Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question #2521642
07/13/18 10:04 PM
07/13/18 10:04 PM
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 581
Texas
Texican Offline OP
mopar
Texican  Offline OP
mopar

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 581
Texas
I just finished the restoration on my 70 Charger R/T, which includes all new wiring harnesses and the car is about 99% complete, but I'm having a problem with the hideaway headlight doors not working correctly.

Before I do the hideaway headlight door relay upgrade, I want to be sure I have it wired correctly.

The symptoms are as follows:

Headlights work when you turn them on/off using the main switch like they should.

- When the car is running (key on) and you plug in the hideaway headlight door harness , the doors automatically OPEN regardless if the headlights are on or not.

- When I turn the lights off the doors stay open.

- When I turn off the key, the doors remain open.

The ONLY way to get them to close is by manually rotating the knob at the bottom of the motor until they close

My question:
1.) Does the relay appear to be wired correctly or should the terminals be reversed ?

2.) If all looks good, is this a symptom of a bad relay that needs the upgrade?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mike

IMG_3449.jpg
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2521765
07/14/18 12:04 PM
07/14/18 12:04 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck Offline
Not enough dumb comments...yet
Mr.Yuck  Offline
Not enough dumb comments...yet

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
if it is wired correctly then the switch could be bad. what goes to that empty post? I'm sure it also has to be grounded well.


[IMG]http://i66.tinypic.com/pui5j.jpg[/IMG]
Coming soon!!!!
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2521816
07/14/18 02:19 PM
07/14/18 02:19 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,145
ontario calif
N
ns1aar Offline
super stock
ns1aar  Offline
super stock
N

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,145
ontario calif
Could be the motor internal limit switch is bad. Check for power at the motor connector. There are 2 wires in the connector one is for up the other is for down. Check each wire separately with reference to chassis ground. Be sure to put the switch into the appropriate position.

Or you could unplug the motor and ground it. Then alternately apply power to each wire and see if the motor cycles

Last edited by ns1aar; 07/14/18 02:23 PM.

NS1AAR
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: ns1aar] #2521824
07/14/18 02:35 PM
07/14/18 02:35 PM
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 581
Texas
Texican Offline OP
mopar
Texican  Offline OP
mopar

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 581
Texas
Very good suggestions.
I'll test them today. Thank You

Cheers !

Mike

Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2521858
07/14/18 03:56 PM
07/14/18 03:56 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,307
north of coder
moparx Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"
moparx  Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"

Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,307
north of coder
please let us know the results. TIA.
beer

Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2521891
07/14/18 05:27 PM
07/14/18 05:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,726
Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
Too Many Posts
John_Kunkel  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,726
Rio Linda, CA
Probably a bad relay, I believe that when they fail, the contacts in the relay are set up to keep the doors open. (better than stuck closed)


The INTERNET, the MISinformation superhighway
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: John_Kunkel] #2521900
07/14/18 06:18 PM
07/14/18 06:18 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,679
South San Francisco, Ca
70sixpkrt Offline
master
70sixpkrt  Offline
master

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,679
South San Francisco, Ca
The relay looks to be wired correctly.
What I also noticed on mine is that the new M&H wiring harness to the headlight motor is wired backwards. I had to cut the terminal, that plugs into the motor, and reverse the wires.


[img]http://www.imgur.com/hxlGUJt.gif[/img]
4-speed
3:54 Dana
13.01 @107.93 with street tires (not hooking up)
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2522044
07/15/18 09:19 AM
07/15/18 09:19 AM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095
Valencia, España
NachoRT74 Offline
master
NachoRT74  Offline
master

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095
Valencia, España
The hideaways relay are allways with points closed, maybe on open or closed position but always gets some points closed.

It also needs to be grounded to chassis. If it doesn't get a ground the relay won't work. It should be howerver allways with points to close position by default

On closed doors position, the blue wire will keep energized the wire that closes the doors and is the motor what cuts the power internally.

Once you turn in lights ( green wire is the trigger which comes from headlight switch ) the relay will change the points position and now blue wire will feeds the other wire running to motor. Once motor gets the new signal, will spin on opposite direction untill get cuts again, BUT wire keeps energized.

