what, again with the headlights??

[houserc]

First, tomking, thanks for the offer.

Here are two pictures of the access door I need. This is located in the front of the front wheel well.

Second,
I got the headlight bucket installed again. It looks great, and I was testing it before I started using the rotator at full speed.

My problem is this, I can not get the headlight bucket to release from the closed position. It is in the closed position and does not want to unlatch. The other bucket is releasing, but the one I repaired is not releasing. And goodness knows, I pulled and pushed the headlight arm, And I have tried to pop the bucket loose by smacking it and it won't. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I did achieve my first goal. The headlight is secure and not over rotating any more. Now it just won't open.

Thanks all!

[BQS4]

Houserc:
which side do you need on that panel?

[namba209]

Gene, in an earlier post he said he needed both panels.

Houserc, I've attached a pic that shows the mechanism in the locked closed position, back side of the right (passenger side) headlight. Directly below the top screwdriver is where the sector hits one overcenter lock hook and releases the pin to rotate the lights. That piece has to move to unlock the mechanism normally. The screwdriver on the right is pointing to the other overcenter hook, it has a little bit of an ear protruding outside the mechanism housing. If you can raise that ear up, it will release the pin and the mechanism will unlock manually. Now if you can get the mechanism out or get access to it, that area has a lot of moving parts that need to be liberally lubricated so they will function correctly. I spent a lot of time playing with both mechansims and lubing them so would work, and before I install them again, they'll get another dose of lube. HTH.

Ron

[BQS4]

Ron;
Sorry did see that But, I do have a driver's side panel, if no one else has both sides.

[namba209]

Gene, No problem, I just remembered that he wanted "both" panels, but I had to go back and double check to be sure that was right before I said anything.

Ron

[houserc]

Thanks guys!

I stepped away from it yesterday to work on some of the finishing sanding on the spoiler modifications. It was a good break.

Originally, I had two broken bolts in the rotator cog. I disassembled the rotator assembly to have the bolt ends removed, then reassembed it and it is well greased with White Lithium wheel bearing grease. I had some in a spray can also to get the latchs lubed also.

I'm wondering when I welded the unit back together if I didn't assemble it too tightly.

I figure today I will try to unlatch the headlights in between gardening work and the spoiler finishing. (Got to remember Mother's Day tomorrow.)

[houserc]

Almost forgot, Gene, thanks for the info on the panel cover.

If nobody else has both, I'll take you up on yours. Just let me know how much you want for it.

Thanks,
Chris

[standups]

will the broken 8 mm bolts cause them to over rotate

[First opel 1981]

Originally Posted by standups will the broken 8 mm bolts cause them to over rotate

Assuming you are talking about the headlight rotaters...

They could over rotate but it's not likely. You would have to have them snap at a perfect point in the rotation cycle and thats highly unlikely.

One of my GTs had pins drilled in the rotaters as well as the 8mm bolts. The pins were supposed to take the torque instead of the bolts. It was a hassle to work on it because 2 of the ins on each side had sheared on one light and everything sheared on the other light.

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by First opel 1981 Assuming you are talking about the headlight rotaters... They could over rotate but it's not likely. You would have to have them snap at a perfect point in the rotation cycle and thats highly unlikely. One of my GTs had pins drilled in the rotators as well as the 8mm bolts. The pins were supposed to take the torque instead of the bolts. It was a hassle to work on it because 2 of the ins on each side had sheared on one light and everything sheared on the other light.

On the contrary, broken rotator bolts (which are actually M5 bolts with 8 mm heads) are typically the cause of GT headlight over-rotation. And every GT headlight rotator came with three roll pins, to back up the three wee little bolts. But they often break as well, or when the headlights get re-installed by a PO in the past, the pins are inadvertently pushed into the rotator gear holes and aren't effective. Come to think of it, that is likely the reason for many of the M5 bolts getting broken.

Have a look at
http://www.opelgt.com/forums/2c-gt-h...echanisms.html
for some ways and means to repair the broken retractor bolts.

HTH

[First opel 1981]

Originally Posted by kwilford On the contrary, broken rotator bolts (which are actually M5 bolts with 8 mm heads) are typically the cause of GT headlight over-rotation. And every GT headlight rotator came with three roll pins, to back up the three wee little bolts. But they often break as well, or when the headlights get re-installed by a PO in the past, the pins are inadvertently pushed into the rotator gear holes and aren't effective. Come to think of it, that is likely the reason for many of the M5 bolts getting broken. Have a look at http://www.opelgt.com/forums/2c-gt-h...echanisms.html for some ways and means to repair the broken retractor bolts. HTH

I should have clarified my reply to indicate sever over rotation to the point of damaging the mechanism or the lights but at any rate, you are correct.
So the pins are supposed to be there on all the lights? That explains a lot.

