Hi guys, new to the site, might be new to a F body tomorrow. I have always been a Olds man and only messes with G bodies. But the g body is leaving and i found a good deal on a firebird formula, has the 305 and 5 spd. Are these reliable? Also the headlights don't flip up, after talking to a buddy he said i should just replace the motor, any other things that could cause this? And what are some small mods i can do to make it perform a little better, only thing i have in mind is a good exhaust and sub frame connectors since its a T top car

Edit: i was just looking up the headlight motors, they are almost $300 each. Would both motors go out at the same time though, i think it might just be a short somewhere

turn on the lights. if you hear a zzzzzzz from the motors that doesn't stop then it's the bushings in the gearbox attached to the motors. when you order the motors from e-bay they come with the gearboxes as it's the bottom motor cover. also, easy way to tell is lift up on the lights. if they pull right up then it's def the motors and not the wiring. if your motors are the origional ones then they would be old enough to need replacing. I have an 88 formula and both lights turned the bushings to powder two weeks after i picked it up.

Is it a TPI car or a TBI car?

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1994 Z28 Black heads/cam th350 drag car
1995 Z28 Teal 'Vert bolt-ons 6-speed cruiser

both motors run and the driver side light sometimes moves a little, i have the motors unplugged and the lights are up all the time until i get it figured out.

Its the TPI 305 w/ 5 spd and borg warner 9 bolt rear w/ 3.45 gears

yep. it's the bushings inside your motors. either tear apart your motor and replace the bushings with steel ball bearings or buy new motors. The motors are a pain in the butt to put back together and that's providing you don't destroy the screws when you take them apart.

I would like to try and put the bearings in, i looked the motors up they are almost $300 a piece

I checked on motors here at the dealership and they were $600 a piece. Rebuilt on e-bay run 300 for the pair. be very careful tearing the motors apart. you have to take the motor cover off the armature, pull the armature out of the gearbox then pull the gearbox apart. what you are trying to replace are under the plastic gear. there's three of them in there. atleast there used to be.

eBay Motors: 87 88 89 Firebird Headlight Head Light Lamp Motor Set (item 130253643085 end time Oct-08-08 1126 PDT)

This is for the pair @ $305

I am going to try to fix mine, whats the worst that could happen i dont get them fixed and end up having to buy a set anyway

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89 Firebird Formula w/t-tops
TPI 305 5 spd

that's why mine are still unplugged brother. Cost and the fact that I really don't care about the $500 car.

lol yea i probably wouldn't spend the money on the motors for a LONG time, if i can fix the motors i wouldn't mind doing that though

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89 Firebird Formula w/t-tops
TPI 305 5 spd