Now you know this, you can easily bench test the output to motor both in open or closed doors. Remember the relay needs to be chassis grounded

A 5 pins bosch relay can be used to replace the stock one being wired like this:

30- blue wire Run circuit ( using the breaker in line to terminal 30 )
85 and 86, ground and trigger ( green wire ). Can be used in either way but tipically 85 is used as ground.
87-wire to open position
87a-wire to closed position

I made this diagram long time ago



IMG_0960.JPG
Last edited by NachoRT74; 07/15/18 09:23 AM.

With a Charger born in Chrysler assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: NachoRT74] #2522236
07/15/18 06:51 PM
07/15/18 06:51 PM
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 581
Texas
Texican Offline OP
mopar
Texican  Offline OP
mopar

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 581
Texas
Originally Posted By NachoRT74
The hideaways relay are allways with points closed, maybe on open or closed position but always gets some points closed.

It also needs to be grounded to chassis. If it doesn't get a ground the relay won't work. It should be howerver allways with points to close position by default

On closed doors position, the blue wire will keep energized the wire that closes the doors and is the motor what cuts the power internally.

Once you turn in lights ( green wire is the trigger which comes from headlight switch ) the relay will change the points position and now blue wire will feeds the other wire running to motor. Once motor gets the new signal, will spin on opposite direction untill get cuts again, BUT wire keeps energized.

Now you know this, you can easily bench test the output to motor both in open or closed doors. Remember the relay needs to be chassis grounded

A 5 pins bosch relay can be used to replace the stock one being wired like this:

30- blue wire Run circuit ( using the breaker in line to terminal 30 )
85 and 86, ground and trigger ( green wire ). Can be used in either way but tipically 85 is used as ground.
87-wire to open position
87a-wire to closed position

I made this diagram long time ago







THANK YOU !

Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2524071
07/19/18 01:36 PM
07/19/18 01:36 PM
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 581
Texas
Texican Offline OP
mopar
Texican  Offline OP
mopar

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 581
Texas
I switched the terminals around (reversed the continuity I assume) and at least now I can plug the harness in with the key on and the doors remain shut like it should, and they open when the lights are switched on. (everything good so far)

--> The problem now is once I switch the lights off, the headlight doors remain open.

I'm assuming there has to be a limit switch somewhere that reverses the polarity when the lights are off. I just need to understand it.

Thanks
Mike


IMG_3449.jpg
Last edited by ACME_Garage; 07/19/18 01:37 PM.
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2524678
07/20/18 07:02 PM
07/20/18 07:02 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,145
ontario calif
N
ns1aar Offline
super stock
ns1aar  Offline
super stock
N

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,145
ontario calif
Inside the motor are 2 switches they might be out of sink


NS1AAR
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: ns1aar] #2524688
07/20/18 07:30 PM
07/20/18 07:30 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
DAYCLONA Offline
I Live Here
DAYCLONA  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
Originally Posted By ns1aar
Inside the motor are 2 switches they might be out of sink



Agreed, there's 2 "switches/point type contacts" and 2 "mechanical" hard stops...

Ground the motor case, apply power to either one of the power leads, but not both at the same time, it's one or the other to drive the motor, assuming the motor is OK, you should be able to apply power to one side and spin the motor to it's mechanical stop clock wise or counter clock wise, then apply power to the opposite lead and spin the motor in the opposite direction until it hits it stop, if you can repeat this with no interruption of the motors function,then your problem is either in the relay or headlight switch, I doubt your wiring as you've already shown that you can either open or close the doors (I doubt the motor, but a simple test is in order to eliminate it)...I'll put my money on it being between the relay or switch, or your connections between the two.... Just because your harness is new, don't assume the wires are staked in the proper terminals....you need to have a factory wiring diagram/FSM

Mike

Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2524883
07/21/18 08:26 AM
07/21/18 08:26 AM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095
Valencia, España
NachoRT74 Offline
master
NachoRT74  Offline
master

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095
Valencia, España
Agreed, you can feed the motor straight from batt to check for rotation working order, not both at the same time but one at a time. Motor good grounded, on wire should open while the other close. If does, make the same from the relay end and will discard section by section.

If works propperly from the relay end, then is the relay itself.

AFTER YOUR TEST REVERSING THE WIRES it points me to a damaged relay at the trigger signal input. Maybe wire cut inside the relay and the cut is shorting to some other wire inside.

