What's this noise when the headlights open/close on my 76 NY?!

[fakirone]

I can't find the answer searching so here I am.

The headlight covers both open and close on my 76 New Yorker, but VERY slowly. While they are moving there's a quite loud ticking coming from under the passenger dash or passenger side firewall area and once they are done moving it stops.
What the hell is it, and is it the reason they're moving so slowly, or is something else causing both things?

 

[marko]

a relay would be my guess.
check your shop manuals / get em if you dont have em.
ive had the headlight door motor relay buzz in some of my 78s but it has come from around the steering column

 

[Chrome58]

I think it's a circuit breaker opening and closing (but I'm not sure they still had these on a '76). For some reason (mechanical or other) the mechanism must draw too much current, and the circuit breaker closes because of the overload. After some time, it reopens again, and the cycle can start again.

That would explain also why they open very slowly.

EDIT : I just checked and yes, 1976 Chrysler still used circuit breakers.

 

[78Brougham]

My '78's snap open, you better do some maintenance on that motor before it cooks.

 

[Big_John]

From what I've seen, the bottom bearing in the motor gets dirty and stiff. The answer is to take it apart and clean and grease it.

 

[Mr C]

Your system is operating as designed. The CB is supposed to buzz to annoy you to alert you to the fact that your system has an issue. As mentioned previously, the motor needs cleaning/ lube in this case and is drawing too much power.
It will do the same thing if the motor completely fails and the doors do not open with the lights on...then you'd have to twist the knob on the motor to open/ close the doors manually.

 

[CBODY67]

With the motor being maintenanced, also lube the linkages to free them up. Once it's all free and working well, then put a slightly more durable grease on the friction areas of the linkage. Possibly some dry silicone (as for garage door rollers?) or something else that won't attract dirt?

Take care,
CBODY67

 

[fakirone]

Good info, THANK you all. I'll try to clean up the motor and see what happens.

 

[Welder guy]

There’s some good info on headlight motors in this thread hidden headlight gears....info

 

[CBODY67]

Gears are the key to the electric motor-driven headlight systems working at all. At least on the early Camaros, the gears were about the size and thickness of a silver dollar, with small teeth on the perimeter. ONE tooth breaks off and the whole thing can stop. Designed for 'low load, low torque" situations, obviously. The later vacuum systems usually worked better, but could have their own issues when a diaphragm might have issues.

Enjoy!
CBODY67