headlight

[indiaskr]

My 86MY headlight on the left side keeps going up and down when I turn the switch on. I can see that the lift motor just keeps going, cycling the lift bar. The right side is fine. Any suggestions?

[WayneB]

It happened on mine once when I was trying to get the headlamps working properly. I had accidently put the wrong type of relay in. I either put a changeover type instesd of a normal or a normal instead of a changeover

Another reason could be your relays(to the left of the L/H headlamp pod) are submerged in water due to the weatherstrip leaking (or hood not being latched shut properly)

[Guest Troy Halliday]

Deffinately sounds like a relay problem to me. I had this when I put my car back together again. As Wayne said it will be the changover relay under the bonnet . If that does not solve it let us know.

[indiaskr]

Thank you all. By the way, when I started up the car again, the light seems to be working OK! Hope it stays that way....

[GSimpson]

I am not sure about esprit lights but I have fixed others. If the diodes in the motor have failed you will get symptoms described. Usually with the motors when then the polarity is reversed they go down. Diodes are cheap, less than a dollar for 2.

[markt]

If the diodes in the motor have failed you will get symptoms described.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Had exactly the same problem with mine. Quick fix if you know what to look for. When I rebuilt one of my X1/9's, took me 40 hours to get the sodding things to work properly... An exercise in frustration to find a few tiny diodes had burnt out and pocket change to fix.

[indiaskr]

I am not sure about esprit lights but I have fixed others. If the diodes in the motor have failed you will get symptoms described. Usually with the motors when then the polarity is reversed they go down. Diodes are cheap, less than a dollar for 2.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What do the diodes look like? Are these inside the lamp motor?

[WayneB]

They look like a small black cylinder and plug into the wiring loom with spade connectors.(about the size of a cap off a pen)

Bought 2 for mine to fix my headlamp problem, but found out they were O.K.

[Guest teigan]

you can test them without removing them. do you have a meter?

[indiaskr]

you can test them without removing them.  do you have a meter?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have a (volt)meter. What do I test and how?

[Guest teigan]

those diode only let current flow in one direction. touch one lead to ground and hold it there. touch the other lead to one side of the diode, then the other side. you should only get a reading on one side, else the diode is damaged.

[indiaskr]

Do I need to dismantle the lift motor for this?

[Guest teigan]

i haven't been in there yet, but if the diodes are inside the housing, then yes. could be on an external circuitboard i guess.

[TSD]

can also be humidity/water ingress? I sprayed the loom/connectors with WD40 and it stopped winking up & down

[Guest teigan]

it occured to me if the diodes are inside, then remove the motor completely from the car electrics. then have a superfriend spin the motor while you meter current from the leads. your superfriend should not even be able to generate even milliamps. if he can then the diodes aren't doing the job. if the superfriends don't come, then use a drill chuck, at low speed.

[dazmans3]

My 86MY headlight on the left side keeps going up and down when I turn the switch on.  I can see that the lift motor just keeps going, cycling the lift bar.  The right side is fine.  Any suggestions?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi

I had simular problem with my drivers Headlamp unit. I tried changing the relays ect, only worked for a short time after. I found the Lamp would stay up sometimes initially, then would keep popping up & down, esp when driving. I evetually had the motor reconditioned by Peter at PNM, I recall Peter saying it was something to do with brushes inside the motor. Common fault I was also told. Its been fine ever since.

Daz

B)

[USAndretti42]

It could be the diodes. They are inside the end of the motor where the shaft comes out. Or it could be something, like water, shorting the contacts inside the same place. It's dead easy to remove the motor and take a look inside. A 10 mm spanner to undo the nut on the end of the spindle and remove the lever. Same spanner to undo the 3 screws holding the motor to its mounting bracket and then unplug the wires and the motor is liberated.

A

[GSimpson]

http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefron...duct/View/Z3008

A picture of diodes here. this is local supplier for me.

They are easily unsoldered so if you may as well replace as the motor will have to come out and covers removed anyway.

Note the silver stripe indicates which way the current flows so note direction before unsoldering!!

http://www.americanmicrosemi.com/tutorials/diode.htm

[WayneB]

Dunno about any diodes in the Lift motors, but I know there is at least one in the trunk compartment wiring harness (the plug in type).

Think the S2 has a different setup to the S3/Turbo the thread is about