I just replaced the bolts on my sons GT with allen head because, Number one I had them, and number two because they are high strength for some machines I work with.

Looks like I will be putting some pins in sometime in the future.

[Redskinsjbs]

Ok, I am officially sunk! My passenger side headlamp assembly now has 2 broken tapered taps in it! This is my cry for help.

I didn't realize that the rotor gear was that hard and I believe that it is toast.

Does anyone have a working spare assembly, without broken bolts and the threads still in the holes?

TIA,

Jay

I am just trying to get this thing on the road!

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by Redskinsjbs Ok, I am officially sunk! My passenger side headlamp assembly now has 2 broken tapered taps in it! This is my cry for help. I didn't realize that the rotor gear was that hard and I believe that it is toast.

I assume that you didn't read the companion article (stuck at the top of the Forum):

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/2c-gt-h...echanisms.html

Read away, and then let us know if you still need a rotator. The technique I came up with will almost surely remove both the broken bolt AND the broken tap.

It takes some skill, a drill press, and a welder or some way to re-assemble the rotator halves, but from what I have read of your accomplishments so far, you should be quite capable of this.

[Redskinsjbs]

Originally Posted by kwilford I assume that you didn't read the companion article (stuck at the top of the Forum): http://www.opelgt.com/forums/2c-gt-h...echanisms.html Read away, and then let us know if you still need a rotator. The technique I came up with will almost surely remove both the broken bolt AND the broken tap. It takes some skill, a drill press, and a welder or some way to re-assemble the rotator halves, but from what I have read of your accomplishments so far, you should be quite capable of this.

Kieth,

Thank you for the kind words and the link to the sticky. I had read this sticky, but it was a couple of months ago when the bucket first stopped spinning.

I do believe that I still need rotator, but you can tell me.

I did manage to drill out the remnants of the three bolts. And when I say drill, I mean that I used 3 5/32 cobalt bits, an ounce of cutting oil, and about 15 minutes of grunting with a drill in my hand. However, I did this with the entire mechanism in then car; which I can see now was a mistake. I believe that with my overzealous drilling, there are no longer any threads on the inside of the holes in the rotator gear. As you said in that article, the bolts are a 10.9 hardness, which is why they are such a bugger to get out, but the gear is even HARDER.

I believe I have explained the situation thoroughly enough. If I haven't, shoot away with thte questions and I will answer to the best of my ability.

The main reason why this sort of setback is doubly annoying is that I was going to register my car this week and finally have it out on the road; but who will let me drive with only 1 headlamp?

I hope that you, Kieth or any other gurus, have a solution. I am almost willing to do anything at this point to get this bucket, by that I mean the car, on the road!

[kwilford]

If you kept the 5/32" (about 4 mm) bit perfectly inside the 5 mm bolt shank then there might still be threads to engage a new bolt. Not likely but possible. I would try to split the rotator halves, and try drilling the gear from behind with a SLIGHTLY larger bit to see if you can salvage the rotator you have. If not, nothing lost. Try one of the "numbered" sized bits to find a drill bit slightly smaller than the diameter of the broken bolt at the root of the threads and drill slowly and carefully, and then see if you can GENTLY chase the threads with a new 10/32 UNF tap FROM THE FRONT, with as little taper as possible, but only to the depth of the bolt. The end of the hole (inward, towards the rear) is NOT tapped from the factory, which is probably why you broke the tap off, in trying to chase threads that weren't there.

If not, then you are looking for a good used rotator, or a bad used rotator that you can apply the techniques now known to renew it.

HTH

[Redskinsjbs]

Kieth,

As always, very helpful advice. What I have decided to do is to try to get one in good, working order that I can just bolt in. That way I can have my GT on the road.

Then, since I am never able to back down from a fight, I'll take this bugger over to my uncle's shop and unleash the fury of machines which build tank parts for the US Army! I will have this rotator fixed. . . just after I have put a pre-fixed one in . . .

I spoke with my uncle today and he suggested that I try a titanium coated tap. It is harder and should be able to cut the harder metal of the rotator gear.

Now that you mention that the threads didn't go all the way through the gear, it makes me think that I did 'bottom out' both of the taps.

I'd like this car on the road next week . . . (Sunday at midnight still counts...) and I can't let a broken headlight be what keeps me from doing that!

Jay

PS. . . Happy New Year to the Jewish crowd! (Shenah Tovah)

[Redskinsjbs]

Hello again! This is a simple question. I obtained another rotator assembly for the passenger side but it needs some lubricant.

What kind of lubricant should I use?

Thanks,

Jay

[jlthunder]

I use a White Lithium Grease. You can buy it in a squeeze tube or spray can. Once you apply it, rotate the assembly a few times and it will work the grease in.