C3 General General C3 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

whats up with my headlights?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 27, 2007 | 11:49 PM
  #1  
whoodiestyle's Avatar
whoodiestyle
Thread Starter
Racer
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: Cape Coral FL
Default whats up with my headlights?

actually more like whats down.. anyways my headlights don't want to go up anymore unless done manually but go down fine. anyone know how i can fix this?
Reply
Old Jan 27, 2007 | 11:56 PM
  #2  
Durango_Boy's Avatar
Durango_Boy
Team Owner
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Default

Originally Posted by whoodiestyle
actually more like whats down.. anyways my headlights don't want to go up anymore unless done manually but go down fine. anyone know how i can fix this?

More than likely you have a vacuum leak, and you don't have enough vacuum to raise the lights. A more expensive problem would be that you need to replace one or both or the headlight vacuum relays or actuators.

Start checking all your under-hood vacuum lines. Check all the way down tot eh tiny ones that operate the heater core valve and wiper door if you have one.
Reply
Old Jan 27, 2007 | 11:58 PM
  #3  
rihwoods's Avatar
rihwoods
Race Director
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Default

Might be just a check valve...I have to sit a couple minutes running engine to get get my 78 right side up...but they both slam shut together...
Just not high on the list....yet..
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2007 | 09:43 AM
  #4  
schmegeggie's Avatar
schmegeggie
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,589
Likes: 5
From: Salisbury Maryland
Default

Mine take about three seconds to come up. I've been told that's normal. Check for leaks. Replace lines that look like they're going bad, or need it. These vacuum systems can be great vehicles for spauning gray hair!
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2007 | 09:44 AM
  #5  
Durango_Boy's Avatar
Durango_Boy
Team Owner
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Default

Get a vacuum diagram for your car and a hand vacuum pump with a gauge. Start checking things from the motor out. Test every check valve, and every terminal end. Just go slow and mark what you can if you get confused.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2007 | 09:45 AM
  #6  
427SIXPACK's Avatar
427SIXPACK
Le Mans Master
Supporting Lifetime Gold
20 Year Member
Community Influencer
Shutterbug
Top Answer: 5
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,829
Likes: 1,959
From: LONG ISLAND
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Default

Originally Posted by whoodiestyle
actually more like whats down.. anyways my headlights don't want to go up anymore unless done manually but go down fine. anyone know how i can fix this?
ANSWER:

It's too warm in FLORIDA to have headlights up & on ........

May i suggest to continue to play with them manually, untill they go on........ ( . ) ( . )

Last edited by 427SIXPACK; Jan 28, 2007 at 09:47 AM.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2007 | 10:10 AM
  #7  
Eddie 70's Avatar
Eddie 70
Race Director
Supporting Lifetime Gold
St. Jude 10 Year Donor
25 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Default

I am going to guess that it is the "Witches Hat" that is bad in the actuators. Here is a link to a website that has some pretty good troubleshooting ideas on how to get the lights back to working correctly again. Look for the link on the left side of the page Vacuum Troubles.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2007 | 11:18 AM
  #8  
Tall Boy's Avatar
Tall Boy
Burning Brakes
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,007
Likes: 0
From: Shoshone Idaho
Default

Originally Posted by Eddie 70
I am going to guess that it is the "Witches Hat" that is bad in the actuators. Here is a link to a website that has some pretty good troubleshooting ideas on how to get the lights back to working correctly again. Look for the link on the left side of the page Vacuum Troubles.
Replace the seals in your actuators, and I bet the problem would goes away. It is a cost of about $20-30 so if you don't see anything else wrong it would be the first thing I would replace. After replaceing mine the lights go up in less then a second or two
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-5

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Jan 28, 2007 | 12:52 PM
  #9  
69L46vert's Avatar
69L46vert
Pro
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 505
Likes: 25
From: Buxton Maine
Default

http://lbfun.com/Corvette/Tech/vette...m%20System.pdf
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2007 | 10:42 PM
  #10  
calwldlife's Avatar
calwldlife
Team Owner
15 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 53,648
Likes: 878
From: Southern Cal Ca
St. Jude Donor '22
Default

If I read your post right...............
Headlight switch doesn't raise lights, but
the override does?
Then the headlight switch needs looking at.
hoses, switch itself.................
If I read it wrong.......................never mind
Reply
Old Jan 29, 2007 | 02:40 AM
  #11  
saudivette's Avatar
saudivette
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 1
From: Aussie expat in Saudi Arabia
Default

Originally Posted by whoodiestyle
actually more like whats down.. anyways my headlights don't want to go up anymore unless done manually but go down fine. anyone know how i can fix this?
Vacuum sucks (pun intended)! If/when you get tired of checking for leaks and replace all the vacuum related antiques, try this...

http://www.mcspeed.homestead.com/Our_Products.html
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To whats up with my headlights?





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:04 PM.

story-0
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 most overrated Corvette track packages ever.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:46:45


VIEW MORE
story-1
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

Slideshow: Every 2027 Corvette engine explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:16:31


VIEW MORE
story-2
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-08 19:53:43


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-6
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-8
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE