Vacuum Headlights??
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
Vacuum Headlights??
Well I removed my electric headlight Probe conversion to go back to the original setup and have forgot some things. What it's doing is when I first start the car the headlights pop up maybe a half inch then drop back down.
Then with vacuum present I have the lids adjusted flush with the body but when the vacuum escapes and the actuators relax the headlight lids just barely lift and is no longer flush.
And third is in the up position I have up and down play in one of the headlight housings so do I need to turn out the actuator link clevis??
Thanks,
AL
Then with vacuum present I have the lids adjusted flush with the body but when the vacuum escapes and the actuators relax the headlight lids just barely lift and is no longer flush.
And third is in the up position I have up and down play in one of the headlight housings so do I need to turn out the actuator link clevis??
Thanks,
AL
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
I agree with Batty, vacuum sux, stick with the conversion.....
I lost my '72's stock lights in a DEER wreck back in '98 and so I put in Ecklers trays and taller headlight/squares.......then some Verizon truck backed into my left bumper and took them out....can't win....so I replaced and filled in the huge openings.....
see lights on the sites....
I lost my '72's stock lights in a DEER wreck back in '98 and so I put in Ecklers trays and taller headlight/squares.......then some Verizon truck backed into my left bumper and took them out....can't win....so I replaced and filled in the huge openings.....
see lights on the sites....
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
I don't plan on doing anything with them and I went back because to me vacuum is a much smoother operation. I even kinda like seeing one headlight coming up before the other. If I would have been able to slow the operation down I probably would have stuck with them.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
The ORIGINAL and bestest
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From: Toronto Ontario
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-50V-40A-DC-Motor-Speed-Control-PWM-HHO-RC-Controller-12V-24V-48V-2000W-MAX-/370962506627?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item565f16a383
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
A simple and fairly cheap DC motor PWM controller would do that for you; something like this:
10 50V 40A DC Motor Speed Control PWM HHO RC Controller 12V 24V 48V 2000W Max | eBay
10 50V 40A DC Motor Speed Control PWM HHO RC Controller 12V 24V 48V 2000W Max | eBay
The ORIGINAL and bestest
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From: Toronto Ontario
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
Well to be honest I had the circuit board out of the housing resting against something and when I went and hooked up the wires (temporary) it slid and touched the alternator case so I think I fried it and never bought another one. Do you have a video of yours being slowed down?? I'd like to see anyone's if they slowed them down.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
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From: Fernandina Beach FL
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
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Well to be honest I had the circuit board out of the housing resting against something and when I went and hooked up the wires (temporary) it slid and touched the alternator case so I think I fried it and never bought another one. Do you have a video of yours being slowed down?? I'd like to see anyone's if they slowed them down.
Here's the PWM slowing down the plate-
Here's it w/o the PWM-
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Al- Normally when they pop un and then go down the control (small hose) side has lost vacuum. So the likely culprits would be the headlamp relay, the check valve, headlamp switch or the bypass switch.
What is happening.. the default position of the system is for the lamps to raise upward so when there is no vacuum present on the small side the relay starts to pull up the lamp. As soon as vacuum builds on the small hose side the relay pulls the plunger and the lamp drops back downward.
The adjustment issue with the housing fitting differently could be the pivots, or the pivot ends being worn on the actuator bracket. It would also be the bushings inside the headlamps pivot. Most of the time the clevis bushing is worn out but all combined would also cause this issue.
The third issue is in your adjustment... The video we did on the headlamps adjustment covers how to nail this down.
Willcox
Headlamp Housing Adjustment 68-82
What is happening.. the default position of the system is for the lamps to raise upward so when there is no vacuum present on the small side the relay starts to pull up the lamp. As soon as vacuum builds on the small hose side the relay pulls the plunger and the lamp drops back downward.
The adjustment issue with the housing fitting differently could be the pivots, or the pivot ends being worn on the actuator bracket. It would also be the bushings inside the headlamps pivot. Most of the time the clevis bushing is worn out but all combined would also cause this issue.
The third issue is in your adjustment... The video we did on the headlamps adjustment covers how to nail this down.
Willcox
Headlamp Housing Adjustment 68-82
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Dec 22, 2014 at 03:08 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Al- Normally when they pop un and then go down the control (small hose) side has lost vacuum. So the likely culprits would be the headlamp relay, the check valve, headlamp switch or the bypass switch.
What is happening.. the default position of the system is for the lamps to raise upward so when there is no vacuum present on the small side the relay starts to pull up the lamp. As soon as vacuum builds on the small hose side the relay pulls the plunger and the lamp drops back downward.
