360 headlight will not adjust upwards.

I have a 2001 360 coupe with the right headlight that will only adjust upwards a little. The left side adjusts up and down fine. I know to adjust the lights you can use the phillips screw under the bonnet or use a socket on the plastic gear mechanism in the fender well. But the right one adjust upward when I turn the plastic hex stud to a certain point then stops going upward. The hex will continue to turn easily but no movement of the lamp assembly. I can turn the hex say three full turns after the headlamp assembly stops moving upward and then turn it three full turns downward before the headlamp assembly begins to move downward again.
Any information would be appreciated.
Larry

 

The plastic pieces that make up the overly complicated headlight adjusters have probably dry rotted and broken. I had the same thing happen to both of mine. I made these as a partial fix. The only drawback is you can't adjust the headlights from inside the trunk.
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So that I understand completely.
You pull the adjustment rod and plastic gear cover off and insert your custom made disc to turn the adjustment with the headlight assembly still in the car?
Thanks for your help.
Larry

 

The disc cam locks into the back of the headlight. The hole in the center is threaded to accept the long set screw that currently is used to adjust the light up and down. I will be taking the splash panel out to fix a gasket when I do I'll take better pics of it installed.

 

Thanks Duskybird,
I think I understand but some additional pics would be great.
Larry

 

The problem I had with my headlight is the beam would adjust downward but would not adjust upward. Giving me a lower than usual headlight angle. The problem was the small bulb on the end of the adjustment screw had somehow come off of the attachment peice inside the headlight assembly. This would force the headlight angle downward but not allow it to pull it upward. To cure this, remove the entire headlight assembly, remove the small plastic cap that covers the gear shaft and pinion gear. Remove the threaded, plastic piece with a 1/8 turn counter clockwise, being very careful not to break the fragile plastic. unscrew the metal adjustment shaft all the way out. Then insert the metal bulb/shaft into the plastic receiver piece in the headlight and unscrew it until you can fit the three tabs into the headlight assembly. then turn 1/8 turn clockwise to reinstall plastic fitting. reassemble the rest of the parts and the problem is cured.
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I tried to remove a headlamp recently and couldn't. If I understand (and recall) correctly there are a couple of bolts to the front which I was able to get out no problem and one or perhaps two from the rear, again no problem. Next up was to remove a screw (or in my case a bolt) accessible from within the bonnet and under a rubber plug. That screw (or bolt) just turned and turned and turned but never loosened up.

Any clues?

 

To remove the bolt accessable under the bonnet, you remove the rubber plug. the bolt is backed by a friction nut. If you look on the inside of the fender well, to the area behind that bolt you will see a conical ridged nut. What happens is when you loosen up the bolt the conical nut breaks contact with the ridges and does not allow it to unscrew. Also when I am removing the headlight assembly, I remove the front bumber, with the four nylock nuts on the inside of the bonnet, and the two nuts on each side of the wheel well by the park light. Then you can easily access the two bolts that hold the front of the headlight assembly in place. It sounds like a big deal but it all comes off pretty easily. I hope this helps. If you need more detail or pics let me know.

 

The mechanism is so damn cheap and flimsey that Ferrari should be absolutely embarassed and ashamed of how poor these things were made. If you haven't had them out and in your hands, don't say a word. They are total pieces of crap. That said, I have two lights on the side as I replaced mine due to fogging and one mechanism was broken.

link to the work to do the job.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=165185&highlight=headlight

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178791&highlight=headlight

WORK SLOWLY AND FORCE NOTHING, EVER>

I did it twice on each headlight. It will take you two to three hours, the first time.

 

Hi Larry and thanks for your post. Certainly I had the front bumper and wheel arch covers removed when I was trying this. I had the two bolts to the front removed and another one (perhaps two) from the rear. The lamp assembly was pretty loose at this point. Workshop manual indicates that there's another screw or bolt that has to be removed and that access is from the bonnet under the rubber cap. Like I said though, I found that I couldn't remove that bolt.

I've read your comment above in relation to the conical nut and the ridges etc but I'm sorry, I'm not with you. It sounds like you're describing an experience similar to mine when you say "the bolt the conical nut breaks contact with the ridges and does not allow it to unscrew."

So how do you overcome this issue?

 

Sorry for the delay, very busy lately, a good thing though.
OK what I did was just hold the ridged conical nut from the inside of the fender well by hand while someone else unscrewed the bolt from inside the boot.
LH

 

OK Larry, thanks for that, I'll give it another go next time I have the wheel arches removed and see how I go.

 

had the same problem, I went into changing my total headlight assembly. I was so gullible that I listened to the mechanic who diagnosed my car.