Winking headlight - replace motor or try to repair?

M

MissTempura

Low Mileage
My right side headlight will not power up or down. It would sloooowly go up and then slooowly go down. Now it won't activate at all. I replaced all fuses in the fusebox with new ones and that didn't do the trick. The right headlight goes on when I power the switch so the wiring is not at fault.

I'm still learning how to work on my little X 1/9 and am super cautious doing so because I don't want to mess anything up. In your opinion, it is better to try and fix the motor or just replace it entirely ? Thanks!
 
I had this problem when I bought my X in 89. These was an old Bertone dealer who fixed the ground issue in 2 minutes.
 
SuperTopo said:
See
Thread 'Fixed Headlight that was not opening'
https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/fixed-headlight-that-was-not-opening.44969/

taking the motor apart is pretty easy.

in your case it might just be that your pivot bolts/bearings are just all rusted up.
Click to expand...
This ^^^^. I had a headlight on an '86 X1/9 that stopped going up. I disconnected the motor arm and then leaned onto the headlight bucket and was not able to get it to budge in the least. When I took it out, the pivot bar was rusted up.
 
Well shucks. I was testing the wires with a voltmeter and am not sure what I did because now BOTH headlights won't raise or lower.

Back to the drawing board.
 
MissTempura said:
Well shucks. I was testing the wires with a voltmeter and am not sure what I did because now BOTH headlights won't raise or lower.

Back to the drawing board.
Click to expand...
Check the fusebox. You'll find 2 very small fuses. They're almost impossible to get and if one or both blew, that can cause the headlights not to move. Or if they look good, give them a spin in place - sometimes that's all that's needed to get them talking again (that's what I did when the headlights on my '79 refused to go up (or was it down?).
 
MissTempura said:
Well shucks. I was testing the wires with a voltmeter and am not sure what I did because now BOTH headlights won't raise or lower.

Back to the drawing board.
Click to expand...
Do the headlights come up when you move the motors by hand?
If they do then another test is to apply +ve power directly from the battery to the correct wire. If this doesn't work, There should be one for up and one for down.
The motors are not too hard to remove so you can do a bench test and see if it is the motors or something else. While they are out give the grounds a good clean. There is the one on the motor and the spade connection.
Also check the diodes, this is often a quick and cheap fix.
If these don't help then they are not too hard to refurbish. I did it not long ago with good results.
https://www.xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/broken-headlight-motor.44961/post-436966
 
MissTempura said:
My right side headlight will not power up or down. It would sloooowly go up and then slooowly go down. Now it won't activate at all. I replaced all fuses in the fusebox with new ones and that didn't do the trick. The right headlight goes on when I power the switch so the wiring is not at fault.

I'm still learning how to work on my little X 1/9 and am super cautious doing so because I don't want to mess anything up. In your opinion, it is better to try and fix the motor or just replace it entirely ? Thanks!
Click to expand...
My first ‘74 in the ‘70s always winked. My girlfriend thought it was the cutest thing in the world. We are now forty years married and I never fixed the wink
 
I had the same problem and then it stopped all the way.
Below is the info from the Fiat repair manual.


HEADLIGHT MOTORS WILL NOT WORK
1.a.
b.
If motors will not raise lights, check fuses B and N. lf fuses are good, go to
step c.
If motors will not lower lights, check fuses B and M. If fuses are good, 90
to step 3.
If motors will not raise lights, check parking lights. If lights are out, go to
PARKING LIGHTS troubleshooting.
If only one motor will not raise light, go to step 2. If both motors will
not raise lights, get voltmeter. Find connector C19.
NOTE
Connector C19 is a 4 pin connector. it is in left headlight
motor compartment.
Connect red meter lead to gray/yellow wires in connector. Connect black
lead to ground.
If meter reads voltage, repair light blue wire from fuse box to terminal 87
of left motor relay.
If meter does not read voltage, connect red meter lead to gray/yellow wire
in back of fuse N. Connect black lead to ground.
If meter reads voltage, repair gray/yellow wire from fuse box to connector
C19.
If meter does not read voltage, check fuse box and brown wire from fuse G
to fuse N for defects.
If left motor will not work, go to step f.
If right motor will not work, get voltmeter. Connect red meter lead to
terminal 87 (light blue wire) of motor relay. Connect black lead to ground.
NOTE
Relay is mounted in compartment for right headlight motor.
lf meter reads voltage, go to step d. If meter does not read voltage, repair
light blue wire from relay to connector C19.
Page 295
BLACK LEAD//
TO GROUND
GRAY/YEL
WIRE
BLACK LEAD
GRAYfYEL
WIRE
T0 GROUND“WE-'31!airmail—__RED LEAD
[BLACK LEAD
MOTOR RELAY
RMllTERIMINAL 87

Connect red meter lead to gray/yellow wire in connector C20. Connect
black lead to ground.
NOTE
Connector C20 is a 4 pin connector. It is in compartment for
right motor.
If meter reads voltage, go to step f. If meter does not read voltage, repair
grayr‘yellow wire from connector 020 to connector C19.
Set outer lighting switch off. Disconnect connector C19 (left motor) or
020 (right motor).
NOTE
Connectors are 4 pin connectors. They are in compartment for
motors.
Connect jumper wire between gray/yellow and gray/black wire in cone
nector.
Connect red meter lead to green wire in Connector. Connect black lead to
ground.
If meter did not read voltage, leave jumper on wires. Go to step 4.
If meter reads voltage, check connector and wires from motor for defects.
Check black wire under motor mounting bolt for defects. If wires and
connector are good, replace motor.
If only left motor will not work, go to step e.
If right motor will not work, get voltmeter.
Connect red meter lead to green/white wire in connector C20. Connect
black lead to ground.
NOTE
Connector C20 is a 4 pin connector. It is in compartment for
right motor.
If meter reads voltage, go to step e. If meter does not read voltage, repair
green/white wire from connector 020 to C19.
Disconnect connector C19 (left motor) or C20 (right motor). Connect
jumper wire between green/white and gray/black wires in connector.
NOTE
Connectors are 4 pin connectors. They are in compartments
for motors.
Connect red meter lead to green wire in connector. Connect black lead to
ground.
If meter does not read voltage, leave jumper on wires. Go to step 4.
If meter reads voltage, check connector and wires from motor for defects.
Check black wire under motor mounting bolt for defects. If connector and
wires are good. replace motor.
 
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