2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.
Sponsored by:

How the hell do you get the headlight motor out ?!?!!!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 10-19-07, 01:59 PM
  #1  
wtf rotary wtf

Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
hurleysurf24's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Who knows
Posts: 2,756
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
How the hell do you get the headlight motor out ?!?!!!

My headlight is stuck down ... and I just spent half an hour trying to do the following

1. Uninstall the headlight to replace motor
2. Unplug the headlight from its sensor (since its stuck in a position that is almost fully down .. it is draining the hell out of my battery). Unfortunately I can't even get the ******* plug off !!!

Help before i grab my pry bar!
Old 10-19-07, 02:36 PM
  #2  
Crash Auto?Fix Auto.

iTrader: (3)
 
classicauto's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Hagersville Ontario
Posts: 7,831
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
pull the retractor fuse, manually raise the headlight????
Old 10-19-07, 03:42 PM
  #3  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
 
phoenix7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
pull the front bumper? raise the headlights manually, unbolt/pull off headlights, then unbolt the 3 bolts holding the motor in place, unplug harnesses and the motor should be in your hands. This is simple. Why are you having a hard time with this?

edit:

You still have the bumper on the car huh?
Old 10-19-07, 03:51 PM
  #4  
Crash Auto?Fix Auto.

iTrader: (3)
 
classicauto's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Hagersville Ontario
Posts: 7,831
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Don't need to remove the bumper. There's the plastic surrounds, there's 4 bolts holding the assembly to the rad support (and the arm that connects it to the motor) then 3 bolts holding the motor to the frame rail/rad support. No need to take the bumper cover off.

All of which are accessible once you raise the assembly manually.
Old 10-19-07, 03:53 PM
  #5  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
 
phoenix7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
i was thinking about that too but if he can't raise the headlights (which I assume he aleady tried) he won't be able to get to the top bolt for the motor. nor the bolts behind the lights.
Old 10-19-07, 04:03 PM
  #6  
Goes *round*round*round*

 
DragonRx7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 718
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
He could just take out the FTP and stick his hand through there once he manually raises the headlight.
Old 10-19-07, 04:45 PM
  #7  
Crash Auto?Fix Auto.

iTrader: (3)
 
classicauto's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Hagersville Ontario
Posts: 7,831
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by phoenix7
i was thinking about that too but if he can't raise the headlights (which I assume he aleady tried) he won't be able to get to the top bolt for the motor. nor the bolts behind the lights.
You're right in that case, but they should be able to be raised. Given the fact that he said they're still making noise I'm going to presume he still has power going to the motors, and when there's still power going to them the manual raise ***** won't really help. You only crank them 4-5 times before they un-do you're cranking by themselves. Once he pulls the retractor fuse he should be fine.
Old 10-19-07, 05:49 PM
  #8  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
 
phoenix7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
haha, my manly hands couldn't fit in the FTPs if my life depended on it.
Old 10-19-07, 05:56 PM
  #9  
Winter sucks

 
micah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Newberg, Oregon
Posts: 3,083
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Turn manual crank under rubber cover on bottom........get headlight up... 4 bolts to remove headlight assembly (there'll be wires and stuff holding it in.. unplug them).. Careful not to pinch your fingers in the mechanism. Pop the linkage off of the motor with a large flathead screwdriver. then unbolt motor...
Old 10-19-07, 05:58 PM
  #10  
Turbo power, activate!

iTrader: (7)
 
Black Knight RX7 FC3S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 1,708
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
isnt the retractor **** reachable from the bottom.....
Old 10-19-07, 06:00 PM
  #11  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
 
phoenix7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
but his posting led me to believe it wasn't working.
Old 10-19-07, 06:00 PM
  #12  
Winter sucks

 
micah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Newberg, Oregon
Posts: 3,083
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Black Knight RX7 FC3S
isnt the retractor **** reachable from the bottom.....
Yes.. under a rubber cap under the bumper. Reach under.. easy to get to. But takes like 100 turns to move it an inch.
Old 10-19-07, 08:37 PM
  #13  
wtf rotary wtf

Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
hurleysurf24's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Who knows
Posts: 2,756
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
i would have no problem if i was able to get my headlight rasied. i have pulled the fuse .. i ahve manhandled it ... and tried everything else. It's stuck in the down position so it makes it a pain in the freakin ***

does anyone have a picture of where that manually raise and lower thing is?
Old 10-19-07, 09:34 PM
  #14  
Winter sucks

 
micah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Newberg, Oregon
Posts: 3,083
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Here's the procedure.