The adjustment issue with the housing fitting differently could be the pivots, or the pivot ends being worn on the actuator bracket. It would also be the bushings inside the headlamps pivot. Most of the time the clevis bushing is worn out but all combined would also cause this issue.
The third issue is in your adjustment... The video we did on the headlamps adjustment covers how to nail this down.
Willcox
What is happening.. the default position of the system is for the lamps to raise upward so when there is no vacuum present on the small side the relay starts to pull up the lamp. As soon as vacuum builds on the small hose side the relay pulls the plunger and the lamp drops back downward.
The adjustment issue with the housing fitting differently could be the pivots, or the pivot ends being worn on the actuator bracket. It would also be the bushings inside the headlamps pivot. Most of the time the clevis bushing is worn out but all combined would also cause this issue.
The third issue is in your adjustment... The video we did on the headlamps adjustment covers how to nail this down.
Willcox
I saved that, your diagram makes the vacuum set up look easy and nice,
Thanks for posting that
Last edited by The13Bats; Dec 23, 2014 at 06:12 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,023
Likes: 6
From: Austin Tx
I'm always amazed when people complain about it being complicated, or difficult to maintain, there's nothing more complicated than a spring in the whole setup. It's just like a simple electric spdt relay.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 154
From: Deplorableville Nebraska
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Okay perhaps it's really a bad reflection on me but the only drawing lay outs I had seen of the vacuum set up looked like a plate of spaghetti, what Wilcox posted is super straight forward and simple,
When My 69 gets back I will re-test the vacuum parts of the system and likely try it because I have it and it's free, my headlights actually worked fairly well before the car went into the shop...
When My 69 gets back I will re-test the vacuum parts of the system and likely try it because I have it and it's free, my headlights actually worked fairly well before the car went into the shop...
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Okay perhaps it's really a bad reflection on me but the only drawing lay outs I had seen of the vacuum set up looked like a plate of spaghetti, what Wilcox posted is super straight forward and simple,
When My 69 gets back I will re-test the vacuum parts of the system and likely try it because I have it and it's free, my headlights actually worked fairly well before the car went into the shop...
When My 69 gets back I will re-test the vacuum parts of the system and likely try it because I have it and it's free, my headlights actually worked fairly well before the car went into the shop...
When I do them I try to keep in mind the kiss rule and I'm sure most of you know what that is. Most of the drawings and schematics I've done over the last 15 or so years are on the web site. Older hand drawn ones I keep in a book in my service department, it's about five inches thick.. (be sure to come to the auction when I croak)
Happy Holiday's
Willcox
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Thank you, I love those little charts and simplified the schematics.
When I do them I try to keep in mind the kiss rule and I'm sure most of you know what that is. Most of the drawings and schematics I've done over the last 15 or so years are on the web site. Older hand drawn ones I keep in a book in my service department, it's about five inches thick.. (be sure to come to the auction when I croak)
Happy Holiday's
Willcox
When I do them I try to keep in mind the kiss rule and I'm sure most of you know what that is. Most of the drawings and schematics I've done over the last 15 or so years are on the web site. Older hand drawn ones I keep in a book in my service department, it's about five inches thick.. (be sure to come to the auction when I croak)
Happy Holiday's
Willcox
Will you happen to be going to the NCRS in Jan in Lakeland?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,338
Likes: 786
From: Redondo Beach, California
Al- Normally when they pop un and then go down the control (small hose) side has lost vacuum. So the likely culprits would be the headlamp relay, the check valve, headlamp switch or the bypass switch The video we did on the headlamps adjustment covers how to nail this down.
I recently had my 68 painted at J&D Corvettes, Bellflower Ca...forum sponsor. (fantastic paint and body work). As part of the painting and body work, they wanted the headlights and windshield wiper door to cycle to prevent any interference/scratching with the body paint work.
Very distressing to me was that a new repro headlight vacuum actuator did not work..it would not hold a vacuum. They replaced it with a used OEM actuator out of their salvage inventory. I think the bottom line here is that if your vacuum system has repro parts in the system, you should be very careful to verify with a Mini-Vac hand held tool that the repro parts work. Well..of course you have to do this if you still have the OEM vacuum parts.
Sorry to hear your electrical headlight system wasn't satisfactory. The vacuum system is very fussy to work with and I'd hoped this would have been a simple, but expensive, solution. Back to the vacuum system I guess...even though it sucks!!!