Guys I'm having a tough time diagnosing my 70 charger headlight motor. It did not work and I thought it would be a good learning experience.



Upon initial tear down I found the motor was dirty so I cleaned up the contacts and copper on the armature. I also notice a very tiny green wire floating in mid-air.



I looked at the rest of the assembly and believed it was to be connected to one of the brushes. Matter of fact if you look real close at where the brush is crimped on you can see what looks like a little piece of the green wire sticking out the other end of the crimp. So I believed it had broken and needed repair. So I soldered it back on. However, when I put it back together it still did not work.



So I pulled it back apart. I did my best to check the armature with a multimeter and from what I can tell it seems ok. So I think the issue is related to the power wire. From the plug end there is 2 wires. As they enter the case they split off, one's green the other appears bare copper with a clothe like tan jacket. Both get wrapped around a large hung of iron (possibly a magnet)then come out the other side. A copper wire was attached to one of the brush leads, but this is also where I believed the green wire was connected. The other brush lead is connected to the cap (possibly as a ground?). I'm still trying to figure this out and wondering if the green wire should instead somehow be connected to the other brush lead? Does anyone know if both wires should or should not be connected to the same brush lead or have any photos to help me solve this mystery?

Hi Moparmojo, here's one I did a while ago... Hope this helps

Wow, first off let me just say you did a first class job on yours! Right off the bat I notice that your motor has 2 wire bundles on the inside, whereas mine only has 1 bundle wrapped around the iron block(possible magnet on the inside of the cylinder. Is your motor for a 70 charger or a different mopar? if so, that may explain the difference.

Additionally I can see from your pics that the 2 wires which initially separate and wrap around in those wire bundles come back together. This is was thinking initially. However, not sure why mine is still not working. Do you know how to bench test one of these? Maybe I am doing it wrong.

I don't do headlight motors but I can see from the first photo posted that your bushing from your brush cap is stuck on the stem of the armature. That's a problem. Your pole shoe looks like it could be touching the wire in the winding, that's a problem.

Hello Moparmojo,
1st problem I see is that the brush holder end plate is on the shaft.NORMALLY IT IS BEHIND THE FACTORY PRESSED IN BEARING RETAINER IN THAT END PLATE. Does that bearing turn freely on the armature shaft? Once that bearing gets out of that end pretty impossible to get back in properly.

Sorry I am not real familiar with the terms. When you mentioned bushing, are you talking about the metal ball on the end of the armature or something else.

When I took it apart the ball part came out of the little cage in the cap fairly easily. I have put the motor together a couple times now and it doesn't seem to have much trouble going back in.but if I understand you're saying the ball should have remained in the cage under brush holder?

Also as for the winding, the wrapped paper like insulation came apart. I assume this is what you are referring. How should I go about covering that? Any suggestions is certainly appreciated as well as your expertise.

Yes the bushing is the round brass ball at the end of the rotor shaft, is it spinning freely or it's jam on the shaft. That bushing is suppose to be inserted in the end cap below the brushes, keep in place by retainer cap. The rotor shaft should spin freely inside of it. Now if the brass bushing is jam on the shaft that one of your problem.

Yes I agree also & if the ball as called just goes in I out of the brush holder the retainer is broken or damaged. sounds as if you have a few serious needing some parts.The bushing seized on armature shaft may have damaged that too. You might opt to find another one or send it out to see IF IT CAN BE REPAIRED. I as well as ACR2000 restores them. you can see some pics on my website.

Sounds like you may need to do what I'm planning to do this afternoon. I'm boxing my 70 Charger headlight motor and getting it ready to ship the Stephen for restoration.

Ok i will take a closer look at the ball bushing and cage it sits in and see if I can get it in the right place.im also going to ensure the shoe is not touching the wire.

Anyone know the proper way to bench test the assembly? I want to eliminate "my" procedure as a possible cause of it not working.

To the OP. Feel free to contact me on testing your motor. Not rocket science to test but would be easier to explain via a phone call. The travel time on that motor from closed to open or open to close is about one second. No forgiveness if everything is not set up properly. A steel worm gear will take out a nylon sprocket gear in a heartbeat.

My bad for not showcasing one of these on my JS Restorations thread in the Hot Deals & New Products section here. Looks like this motor made the list to add from beginning to end in detail. The motor with the 0629 date code is what was restored.

That sprocket gear looked like it had not been to the dentist in quite some time!

I also ask for the relay to be sent in with the motor so the whole setup can be tested and restored.









Jim