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Sticking Headlight

Forum: C3 Electrical, Body and Interior

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Sticking Headlight

Posted: 3/30/07 6:55amMessage 1 of 9
s
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Leavenworth, KS - USA
Joined: 1/24/2007
Posts: 426
Vette(s): MM Red 1971 T-top,LS5,4-speed, black leather C5 seats, Hooker sidepipes. Previous: 64 Coupe, 65 Roadster L76 / N14
Well, I figured it was only a matter of time before I had an issue with the headlights (door operation). 
 
Last night I coaxed mama to cruise with me around town, since the weather was so great!!  Tops off, CD playing, wondering what the po' folks was doin'!!! Big%20smile
 
After I shut her down in the ga-rage, the left headlight would not drop.  Cry  I turned the lights on and off several times, engine running and stopped. Nothing.  I ginderly tried to "assist" (no real pressure). Again, nothing.  Then, all by its bad self, it closed!!  Magic or gremlins.
 
It leads me to believe that there is headlight work abrewin'. 
 
Any ideas, suggestions, or where to look first??  I'll admit I haven't checked out the threads to find something similar (too lazy).  At least point me in the right direction.  Don't even know if this is the right forum for lights??

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Sticking Headlight

Posted: 3/30/07 7:31amMessage 2 of 9
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Edmond, OK - USA
Joined: 7/13/2006
Posts: 400
Vette(s): 1971 Brands Hatch Green L48 Coupe Automatic Driver - restored 1995
Were you trying from underneath or just pushing from the top?  The rod underneath has to "break over" before the light can close.  You may just have a vacuum relay going out or a bad seal in the acuator.  Both easy fixes but sometimes the vacuum stuff on these are tough to diagnose.   The best is to isolate items and check each component.
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Sticking Headlight

Posted: 3/30/07 8:13amMessage 3 of 9
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Newport, MI - USA
Joined: 6/9/2005
Posts: 942
Vette(s): 1980 L-48 still in the middle of a frame-off.
I suggest you do a body off reto-mod. That should cover all the bases.LOL

Corvettes and women are the same...You want to make love to them but they keep breaking down.
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Sticking Headlight

Posted: 3/30/07 8:22amMessage 4 of 9
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Spotsylvania, VA - USA
Joined: 1/20/2007
Posts: 293
Vette(s): 1977 Silver Coupe
My wife had the car out this morning, and she called to tell me one headlights wouldn't go down. I tol her she was so purty, it was winkin at her. .... then i told her to wait another few seconds before shuting off the engine.  Are these things supposed to snap up and down together?
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Sticking Headlight

Posted: 3/30/07 10:11amMessage 5 of 9
s
Former Member
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Leavenworth, KS - USA
Joined: 1/24/2007
Posts: 426
Vette(s): MM Red 1971 T-top,LS5,4-speed, black leather C5 seats, Hooker sidepipes. Previous: 64 Coupe, 65 Roadster L76 / N14
Whaddayamean yer wife had the car out??!!  She actually drives it?  And likes it??  Does she make house calls?  I'm afraid I ruined my wife early in our marriage (as far as Vettes go, that is).  It's about all I can do to get her in one.
 
BTW, I like the suggestion to do a body-off resto.  (NOT!)  One was enough, thank you.  Just hope I kin fix this stubborn headlight. I used to think that auto wiring and electricity were magic, but I can see the new magic is VACUUM! Censored

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Sticking Headlight

Posted: 3/30/07 1:48pmMessage 6 of 9
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Spotsylvania, VA - USA
Joined: 1/20/2007
Posts: 293
Vette(s): 1977 Silver Coupe
She took the car out at noon, to have a new windshield put in, she's not back yet. what d'ya think? Her car? my car?   I just know she has had to stretch it out . I'm beginning to think I'm just the Mechanic. 
I had a 68 Chevy a few years ago and it was a sleeper, She just loved to blow the other cars doors off.  
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Sticking Headlight

Posted: 3/30/07 4:13pmMessage 7 of 9
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Lanoka Harbor, NJ - USA
Joined: 12/21/2006
Posts: 2191
Vette(s): 1975 metallic blue coupe with t-tops,L48, t/t steering, black leather interior. 1990 L98, white/red leather interior, auto,a/c
could also be the bushing on the linkage. try spraying a silicon lubricant  on them and see what happens.
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Sticking Headlight

Posted: 3/30/07 6:21pmMessage 8 of 9
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HOWELL, NJ - USA
Joined: 5/18/2004
Posts: 6812
Vette(s): 1979, Targa Blue (72 Color), Pace Car rear spoiler, L88 hood, Dark blue factory interior, 525HP 406, HD 700R4, 370 gears,Steeroids, composite rear spring, TT IIs wrapped in T/A Radials.
Sounds like the bearings or linkages may be binding. Have you checked all of the vacuum lines to rule that out? If not, I would check them also. Near the back of the intake manifold is a filter (plastic) in line with all of the vacuum lines for the headlights that can get clogged. You can temporarily eliminate that to see if that does anything as well...

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Sticking Headlight

Posted: 4/2/07 6:39amMessage 9 of 9
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Jefferson City, MO - USA
Joined: 3/9/2007
Posts: 150
Vette(s): 1969 L46 4 Speed Roadster

The first thing is to check your vacuum at the relay.  Use a good vacuum gauge.  Pull the top hose from the relay and check that vacuum.  You should be seeing 15 - 20 inches of mercury.  Plug it in and then check the operating hose.  You should get the same reading.  Unplug the hose at the actuator and check the vacuum at that point.  With the lights off you should heve 15 - 20 inches of mercury.  If you don't have any vacuum, the relay is faulty.  The diaphram in the relay is sucked up and keeps the piston pulled up in the relay, allowing vacuum to be applied to the back of the actuator.  When you turn on the lights or use the headlight override, you remove vacuum from the top of the relay.  The piston falls and then vacuum is supplied to the front of the actuator which then raises the lights.  Once in the locked position, you should not be able to manually push them down.  You have to reach under the grille and push up at the pivot point of the front and rear link.   If you can push them down, the actuator piston is out of adjustment.

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