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Left head light won't go down

Forum: C3 Electrical, Body and Interior

19 Messages
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Left head light won't go down

Posted: 12/28/07 4:45amMessage 1 of 19
c
ccombs8482
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Joined: 12/28/2007
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Vette(s): 1969 corvette stingray convertable ,350/350 horse 4speed,fathom green
good morning everyone ,I got a headlight problem on my 69 stingray .they come up fine but the drivers side wont go back down .?????? someone help ,i have went to the diagrams and am confused .
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Left head light won't go down

Posted: 12/28/07 2:54pmMessage 2 of 19
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suncountry
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Moses Lake, WA - USA
Joined: 4/16/2005
Posts: 2134
Vette(s): 1976 L48 4-spd, Mahogany Metalic exterior, Buckskin interior 350ci/350hp, 3rd owner, fiberglass spring, 255/50-16's Torq-Thrust II
I will see if I can find my vac diagram and maybe I can come up with something or maybe some one else might know. Did it just start happening or has it been this way?
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Left head light won't go down

Posted: 12/28/07 3:13pmMessage 3 of 19
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suncountry
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Moses Lake, WA - USA
Joined: 4/16/2005
Posts: 2134
Vette(s): 1976 L48 4-spd, Mahogany Metalic exterior, Buckskin interior 350ci/350hp, 3rd owner, fiberglass spring, 255/50-16's Torq-Thrust II
Your hose from the override valve below the steering wheel connects to a tee between the 2 relay valves. This must be good or your right headlight would have the same issue. Make sure the hose is plumbed to the head of the relay valve. The middle port on the relay valve stem goes to your vac tank. So if this is correct than.
 
Maybe the relay valve is stuck, you can check this if you have some extra hose laying around or if your hoses are long enough to swap the right relay hoses to the left actuator. If the left actuators works than its the relay. If it does not work that its the actuator or linkage to the light bucket. I assume you hear no vacuum leaks. Its a start anyway good luckWink
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Left head light won't go down

Posted: 12/31/07 12:08pmMessage 4 of 19
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1969 L46
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Jefferson City, MO - USA
Joined: 3/9/2007
Posts: 150
Vette(s): 1969 L46 4 Speed Roadster

Be careful if you try to lower it manually.  The mechanism has a locked position that cannot be overcome by pushing down on the assembly.  Reach up under the bumper and look for the pivot arms. at the pivot point you put your fingers behind it and pull down.  This will move the arms past the lock position and allow the assembly to close.  I would suggest using a vacuum pump on the actuator to see if it is operating and holding vacuum.  If the seal is shot, you can replace the seal or the entire actuator.

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Left head light won't go down

Posted: 12/31/07 5:04pmMessage 5 of 19
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crossfire1982
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Cramerton, NC - USA
Joined: 8/22/2006
Posts: 1094
Vette(s): black 1982 coupe slate gray interior, 350 crossfire, 1985 fuel pump, Steeroids R&P conversion

Possibly either an acuator or a vacuum relay on the drivers side.  If you havent already been to corvette 101 give it a try, the troubleshooting guides are very good.

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Left head light won't go down

Posted: 12/31/07 7:44pmMessage 6 of 19
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Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Moving only one way leads me to believe the problem will be the vacuum relay valve. Swap the top/bottom hoses on the valve, with the engine running, headlights on, and see if the light goes down. If it does the relay valve is bad. Common problem...

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Left head light won't go down

Posted: 12/31/07 8:54pmMessage 7 of 19
B
BKVETTE
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Calhoun City, MS - USA
Joined: 9/24/2005
Posts: 121
Vette(s): 1977 Black T-Top
If you have a bad relay valve, you can put a "T" in your hose and operate off one relay. That's the way mines operate now. My left door hangs now sometimes. With light switch off and the engine running, I can give the door a little tug upward and it will go down. Hadn't had time to do any troubleshooting yet.
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Left head light won't go down

Posted: 1/1/08 6:15amMessage 8 of 19
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dwright
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Victor, NY - USA
Joined: 7/12/2004
Posts: 6842
Vette(s): 2004 Commemorative Edition Coupe, Auto w/HUD. 13K miles in 2015. Sold 1982 Red Coupe
Let us know what you find.
 
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Left head light won't go down

Posted: 1/1/08 11:11amMessage 9 of 19
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wetvet
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Lake Oswego, OR - USA
Joined: 10/17/2003
Posts: 567
Vette(s): 1972 Steel Cities Gray T Top. Original Owner, Original Paint and Interior. The running gear has been rebuilt. only 250,000 miles on the clock..
There is a check valve on the drivers side near the master cylinder. This is plastic, see if that is the problem.

 
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Left head light won't go down

Posted: 1/2/08 9:03amMessage 10 of 19
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gs77vet
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If you can't get your headlights down any other way, raise you hood, reach in between the hood and front end and grab the elbow with the spring attached to your headlight and pull downward and your headlight will release and come down fairly easy. This worked for me on my 77. Which ever happens, Good Luck, Gene
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