Ok, after almost 2 years of owning my 79, I finally got the headlights to come up like they are supposed to (well sort of). They've always gone down when I either released the over ride valve or tuned off the headlights. The problem is they only go up when I pull the over ride vavle down. Then if I turn the headlights on, I hear a hissing coming from the headlight switch. I switched the vacumn lines on the headlight switch only and they raised up by pulling out the headlight switch, without touching the over ride vavle, but they wouldn't go down. Also the hissing stopped when I switched the lines at the headlight switch. When they go up and down, they do it quickly like they're supposed to. I also tried switching the lines on the override vavle, but that didn't help. Anyone have any insight on this one? BTW, to anyone trying to figure them out, if they won't go up, check out the actuators first. I had one of those troubleshooting manuals all the vendors sell, and they had me disconnecting vacumn lines all over the place, and I broke the tube off of one of the relays, so that cost me $60 that I wouldn't have had to spend. If I had just paid attention to the fact that the dust boot on both actuators was torn all up, I would have just bought 2 of the $23 reubuild kits and been done with it, and never messed with the relays. The acutator rebuild kit is what got them working.

 

When I first got my vette, both lights worked decently. I went to one of our clubs picnics. Another one of the club members was curious if mine had the headlight washers so he asked if he could push the light up and check them out. So of course I said feel free. That one manual operation of the headlight was enough to tear the "Witches Hat" seal and that particular light never worked again. I purchased the actuator seal kit for both lights and replaced them. Now both lights work correctly and have not given any problem again.

I agree with you, if your lights are slow to actuate, try checking the actuator seals and see if they are torn.

 

Eddie, or anyone else, you don't have any idea why mine only work by the over ride valve do you?

 

ttt, anyone?

 

The hissing you hear behind the headlight switch is a vacuum leak. There's part of your problem. Replace the light switch.

If the seals on the actuators are leaking, you should be able to hear them -- same as the leak at the headlight switch.

 

THEY WORK, THEY WORK, THEY WORK!!!!!!! I switched the vacumn lines at the headlight switch and the hissing is gone and they work just like they're supposed to. I'm sure I did this before and they were stuck up, as mentioned in my first post. I hope CRS isn't setting in at only 36 years old! Can you tell it's the simple things in life that make me happy. Now all the old farts (NBL guys)that I caravan with to Carlilse can't harass me about my headlights since it gets dark on our ride up and before I've had to pull off the road to push my lights up.