Headlight Assembly Help

[9T8WS6]

This may very well not be the correct location for my help question.
If not, please relocate to the correct location and advise as to where I can find it.

I own a 1998 WS6 which we purchased new and I have recently encountered an issue that the passenger headlight unit will no longer open.
I did see a post regarding the use of a brass gear to replace the nylon gear but there was no detail in regards to changing the gear. I did send the individual a PM to ask but decided to also post here for help.
The level of help desired is A - Z. :-) Starting with how do I get the headlight open and where do I start to accomplish the rework.
Photos would help if available.

I'm guessing the gear may not be the reason for the unit not opening. (?) Are there other things I should check before trying a gear change and tearing things apart?
Last time I drove the car (about 8 weeks) both headlight units would open and close as they always have. Both ways, up & down quickly.

I appreciate and help anyone can provide.
Thanks,
Roy

[speedyWS6]

If both were going up and down quickly, as you suggest, with
no nasty grinding or slipping noises then I would wager that
the nylon gear is not the culprit right now?

To manually open the headlight there is a raise/lower screw
right behind the headlight with a rubber boot on it. Pry the boot
off to reveal it and gain access.

I reckon, also, there is a fuse per headlight and the fuse for the
pass side may have blown? They are on the panel under the hood
just above the big one showing as "fog lamp", so could be as easy
as putting a new fuse in?!

Click this link to go to a page of headlight threads....

http://www.ls1.com/forums/search.php?searchid=5399876

The headlight sticky is the second one down and mine is the sixth one down
but loads of good reading on all of the threads from this link!!

When i manually raised mine to have them both open i operated the
switch and all was ok again! Go figure!!! Mine was the pass side as well.

Here is a link to Bfrankers headlight gear page....

4th Generation Headlight Fix

And Rodney Dickman's....

Replacement Headlight Gear For 93-02 Firebird / Trans Am

Good luck and hope you get it figured out!

Trev

[pajeff02]

^^ Agree. Check the electrical end of it out before tearing into the motor. If you need a schematic for the headlights shoot me a PM with an email address.

[RONS98TA]

First of all, welcome to the site. Also, if you do find that the gear teeth are messed up on your motor, you can remove the arm that raises and lowers the motor, then manually spin the motor 180 degrees, using the manual screw to open the motor, then reattach the arm. I did this and it worked perfectly. The motor only uses 1/2 the gear, so the other 1/2 of the gear is in perfect shape. Please note that MY motor was making a grinding noise due to the teeth being grinded off and this solution worked for me. Not really to bad considering my car is a 1998 with the original gears. Hope we have helped you with your issue, good luck.

[9T8WS6]

If both were going up and down quickly, as you suggest, with
no nasty grinding or slipping noises then I would wager that
the nylon gear is not the culprit right now?

To manually open the headlight there is a raise/lower screw
right behind the headlight with a rubber boot on it. Pry the boot
off to reveal it and gain access.

I reckon, also, there is a fuse per headlight and the fuse for the
pass side may have blown? They are on the panel under the hood
just above the big one showing as "fog lamp", so could be as easy
as putting a new fuse in?!

Click this link to go to a page of headlight threads....

http://www.ls1.com/forums/search.php?searchid=5399876

The headlight sticky is the second one down and mine is the sixth one down
but loads of good reading on all of the threads from this link!!

When i manually raised mine to have them both open i operated the
switch and all was ok again! Go figure!!! Mine was the pass side as well.

Here is a link to Bfrankers headlight gear page....

4th Generation Headlight Fix

And Rodney Dickman's....

Replacement Headlight Gear For 93-02 Firebird / Trans Am

Good luck and hope you get it figured out!

Trev

Hi Trev,
Thanks for the information. The link for LS1 post does not open anything for me. However, the other links you sent do.
Lots of info there to go over.
Thanks again for the help. I'll reply later to let you know how it turned out.
Roy

[9T8WS6]

^^ Agree. Check the electrical end of it out before tearing into the motor. If you need a schematic for the headlights shoot me a PM with an email address.

Hi Jeff,
PM sent.
Thanks for the help.
Roy

[9T8WS6]

First of all, welcome to the site. Also, if you do find that the gear teeth are messed up on your motor, you can remove the arm that raises and lowers the motor, then manually spin the motor 180 degrees, using the manual screw to open the motor, then reattach the arm. I did this and it worked perfectly. The motor only uses 1/2 the gear, so the other 1/2 of the gear is in perfect shape. Please note that MY motor was making a grinding noise due to the teeth being grinded off and this solution worked for me. Not really to bad considering my car is a 1998 with the original gears. Hope we have helped you with your issue, good luck.

Hi Ron,
Thank you for the reply / help.
Looks like I have enough to keep me busy for a while between all the info sent to me by the 3 people here.

Thanks also for the welcome. I've been on the site since 1998 BUT didn't visit for so long, when I returned a few years ago, it had been revised, updated and there was new people running everything. Guess they had to clear out the old and make room for the new. I'm lucky they still had my member name on file. I would have hated to not be able to keep that. :-)
So, I had to sign up again in 2012 but it's ok. That's what I get for not coming around very often.
I appreciate the info passed along to me. I'll be looking into this after Christmas.
Thanks again.
Roy