Help! 79' Corvette Headlight Problem

[Totalamnesia]

I just bought a 79' Corvette in great condition, with only a few problems. One of the problems is the headlights. They will not come up at all. I checked the hose connections under the steering column and on the headlight switch. Can anyone help?

Devin

 

[bill81vette]

Do you have or have access to a vacuum pump...preferably a hand operated one...to check to see if you system will hold a vacuum...short of that,check your lines to make sure they are not cracked or split....
Also check the seals around the actuators,look around the can(in the middle between the headlamps),to be sure it doesn't have any holes in it or starting to rust thru....
Its a starting point to check...
Good Luck!!!!!

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[bill81vette]

Also you can push them doors open from the bottom if you can reach up in there.....
Do it gently! !!!!

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[Vettehead Mikey]

Resist the temptation to 'guess' which components are faulty and to make wholesale changes in the system. This gets expensive and rarely fixes the problem 100%.

Here's a decent troubleshooting guide, test each component individually

Vacuum Troubleshooting

 

[Rod75]

I found the link above to be dead. So here's one to keep ya busy.
P.S. - There's sometimes reference to a 'wiper' vacuum system in articles, this only applies to the 'bumper cars' with the wiper door.
Vacuum System

 

[Totalamnesia]

I have a vacuum pump. Where should I start?

 

[Rod75]

I have a vacuum pump. Where should I start?

Check/follow the diagrams in the links, and isolate each component and apply vacuum to check for leaks. You can do this with lines and fittings as well.
Be sure the method you use to block/crimp lines seals leak free.
I have a box of 'terminators' that I made to block-off ports and fittings. Made from small scraps of various rubber hose sizes with bolts, screws and plugs in one end.
I use tape to mark each component/line as they're checked with any notes.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I found the link above to be dead.

Anybody else have a problem? Works fine for me (?)

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I have a vacuum pump. Where should I start?

In terms of 'most likely'

1) ensure lines are connected and routed correctly
2) forward inner seal on either actuator AKA 'witches hat'
3) one or both relays

Be aware that most systems have multiple leaks (they're over 30 years old) so don't stop when you've found the first one. I think I found at least 5 on mine that needed fixing to at least make it 'acceptable' but still far short of factory original performance.

 

[Rod75]

Anybody else have a problem? Works fine for me (?)

Workin fine now. Was dead link yesterday...???

 

[78IndyPace]

Here's a link to my thread on another Corvette forum that may help:

How Your Headlight Vacuum System Works

The original post (it's rather long) includes some troubleshooting tips that I learned the hard ways, as well as links to other resources that might help.

Good luck!

 

[Rod75]

Here's a link to my thread on another Corvette forum that may help:
How Your Headlight Vacuum System Works
The original post (it's rather long) includes some troubleshooting tips that I learned the hard ways, as well as links to other resources that might help.
Good luck!

Good work on that 78Indy! Thanks for sharing!