Stick head under car.. look for small white ****...
Old 10-20-07, 02:31 AM
  #15  
RotaryAddiction

 
Mazdapunk87's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Antonio,TX
Posts: 376
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by hurleysurf24
i would have no problem if i was able to get my headlight rasied. i have pulled the fuse .. i ahve manhandled it ... and tried everything else. It's stuck in the down position so it makes it a pain in the freakin ***

does anyone have a picture of where that manually raise and lower thing is?
also it may have black cover over it , but its right below headlights bro
Old 10-20-07, 02:35 AM
  #16  
RotaryAddiction

 
Mazdapunk87's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Antonio,TX
Posts: 376
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by micaheli
Here's the procedure.

Stick head under car.. look for small white ****...
yeah, as long as the black cover cap isnt on it , , but pretty much what micaheli said.
Old 10-20-07, 04:27 AM
  #17  
Winter sucks

 
micah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Newberg, Oregon
Posts: 3,083
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Mazdapunk87
yeah, as long as the black cover cap isnt on it , , but pretty much what micaheli said.
Yeah, I mentioned the black cap... thanks....
Old 10-20-07, 09:42 AM
  #18  
Canned. I got CORNED!

iTrader: (5)
 
The Shaolin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Appleton, WI
Posts: 1,029
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
+1 to all of that. Find the raisey **** thing from the bottom of the car.
Old 10-20-07, 12:51 PM
  #19  
Still has an RX7.

iTrader: (1)
 
Enthu's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: minneapolis MN
Posts: 1,014
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
It's not so hard. Find the **** underneath to manually raise the light. On my car the **** fell off though! So I pulled it off the other side and put it onto the motor I needed to raise the headlight on.

Pull the relay and start turning. Remove the plastic shrouds. Now use a pliers or something to detatch the retractor ball joint off the ball.

The only tricky part it getting a wrench on the nuts to remove the motors. It can be done, but may take a bit of effort.
Old 10-20-07, 02:33 PM
  #20  
Full Member
 
nittoracer753's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: texas
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
lol, but the thing is the headlights open up different, too. its pretty sweet though but nothing like my brothers s13. i do imagine its way harder too take tht **** off
Old 10-21-07, 12:49 AM
  #21  
wtf rotary wtf

Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
hurleysurf24's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Who knows
Posts: 2,756
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
finally got that ****** off and replaced it ... doesnt help when intercooler piping is in the damn way

anyway now i have problem ... i put the replacement motor in and it sounds like its going .. also feels like its going (if i undo the **** to much the headlight will bounce back up automatically) ...

However the headlight is not going up more then an inch ... wtf is up now sigh.
Old 10-22-07, 04:57 AM
  #22  
Rider of the Sky

 
Delphince's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 228
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
You guys were making this way too difficult. All you do is stick your thumb in a tailpipe and punch the back bumper. Pops the headlights up every time; makes the horn sound sometimes too.

But seriously, just reach down the side of the closed light and pop off the black lifter bar from one of its ball-and-socket joints, undo the two bolts behind the cover and the other two on the back side facing the air box / battery. Headlight comes right out after some fidgetting with the headlight plug when you have the room. I've done this maybe a dozen times now; can scratch up the back of your hand a little, but eh.

As for your headlights not going up far enough, sounds like the motor's had it or isn't adjusted right on the spline. Does it try to go through a full rotation, or just give up after an inch?

Edit: It's also possible you might have slightly bent part of the scissor mechanism. Those things are TUH-CHEE.

Last edited by Delphince; 10-22-07 at 05:03 AM.
Old 10-22-07, 12:28 PM
  #23  
wtf rotary wtf

Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
hurleysurf24's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Who knows
Posts: 2,756
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
it tries to go up all the way .. but stops at an inch.
Old 10-22-07, 05:15 PM
  #24  
Rider of the Sky

 
Delphince's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 228
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Everything's fine up to a dead stop, or sluggish trench warefare to gain the inch?




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:59 PM.