Headlights no up down (no side to side either)

[74bigblock]

OK... so the vacuum lines are all over the place. For now I just want the lights to go up and down until I have time to take everything apart and rework. The assemblies seem to work fine, but there is a hiss from the pull on the dashboard.
A) what's broken?
B) what do I need to fix it?
C) got an asprin?

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Ummmmmmm, most of us only speak English. :Silly Want to elaborate a little?

Sounds like you took all the vacuum lines apart, wonder why the lights won't work and what the funny noise is behind the dash. Am I close?

 

[74bigblock]

I just bought the car, and she came to me this way. Before I fiddle around with the lines I wanted some feedback. The lines that go to the headligts are intact at the light, connected and all that. I cannot tell where the break is... most likely under the dash. I get a hissing noise when I pull the light switch out, as well as when I pull the left acutator down. The right side makes no noise, but also does not work. Any ideas where to start?

 

[GaryS]

Buy yourself an Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM), a vacuum pump (NAPA sells a fairly cheap MityVac), and then go to Dr. Rebuild's site and order the vacuum troubleshooting guide. Reassembly your hoses according to the AIM and then go through your troubleshooting guide to diagnose the problem. Who ever took the vacuum lines off without marking and identifying them caused your problem. The hiss behind the dash is the vacuum leak. You can manually raise and lower your headlights by going underneith the front bumper area and pushing up on the center of the mechanism. I believe the information to do that is in your owners manual. Do you have one of those?

You can order the AIM, and many other great books, at www.ncrs.org, and click on the store website.
Gary

 

[74bigblock]

Uhhg!

Have no manual, but already found that I can raise and lower manually. Looks like I have some work to do! Thanks for the info.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

The vacuum system behind the dash for the headlights is fairly simple. One vacuum line comes through the firewall and attaches to the light switch. It then comes out of the light switch and goes to the over ride switch under the dash. From there it goes back into the engine compartment. Sounds like either the line from the switch to the over ride or from the over ride to the engine compartment has come off or the over ride switch is leaking.

As I recall, the light switch holds the vacuum when the lights are off and down. The hiss you hear is likely the vacuum coming through the switch and leaking at one of the above junctures. The over ride switch is easy to get to and I would check these fittings first. Find the line coming from the head light switch, put a vacuum gauge on it and pull the switch. If you have vacuum, then the problem is likely further down the line.

Getting to the light switch is not fun.

Bob

 

[Lucky7's81]

killer lights

Get some killer lights from my buddy 69myway.