R/H headlight noise after it opens/closes

[19691998firebirdtransam]

my 1998 trans am is daily driven, has been maint. free for the last (2 1/2 years) 45,000. miles. It now has 109,000. miles. The only modification is 17" WS6 wheels, everything else is bone stock.

When I turn on the headlights, after they both come up as designed, the right side makes a grinding sound for about 5 seconds, after it is up.

When I turn the headlights off, it makes the same sound for about 5 seconds, after they are closed.

When I turn on the running lights, the head lights come up, but do not turn on, then if I try to turn on the fog lights, the fog lights do not come on all the time (with running lights on). If I try it several times, they will come on eventually.

I have an intermitant problem here, is the R/H retract motor the root of the problem?

Thanks for the help in advance...

[DrMilhouse]

It's the gear. I'll look around and see if I can find it. There's a brass replacement for the plastic gear. 1/2 of the teeth are gone.

[DrMilhouse]

here ya go: clicky (http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/) or more specifically you can check out the list of failures and what not here: clicky 2 (http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/#headlight%20gear%20failures)

[19691998firebirdtransam]

Thanks...

Will the gear account for the other electrical inconsistancies?

[DrMilhouse]

it will take care of a lot of things. I'd start with that. There's a free fix on that page instead of buying the gear. Try that and go from there.

[19691998firebirdtransam]

I got my brass gears today. Put them in, and everything works as it should. Great product...
Thanks ...

[DrMilhouse]

Cool, glad to hear. Who knew a little plastic gear could cause so much BS. Gotta love GM huh?

[19691998firebirdtransam]

I had to access the turn signal bulb, it quit working today...

When I opened the panel, the round cover from the headlight motor fell out...

I guess the two part epoxy did not hold , (I had it thoroughly clean) before I reglued it back on...

So, I had to remove the headlight motor again...

I am going to try a different adhesive, this time...

What else can I do? I'll just clean it better, and use a different grade of hysol this time...

[dotcom2000]

i bought some brass gears but after reading about all the trouble gluing the dang thing back together - i just gave the plastic gear a 180 - next time it strips i'll try the brass ones

[19691998firebirdtransam]

I cleaned it up real good, roughed it up, and reattached it with some epoxy resin, not the 5 min stuff, I used the stuff made for laying up advanced composites in aircraft structures...

Then I cured it under a heat lamp for a few hours, hopefully it stays together

[third_shift|studios]

man, you have a seroius head light problem! i wish no man that kinda pain [fuck, it'll happen to me now...]

[19691998firebirdtransam]

It was a pain on the ( x )...

But it was not a serious problem...

A serious problem is when your oil pan looks like it was used for target practice...