Quick update on the CETA:
In this update I will cover how to remove the front bumper since I could not find any good guides.
The other day I swapped the headlights because the first round from LMC had some issues. Put the new ones in and then the lights stopped popping up, but the bulbs would work.
I did some research and found that the plugs for the headlight motors commonly get corroded which causes a number of issues. So I pulled the plugs apart and found:
As you can see, the plugs are toast. Hard to see in the picture but three of the five “males” are missing entirely (because they ended up “stuck” in the female side….for eternity….maybe I shouldn’t have fixed this, not a bad life).
If you are super ultra-observant, you recognize that I am way away from the car in this picture, so, you guessed it, I have already replaced these bits. So here is that:
First step, order some new plugs. Big disclaimer here – I did not test to see if the new plugs would work with the old ones before I threw the old ones away. Sorry. I figure if your plugs are in that sort of condition, you may as well replace both.
AC DELCO PT1251 and AC DELCO PT1015 are five lead connectors, and they plug into one another, and are more than up for this task. Though I did not attempt to plug into the old ones, they look identical.
When I put these together I used copious amounts of Dielectric grease to further aid in corrosion prevention. Honestly, probably used too much. Most of it came out when I plugged them in. Don’t be dumb like me, use a reasonable amount.
I also found this stuff at a store. It claims to be liquid electrical tape. I imagine it won’t hurt to further seal this unit.
This is after a coat with that liquid tape. It has a Plastidip sort of consistency. I did two coats. Take note, none of the wires were color coded anyhow. I imagine having some black on them won’t make any difference down the line. I also ran a zip tie (not tied) through the plug connection. GM typically has those little plastic pieces to “lock” plugs together. If there was supposed to be one, it was gone. So, I made my own.
So, in the midst of doing this project, I decided there was no way I was going to effectively splice these new units in while the bumper was still in place. I could not find a good write up on how to remove the front bumper from a 97-02 Trans Am. So, I decided to make one, after much cursing, here you go:
Manually raise the headlights (I had to because, well, you know, broken. But, you could use the method of letting the motors raise the lights then unhooking the battery.)
Remove the headlight bezels. Not ultimately necessary but 6 little screws that are easy to get to can make your life much easier.
Go ahead and raise the car and put it on jack stands.
Apparently this bolt is a Firebird thing, and is not found on the Camaro. It is beside each headlight and needs a 7mm socket or nut driver to remove. I would do it first so you don’t forget. This is much easier without the plastic around the lights:
Use a trim tool or screwdriver to remove the three tabs on top and the three on the bottom.
Remove the bolts for the “Air Deflectors” on the underside. I believe it is five bolts on each side that need to be removed. 10mm socket on an electric impact works great here. But, you can do it by hand.
Using the space from the deflector to see through, locate these two nuts on either side. I needed a ¼” drive universal joint, 10mm deep-well socket, and some extensions to effectively get to them. You might not. A swivel deep-well may have done the trick.
At this time, I removed the bulb from the turn signal and driving lights.
Next, you will need to remove the forward facing bolt from either side. Don’t be like me and forget this bolt, pulling on the bumper wondering why it won’t come off. It is a pain to get to. It would probably be easier if you removed the front wheels and peeled the liner back a bit. I of course fought with it with the wheel in place.
You may find yourself looking under the headlights wondering what the “stud” facing forward is for. That is this bolt.
A gentle pull and the bumper should come right off. Install is the reverse of the removal. Of course, if you’re like me (again) you should have a friend help you, because the body lines will probably not be right after you do this, so you may need some help adjusting.
As you can see in the next photo, there is ample room to work to do some splicing in this area now. You can even see the corrosion in the plugs from this distance.
Some of you recall removing the AIR system. I thought now would be a good time to finish the removal. Shed some weight, gain some room, and get rid of this large unsightly hose:
Added blur for effect. (I was in a hurry!)
I removed the three bolts holding it into the bracket, and then removed the bracket. I replaced the bolts for the bracket back into the holes because who knows, maybe one day that will be a great spot for an oil cooler or something.
Looks like I did not get a finished picture. Either way, with the added length for the new plugs, I was able to move the plug further into the vehicle, near where the AIR system was. This should help keep it out of the elements. I also wrapped up and tied the existing air plug, because I am always one of those “just in case” people.
The connections were made with the weather seal kind of butt connectors with heat shrink, then taped over. If I could solder well I might have, but I am terrible. I will say, with the bumper off there is enough room for a skilled person to solder. I would have caught the car on fire.
Whilst performing this repair, I found that the headlight motors have been replaced. They have the door that is bolted on instead of glued. That is good peace of mind, since it is a much better design.
Thanks for looking!
Should have some stuff coming up soon in preparation for the F-Body beach bash!