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Headlamp lifty things

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laskaboots
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Headlamp lifty things

Postby laskaboots » 01 Oct 2007 16:28

my TR7 headlamp lifting/lowering mechanism is not working. The motors both test good when jumpered, but inside the controller, the
leads to the diodes are corroded and broken. With my cheap multimeter the diodes test ok, (pass current one direction, block
current in the other direction). Anybody know what I look for to replace with new? They are very small, so they apparently do not need to dissipate much heat, but are there any specs that I can give the guy at Radio Shack? thanks much.

jclay (RIP 2018)
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Postby jclay (RIP 2018) » 01 Oct 2007 21:40

Not sure of the diodes, but here is a wiring diagram.

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Rich in Vancouver
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Postby Rich in Vancouver » 01 Oct 2007 23:36

I also have hedlight lifts that are not working (Well...the left one goes up but not down and the right doesn't go at all) My first step will be to reattach all the wiring that the PO cut [V] and after that I will start troubleshooting. In the meantime I do have a couple of questions that may be helpful to Laska as well.
1/ What is the rating of the circuit breaker?
2/ Where in the car would I find the Pektron unit, and did all TR7s have them? (mine is a very early car)
Thanks,
Richard

1975 TR7 ACL764U
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92rrrandall
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Postby 92rrrandall » 02 Oct 2007 14:31

Actually I have never had a moments problem with my headlights...but I am extremely worried that they will fail someday.

Also am wondering if my 1981 has the Pektron unit, and where it is located in the car?? Don't remember seeing it when the dash was apart.

Randall

laskaboots
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Postby laskaboots » 02 Oct 2007 15:59

I don't know about the Pektron unit either. I have voltage and ground
at the 5 pin plug that goes to each headlight unit, so I was hoping that by replacing the obviously corroded leads and contacts I could get them to work. My left light comes up, but won't return, while the
right one will do neither. Coincidence? The diodes do have some marking printed on them, so small that I can't read them. Since I believe all diodes are basically the same except for power handling ability, I think I can just replace with something a little bigger?
Will keep you informed of my progress/success/failure.

laskaboots
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Postby laskaboots » 16 Oct 2007 21:37

I replaced the diodes with some from radio shack. They are rated at 15volts. Bench tested the units, and they open/close just fine. Had
to replace and re-rivet the copper strip "limit switch" and the contacts at each end. Think I need to grind or file the rivet heads because contact is not always broken by the little nylon buttons that
get pushed by the high spots in the gear wheel. Haven't reinstalled the units yet because I am repairing some dings, and repainting that area. Want to get it done because the dreaded long-winter is most likely to return to Wisconsin again, as it has for the past several thousand years.

Henk
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Postby Henk » 16 Oct 2007 22:26

US cars do'nt have a pektron for the (flash)lights

Henk

1980 TR7 US Convertible
1978 Mini Clubman Estate

Rich in Vancouver
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Postby Rich in Vancouver » 17 Oct 2007 03:04

I spent last weekend doing battle with my headlights...and it came out a draw.
Both lights light as they should and now my L/H headlight raises and lowers. Unfortunately my R/H unit does not. At some point in my car's past a PO cut off the harness/actuator plug on that side. The motor works, but, for the life of me I have not been able to get the wiring right to get it to raise and lower on command. I soldered bullet connectore on the harness and actuator loom and tried to get things matched up. I did get it so that it will endlessly cycle without stopping[:0]. I don't know if this is a problem with all 7's but the wiring in my harness is different colours to the wiring on the actuator, and neither matches the wiring diagrams in my factory or Haynes manuals-Very frustrating! would this be because my car is a very early Speke car, or is this typical?
So far I have fried one actuator switch, I have one spare but don't want to risk this one without better information. I have ordered a square plug conversion kit from Rimmer's in the hope that it will come with a correct wiring diagram.
Any other ideas?

Richard

1975 TR7 ACL764U
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Rich in Vancouver
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Postby Rich in Vancouver » 26 Nov 2007 01:13

I finally beat the rotten thing!
I received the Rimmer plug kit for the headlight motor, and of course it didn't come with a wiring diagram so it was no help to me. I was finally able to find a wiring diagram that matched the light units on my car. It was the diagram for a 1981 car with fuel injection. (My car is a carburated 1975-go figure). Of course this was when I found out that my previous guessing game had fried the diodes in my limit switch so it was back to E-bay for a NOS limit switch assy. From that point it was straightforward and now the headlight lifts FINALLY work.
Of course the car didn't let me gloat. As soon as I cracked a smile I noticed that a taillight bulb was burned out....sigh*

Richard

1975 TR7 ACL764U
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Rich in Vancouver
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Postby Rich in Vancouver » 01 Dec 2007 19:38

How can something like headlight lifts make me so happy?
I find myself turning the headlights on and off just so that I can see them go up and down, and I quite like the clicking that comes from the relays in the glovebox![:D]

Richard

1975 TR7 ACL764U
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Hasbeen
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Postby Hasbeen » 03 Dec 2007 04:14

Richard, I know how you feel.

Its probably a couple of years, since I used the 8s lights at night.
On the use it or loose it principal, I usually flick the lights
of the 7, & 8, on & off when ever I start their motors. A few months
back, the 8s lights stopped responding to the switch, & I made a
mental note to have a look at them, some time.

With the auto now biting like a british bull dog, I was cleaning up
a few things in the cockpit. It was when I put my reading glasses
on, to read the radio instructions, that the light flashed.

Where as the headlight switch, on the 7, is on the right hand end of
the row of switchs, I could now see that it was on the left hand end
of the row in the 8. This silly old fart had forgotten, & had been
filcking the spot lights on. They are unlikely to work, from the box
they are in, & have been in, since I fitted the new spoiler.

With a flick of the switch, they rose majestically from the bonnet
flooding the shed with light. They've had a halogen injection job.

I am getting similar pleasure from not having to fix them, as you
are getting from having fixed yours. I don't know if I'm happy that
they work, or that I no longer care that I'm a silly old fart, but
which ever it is, I'm happy. I have a little grin, every time I go
near the 8.

Hasbeen

Rich in Vancouver
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Postby Rich in Vancouver » 03 Dec 2007 05:08

I know what you mean.
When I passed 50 I adopted the motto;
"The older I get, The better I was." [:D]

Cheers,
Richard

1975 TR7 ACL764U
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