will be a lip on the back side of the teeth, trim the lip so it slides back over the worm gear when putting it back in. (when its in your hands youll see exactly what I mean.)

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 12:31 pm

hotglue gun stick? where did you learn that one? MTAkimoto ?

hell why not a peice of wooden dowel soaked in jb weld? think a stack of dimes would fit in those holes? :la:

don't cheap out on something sooooo cheap

Dirty Sanchez · Post by **Dirty Sanchez** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 2:49 pm

Whatever you do, don't try to replace the motor gaskets. If you take that cover off you will have a hell of a time getting the motor brushes back in. Just take the side covers off, clean out the rotten dowels, regrease the gears, put in the new dowels from Rodney, and reassemble with new gaskets. The dowels Rodney sells are meant to absorb load shock and return to their shape, a glue stick will deform and cause a mess in there eventually.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:05 pm

Dirty Sanchez wrote:Whatever you do, don't try to replace the motor gaskets. If you take that cover off you will have a hell of a time getting the motor brushes back in. Just take the side covers off, clean out the rotten dowels, regrease the gears, put in the new dowels from Rodney, and reassemble with new gaskets. The dowels Rodney sells are meant to absorb load shock and return to their shape, a glue stick will deform and cause a mess in there eventually.

This is how I want to do it. So what gaskets do I need? You say don't replace 1, so I should just need 1 other, correct?

Sorry for the newb questions, and I realize it is easy, but I've never done it before, and I don't want to fuck things up like the first time I workd on my Z34.

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:19 pm

Rodneys kit is so cheap.

Just get the bushings, thats all you need. Mine went bad and I didnt' buy anything but the bushings.

I replaced mine on my 88 as they were both bad.

Rodney has good instructions.

the kit is so cheap its stupid not to buy it esp if you havent' done it before.

Dont' be a Fiero owner and try to save $.15

txf · Post by **txf** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:57 pm

I have to be cheap and save $$$ Rodney won't sell to me. We got into it really bad about product quality so I get refused. Oh well. No loss to me.

Post by **eHoward** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:23 pm

wow. That's the first time I've ever heard anything like that about Rodney.

txf wrote:I have to be cheap and save $$$ Rodney won't sell to me. We got into it really bad about product quality so I get refused. Oh well. No loss to me.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:58 pm

I am cheap, but I spend the moeny right on things like that. Trust me, no Fiero of mine is having gluesticks in the headlight motors.

So I don't need to replace any gaskets? I have the money, time, and can figure it out, I'd like to replace any gasket I'll be taking apart if there are any.

dgzfiero · Post by **dgzfiero** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:20 pm

The gaskets usually don't break. I have rebuilt 4 headlight motors and ain't broke one yet.

Fast88Fiero · Post by **Fast88Fiero** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:51 pm

If I remember right, the gasket is an o-ring on the 87/88 motors. I've never broken one when taking apart headlight motors.

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 7:39 am

I've done a few and never had to replace anything but the bushings

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:45 pm

Kohburn wrote:hotglue gun stick? where did you learn that one? MTAkimoto ?

hell why not a peice of wooden dowel soaked in jb weld? think a stack of dimes would fit in those holes? :la:

don't cheap out on something sooooo cheap

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:48 pm

p8ntman442 wrote:
Kohburn wrote:hotglue gun stick? where did you learn that one? MTAkimoto ?

hell why not a peice of wooden dowel soaked in jb weld? think a stack of dimes would fit in those holes? :la:

don't cheap out on something sooooo cheap

long story short, I have purchased three of rodneys repair kits, all worked perfect, but i was in a pinch and the glue gun sticks worked as it was all I had handy while the third kit was on order. The glue sticks havent failed so I havent put the new parts(third kit) in yet.

I wouldnt sell a set of motors without his repair kit in them thats why I needed to replace mine in a hurry. Ask topcat how his motors are, they had rodneys in them when he bought them from me.