Don't discard the relay if tests bad, MAYBE could be serviceable if got dirty points or the solenoid coil broken, could be fixable.

If not, well... althought not the best we can get but the cheaper and faster is replace the relay with a bosch kind. Used ones could be a lotery aside expensive if not picked up by yourself at some JY Around and I think repro ones are not available anymore ( they weren't cheap anyway back when they came out )

Used ones are tipically coming from C bodies. Brackets change but you can swap the bracket/housing cap from your old one.

Sometimes terminals kind changes too.



Last edited by NachoRT74; 07/21/18 08:37 AM.

With a Charger born in Chrysler assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2525023
07/21/18 04:32 PM
07/21/18 04:32 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,679
South San Francisco, Ca
70sixpkrt Offline
master
70sixpkrt  Offline
master

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,679
South San Francisco, Ca
There is an article on Dodge Charger Forum about upgrading the headlight relay. Using a Bosch relay.


[img]http://www.imgur.com/hxlGUJt.gif[/img]
4-speed
3:54 Dana
13.01 @107.93 with street tires (not hooking up)
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2525228
07/22/18 06:22 AM
07/22/18 06:22 AM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095
Valencia, España
NachoRT74 Offline
master
NachoRT74  Offline
master

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095
Valencia, España
There are couple of threads about that... one longer explaining the process and one I wrotte up with the diagram I posted which pretty much summs everything out in one view


With a Charger born in Chrysler assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2525817
07/23/18 12:19 PM
07/23/18 12:19 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,914
Calgary, Alberta Canada
a12rag Offline
master
a12rag  Offline
master

Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,914
Calgary, Alberta Canada
The limit switches mounted inside the gear case on the motor do go "bad" or out of synch . . . had same thing on 70 300 or Sport Fury . . . the relay is just a relay to feed the motor . . . there are service kits for the gear case as it is just a nylon gear in there and the limit switches. Usually I have found it is just a case of the limit switches (contacts really) needing to be cleaned and adjusted . . .they are just a couple of copper contacts . . . sorry, I don't have a motor handy to show pics . . .

Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: a12rag] #2543604
08/30/18 09:26 PM
08/30/18 09:26 PM
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 581
Texas
Texican Offline OP
mopar
Texican  Offline OP
mopar

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 581
Texas
Thanks for all the feedback.

So...If I read this correctly, as long as there is power from the headlight switch thru to the motor and the headlight doors open, that means the relay is GOOD.

If they simply OPEN when lights are on but do not CLOSE when light switch is off, that is most likely the thin / copper limit switches within the motor ?

If that is indeed the case, I should be able to take the motor apart and clean and yes them.

Please advise and Thank You Again
Mike

Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: Texican] #2760777
04/06/20 02:55 PM
04/06/20 02:55 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,519
Lansing, MI
70gtx440dana Offline
master
70gtx440dana  Offline
master

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,519
Lansing, MI
Found this older thread...it helped me diagnose my issue. I too have all new repo underhood and front lighting harnesses. As suggested above. The motor wires are crossed on the repo harness causing the motor to work in reverse. Closes when lights are turned on.....opens when lights are switched off. I reversed the wires where harness connects to motor and it now works perfectly. Hopefully this will help others in the future.

Last edited by 70gtx440dana; 04/06/20 02:56 PM.

70 Road Runner 383-4 4 speed FJ5 & black guts
70 Charger R/T 440-4 4 speed FJ5 & white guts
Re: 1970 Charger headlight door motor relay question [Re: 70gtx440dana] #2835692
10/21/20 03:39 PM
10/21/20 03:39 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,104
Horsham, Pa.
Finoke Offline
master
Finoke  Offline
master

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,104
Horsham, Pa.
Originally Posted by 70gtx440dana
Found this older thread...it helped me diagnose my issue. I too have all new repo underhood and front lighting harnesses. As suggested above. The motor wires are crossed on the repo harness causing the motor to work in reverse. Closes when lights are turned on.....opens when lights are switched off. I reversed the wires where harness connects to motor and it now works perfectly. Hopefully this will help others in the future.


Thank you. Yes it just helped me. I reversed the wires at the motor and all works as it should now.







Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1