Vacuum headlight problem (stay open!)

[Peer81]

Hello everybody,

This is the problem. I have all new vacuumlines something like 6 years old. All the rest is OEM with new rubber seals. I checked everything last year when I had a vacuumleak. Relays were oke, vacuumcan had a little hole, closed that and the drivers side actuator had a bad seal in the front. So I changed the front seal but made the mistake to put a little ti-wrap around the top of the dust booth (not knowing I front seal was also behind it. So after putting the headlights a few times up and down the front seal teared apart. Other then that the system worked perfectly!

So this time replaced the front seal again, this time without the ti-wrap. Put everything together connected the green vacuumtube to the front and the red vacuumtube to the rear port. Started the engine and noticed the headlights stayed up. No problem I pulled the headlight button and turned off the lights again but the headlights stay up. I checked every vacuumline but it seems like everything is connected. Checked the route from the actuator to the other vacuumparts but the vacuumlines are where they should be. I think it's an easy problem but to be honest it's easier to just ask to read the book again and again. So what is the problem.
Thanks

Greetings Peter

 

[GerryLP]

Hello everybody,

This is the problem. I have all new vacuumlines something like 6 years old. All the rest is OEM with new rubber seals. I checked everything last year when I had a vacuumleak. Relays were oke, vacuumcan had a little hole, closed that and the drivers side actuator had a bad seal in the front. So I changed the front seal but made the mistake to put a little ti-wrap around the top of the dust booth (not knowing I front seal was also behind it. So after putting the headlights a few times up and down the front seal teared apart. Other then that the system worked perfectly!

So this time replaced the front seal again, this time without the ti-wrap. Put everything together connected the green vacuumtube to the front and the red vacuumtube to the rear port. Started the engine and noticed the headlights stayed up. No problem I pulled the headlight button and turned off the lights again but the headlights stay up. I checked every vacuumline but it seems like everything is connected. Checked the route from the actuator to the other vacuumparts but the vacuumlines are where they should be. I think it's an easy problem but to be honest it's easier to just ask to read the book again and again. So what is the problem.
Thanks

Greetings Peter

Is the by-pass vacuum switch pulled (beneeth dash aligned with steering column?

 

[Peer81]

Stays the same with the by pass pulled or not. Checked the vacuumlines behind the dash (as far as i could see) everything alright behind it...

Greetings Peter

 

[bill81vette]

something isn't broken or jammed on that particular headlight is it????
that would prevent it from closing????

 

[GerryLP]

Stays the same with the by pass pulled or not. Checked the vacuumlines behind the dash (as far as i could see) everything alright behind it...

Greetings Peter

The reason I asked is that my by-pass switch stopped working like it should. It is like it developed an internal leak, and it is not working as it should. You can mark the hoses at the switch (to remember where they go), and connect them in a direct way or plug them, and see if that helps.

 

[Peer81]

Good idea! I used the switch several times when transforming the headlights so its something that I would overlook. Thing is thay both headlights have the same problem (I feel vacuum in both that is keeping them up) so it would be logical that the problem is in front of where the system splits into two. What i also noticed is that when the headlights on, there is a vacuumleak somewhere (noticed rpm change and vacuum drop on gauge) when I switch the headlights off vacuum is back to normal. I'll check it out thanks!

Greetings Peter

 

[GerryLP]

Peter,

in the early 70's I remember folks rigging the headlights so that they can be turned on, and not pop up (call it a poor man's dog light setup lol), but I think that is how I messed up the by-pass switch.

 

[Peer81]

I'll try it tomorrow!

Greetings Peter

 

[Peer81]

I think I'm one step closer! When I turn the engine off I could hear a sissing sound from under the dash. Traced it back to the headlight switch, couldn't hold vacuum anymore. Tried to fix it with some grease in it and retensioning the spring inside but no luck. So I'll just order a new switch and see what happens.

Greetings Peter

 

[bill81vette]

Try it with the switch out b/4 you buy a new one.

 

[GerryLP]

Peter,

Borrow a stethoscope from one of your girlfriends, and listen closely. A leak from the power brake booster would hiss from the same area (around brake pedal) as either headlight or bypass switch.

 

[Peer81]

I'll test it by bypassing the headlight switch today and blocking both vacuumlines. This should have the same effect as opening and closing the headlight doors.

Greetings Peter

 

[Peer81]

And here the update. It was even more then just the headlight switch... A vacuumline was disconnected at the passenger headlight relay. When I reconnected the vacuumline the top part of the relay came apart (I had rebuild them one year before but I think the solderwork wasn't great because it snapped open right at the point were soldered the ring back together. So I resoldered the ring and put everything back together. Now it closed but isn't comming open anymore.

Weird thing is that I checked the headlight switch on port 2, with lights out it holds a steady vacuum and with lights on and port 3 closed it also holds a steady vacuum. But when on the car (with the switch under the dash so I can move it around) I still hear a sissing sound. So I just ordered a new one as it needs to be replaced anyway.

Greetings Peter

 

[Peer81]

And finally my own mistake! I switched the vacuumlines at the switch and the sissing sound stopped and the lights pup up and go down as they should! Thanks everybody

Greetings Peter

 

[GerryLP]

Alright, Peter.

 

[Peer81]

I didn't know admitting my own mistakes would grant me 3 likes...

And the trouble is not over. I ordered a new switch (think the old one is still fine I think but normally I'm to lazy to send it back). But now the new problem. I didn't remove the speedo cluster and removed the lightswitch from under the dash. I hit the plastic circuit behind it and now behind the speedo cluster the dash light isn't working. Not a big problem but now I need to remove it any way.

What is the problem, when I turn the lightswitch dimmer to full (so the interiorlight comes on) the fuse melts. But when the lightswitch is almost to full (except for the interior light) and I have the door open so that triggered the interior light the fuse is fine. This way I come to the conclusion that the new switch has a error in it.

As a need to remove the speedocluster I can simply switch back the lightswitch for the old one and see if that makes a difference. But I think the new switch is going back asap.

Greetings Peter

 

[Antz81]

I didn't know admitting my own mistakes would grant me 3 likes...

We all know we've made mistakes in the past too. We're just not always brave enough to admit it

 

[Otter]

I didn't know admitting my own mistakes would grant me 3 likes...

We all know we've made mistakes in the past too. We're just not always brave enough to admit it

I've been following Peter's issue and wondered how big the vette population was in the Netherlands, then I see Antz's comment and wondered the same about New Zealand. In my area of the US(and I imagine all over the US), there's a wealth of local vette guys willing to give advice/help besides the nuggets I pick up here on the forum. Whats it like there?? Are you more reliant on what you can get online? Just curious...

 

[Antz81]

I've been following Peter's issue and wondered how big the vette population was in the Netherlands, then I see Antz's comment and wondered the same about New Zealand. In my area of the US(and I imagine all over the US), there's a wealth of local vette guys willing to give advice/help besides the nuggets I pick up here on the forum. Whats it like there?? Are you more reliant on what you can get online? Just curious...

American cars are quite common in nz. I only know of one corvette specialist but there may be others. One website lists close to 140 vettes for sale. As for info I mostly rely on this forum but can phone the vette specialist over here and can generally get an answer almost instantly. Plus anyone you see in a vette is willing to help.
If you have a look around at some other profiles you find some in the uk, Australia, Italy, even Japan. I'm sure there must be others too.

 

[GerryLP]

I didn't know admitting my own mistakes would grant me 3 likes...

It just means that you are human. Overexposure to a problem can make us chase our tail (meaning, we would be going around and around without a frame of reference from where we started).