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Posted by: peridotian Sep 3 2003, 01:01 PM

Help! I have a 73 1/7L. My headlights will deploy and work fine, but only one retracts automatically. Which is cool as I can cruise the main drag and my car winks at girls as I pull the switch in and out. After I score all the babes I need with the winkin thing, how would I go about fixing this? Do I take chance on evilbay with a used headlight motor? Thanks for your help.


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Posted by: Brad Roberts Sep 3 2003, 01:03 PM

The relay is probably weak. Try installing the relay from the other side and see if the problem moves.



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Posted by: peridotian Sep 3 2003, 02:01 PM

Brad,
Thank you for the reply. Location of said weak relay?

Posted by: itsa914 Sep 3 2003, 02:04 PM

Look at the headlight motor, on the side.

Posted by: Brad Roberts Sep 3 2003, 02:18 PM

Your car probably has black plastic covers covering the relays. Look right next to the headlight motor on the small triangle "wall".. pull that plastic cover off (two phillips head chrome screws) and your relay will be behind the cover on both sides.


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Posted by: Brad Roberts Sep 3 2003, 02:21 PM

here you go.. service with a smile.. you owe me a beer if its the relay.


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Posted by: tracks914 Sep 3 2003, 03:04 PM

Brad, is there anything you don't have a picture for?

Posted by: Brad Roberts Sep 3 2003, 03:15 PM

Not really. I try and document EVERYTHING. It takes me twice as long to get anything done... but I usually know when I dont have a pic and will stop and shoot something. The key is getting them semi organized so I can acces them quickly for rererence.


This is me... LOSER.


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Posted by: Brad Roberts Sep 3 2003, 03:18 PM

Winston cup caliper on the left. Stock 914 on the right.


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Posted by: peridotian Sep 3 2003, 03:32 PM

Brad,
I switched the relays and the behaviour is exactly the same. I assume you anticipated that the opposite light would wink upon switching.

Posted by: Brad Roberts Sep 3 2003, 03:41 PM

Yes I did. I gave you the easy "test" first. The headlight has diodes that tell it when to stop. If the diode is "leaking" the headlight will take off again. So.. the next easy step would be to clean the ground wire right next to the headlight motor. If this doesnt work... you may end up replacing that headlight motor (replacing the diode would be fine..I typcially replace the whole thing because I have parts).


Maybe somebody will chime in with a better solution. I hope its not the headlight switch going bad.



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Posted by: Curvie Roadlover Sep 3 2003, 07:52 PM

This is not a simple bolt-on upgrade. Some machining is required to get the WC caliper to fit a 914. I think PP has a tech article.

Posted by: redshift Sep 3 2003, 08:10 PM

I'd like to see pictures of cute animals.

Thanks Brad.



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Posted by: Aaron Cox Sep 3 2003, 09:16 PM

i had the lazy eye headlight too! made me feel like i wasnt in control. people pointed and laughed, so humiliating..... (it was all a bad dream- except the headlight thing of course) mine got better all by itself.

Posted by: Brad Roberts Sep 4 2003, 01:27 AM

Cute animals...


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