Headlight question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 307
Likes: 4
From: Thousand Oaks Calif.
Headlight question
On the C3 you can turn the headlights on without opening them, that is keeping them in the down position while they are on.
Is there any reason or application for this feature?
Is there any reason or application for this feature?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 307
Likes: 4
From: Thousand Oaks Calif.
Sorry, maybe my question wasn't as clear as it could have been. There is a button below the steering wheel that controls the vacuum that will keep the lights in a down position with the lights on.
Also, I often see pictures of C3's that have the lights in a down position but the lights on which push some light through the grill. Other then being for dramatic effect is there any reason for this?
Also, I often see pictures of C3's that have the lights in a down position but the lights on which push some light through the grill. Other then being for dramatic effect is there any reason for this?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 307
Likes: 4
From: Thousand Oaks Calif.
No sorry, I guess i'm not getting my question across clearly. My lights and buckets work great, no problems at all, knock on wood. My question is purely for curiosity.
Is there a reason or application to have lights on with the buckets down?
Is there a reason or application to have lights on with the buckets down?
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 140
From: Kanuckistan
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
The **** you're talking about don't have the function you assume, or, actually have the complete opposite function.
Its function is to raise the headlight even if the light are off and the engine is not running.
It's currently working in this (wrong) way in you car probably because your vacuum setup has leaks.
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Drifting
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,873
Likes: 27
From: Sonora CA
On my 73, if I pulled the headlight switch out to the first position, the parking lights come on and no headlights, (no headlights on and the buckets don't come up) when I pull the headlight switch out to the second position, (or all the way out) the headlights will come on and the buckets will open. All this with the motor running. If the motor is not running, the only thing that changes is the buckets won't come up cause there's no vacuum.
I assume that this is the way they're suppose to function.
I assume that this is the way they're suppose to function.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
This is a sign of a vacuum leak. There should be enough residual vacuum in the system to raise/lower the headlights at least once for up to 24 hours or so after the engine is shutdown. This is how the cars were when new.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 334
Likes: 6
The headlight switch is a dual function switch, meaning it controls both the electric circuit and vacuum routing at the same time. If you pull the headlight **** fully out, the lights should come on (as yours do) and the the buckets should come up if the vacuum system is working correctly (yours is not.)
As pointed out in the previous posts, in the interest of safety, the "fail-safe" position in case of vacuum leakage in the relay circuit was for the buckets to stay in the up position.
