70 Charger electric headlight door motor

[Tim Nist]

How exactly does this work? When you turn on headlights it will open the doors, but how does it know to stop? When you turn off lights how does it get the signal?

 

[Kern Dog]

There is a headlight door relay under the dash, below the instrument cluster. It gets inputs from the headlight switch and dimmer switch. The motor itself has internal stops that are set by the factory.
My relay didn’t work well with the headlight relay kit I installed so I converted to a Bosch 5 pin relay.
What problem are you having ?

 

[Tim Nist]

No problem….yet. This is a custom build. I bought the car with boxes of parts, Uhhggg. I’ve done many Mopars, just not one with these doors. I can set up my own relay, no big deal there. If it is set to the factory, does it need to be clocked?

 

[Tim Nist]

How do the doors close, is there something in the switch?

 

[440 PHIXX]

I remember reading not to check these motors unless under a load. I got a free one back in the 80’s, and a know it all buddy “checked” it for me. It was burned out. I also believe these were used up into the 90’s on K car variants... LeBaron, New Yorker, and Imperial. So you still may find one in a wrecking yard.

 

[Tim Nist]

I remember reading not to check these motors unless under a load. I got a free one back in the 80’s, and a know it all buddy “checked” it for me. It was burned out. I also believe these were used up into the 90’s on K car variants... LeBaron, New Yorker, and Imperial. So you still may find one in a wrecking yard.

I have one that works, I’m asking about how they work. There is two positive ports. One up one down (I guess), my question is how does the signal go to the motor. Is it in the switch?

 

[440 PHIXX]

I have one that works, I’m asking about how they work. There is two positive ports. One up one down (I guess), my question is how does the signal go to the motor. Is it in the switch?

Mine never worked! I didn’t have a ‘70 Dodge FSM, but the Plymouth version. The Fury III and Sport Fury had the electric motor. So at one point I looked at it. The schematic in there is where I’d look.

 

[Tim Nist]

Mine never worked! I didn’t have a ‘70 Dodge FSM, but the Plymouth version. The Fury III and Sport Fury had the electric motor. So at one point I looked at it. The schematic in there is where I’d look.

Uhhggg. This is a custom build. I will not be using the ORIGINAL switch.

 

[440 PHIXX]

Uhhggg. This is a custom build. I will not be using the ORIGINAL switch.

Well. If you know what the OG switch does, then you can modify to work for you. Here’s a 70 Charger schematic.

 

[440 PHIXX]

This may be of help as well. I should read it!
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6l5fecsa91up5rmirqq8higeu7&topic=168.0

 

[Tim Nist]

I got it all done, thanks all

 

[matchek]

How do the doors close, is there something in the switch?

I believe when you shut the headlight switch off power goes to the headlight doors in the reverse directon to close them.

 

[matchek]

There is a headlight door relay under the dash, below the instrument cluster. It gets inputs from the headlight switch and dimmer switch. The motor itself has internal stops that are set by the factory.
My relay didn’t work well with the headlight relay kit I installed so I converted to a Bosch 5 pin relay.
What problem are you having ?

I am having a related problem. My 70 Dodge Charger headlight doors don't work when I fip the light switch ON/OFF. But my headlights works and the headlight doors do open and close when I connect it directly to the battery. The headlight doors worked up to around a month ago. My mechanic thought it was the light switch because the voltage to the headlight motor is low, but when I talked to someone who rebuilds these switches he didn't think it was the headlight switch because the lights work. After doing research there is a realy and of couse many wires that have to grounded. Any ideas please? Where is the concealed headlight relay located? Thanks, Matched

 

[Kern Dog]

In my Chargers, they are attached to the lower section of the dash frame, to the left of the steering column.

 

[Triplegreen500]

Bottom of the dash below the column on my '70, but at some point prior to my owning it, it was converted to a modern relay. I'd have to check to see if its a normally-closed or normally-open relay.

Is it a spring loaded motor, that spring-tension closes when it loses power? Mine works so I haven't messed with it...but I do know that mine freakin' SLAMS shut when I turn the lights off. Sounds like the front end is coming off!

I can compare to my '91 Daytona's headlight motor...I have a spare Daytona nose that has the motor and stuff on it, that way I don't have to take apart my Charger... I never thought about it but now that it's been mentioned, they DO look like a similar/identical setup...

 

[matchek]

Bottom of the dash below the column on my '70, but at some point prior to my owning it, it was converted to a modern relay. I'd have to check to see if its a normally-closed or normally-open relay.

Is it a spring loaded motor, that spring-tension closes when it loses power? Mine works so I haven't messed with it...but I do know that mine freakin' SLAMS shut when I turn the lights off. Sounds like the front end is coming off!

I can compare to my '91 Daytona's headlight motor...I have a spare Daytona nose that has the motor and stuff on it, that way I don't have to take apart my Charger... I never thought about it but now that it's been mentioned, they DO look like a similar/identical setup...

Well as an update , the headlight covers work now - it was a bad modern relay. A modern relay was already installed but that one went bad too so need a new one.