Vacuum headlight doors
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: River Bend NC
Vacuum headlight doors
Boy!!! These things do some strange dang sheet. They didn't work well when I bought the car.... winked all the time. But....How simple can it be? I changed out the headlight switch 'cause the interior lights didn't work smooth, then I installed two new vacuum switches just because. Then I rebuilt the passenger side actuator because I figured that to be the bad one....it was. I pressure tested the canister, replaced all the vacuum lines with a new kit......NOW, they open and close fine....but then they pop open again on their own and stay thataway.
I appear now to be losing significant vacuum through the driver side actuator. Let this be a lesson for any of you new guys....rebuild both actuators when you have to mess with one. Now it's Saturday eve and the vette shop is closed for the weekend. Crap...I hate to give up and wait. Have a great weekend fellas.
jd in NC
I appear now to be losing significant vacuum through the driver side actuator. Let this be a lesson for any of you new guys....rebuild both actuators when you have to mess with one. Now it's Saturday eve and the vette shop is closed for the weekend. Crap...I hate to give up and wait. Have a great weekend fellas.
jd in NC
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
I'm not sure I understand you when you say they open and close fine, but then they pop open on their own?
What are you doing when they open and close on their own? Moving any of the switches? Is the engine running or is it off?
Losing vacuum from one of the canisters will not cause them to operate on their own. It might cause them (or one of them) to not function in one direction, but not to operate on their own. A vacuum line that is not connected correctly will cause them to operate on their own however.
Since you did replace the headlight switch, keep in mind that the two vacuum lines on the switch must be connected correctly or they will not function properly. If you're sure you connected them correctly, I'd look for a mis-routed line elsewhere.
GUSTO
What are you doing when they open and close on their own? Moving any of the switches? Is the engine running or is it off?
Losing vacuum from one of the canisters will not cause them to operate on their own. It might cause them (or one of them) to not function in one direction, but not to operate on their own. A vacuum line that is not connected correctly will cause them to operate on their own however.
Since you did replace the headlight switch, keep in mind that the two vacuum lines on the switch must be connected correctly or they will not function properly. If you're sure you connected them correctly, I'd look for a mis-routed line elsewhere.
GUSTO
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: River Bend NC
vacuum
Hey GUSTO...with a leak through the actuator, that eliminates or lessens the vacuum to and through the light switch. No or low vacuum to the vacuum switches on the control line=doors open. I eliminated one side, then the other...plugging the supply line from the canister as I checked each. Passenger side worked fine...driver side goes down when I turn the lights off.....engine running, then pops up again as the vacuum on the control line bleeds off. What do you think about that?
jd
jd
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
Once a headlight goes up fully or comes down fully, the only thing that can make it move in the opposite direction is if its relay (left or right) changes position and ports vacuum to the opposite side. The Headlights need vacuum to move up or down. Something must be redirecting vacuum on that side when you shut down the engine.
There are springs that assist the headlights in moving up, but once they are up fully the overcenter lever locks them up until vacuum ported to the opposite side of the actuator (by the relay) pulls it down.
I would guess you either have a bad relay or one of your vacuum lines is not connected correctly.
I live in J'ville just about 45 minutes from you, if I could look at your system, I think we could figure it out. There really are a lot of components that interact in the cars vacuum system and one of them not performing properly can cause a problem.
You can PM me if you want to try to get together.
GUSTO
There are springs that assist the headlights in moving up, but once they are up fully the overcenter lever locks them up until vacuum ported to the opposite side of the actuator (by the relay) pulls it down.
I would guess you either have a bad relay or one of your vacuum lines is not connected correctly.
I live in J'ville just about 45 minutes from you, if I could look at your system, I think we could figure it out. There really are a lot of components that interact in the cars vacuum system and one of them not performing properly can cause a problem.
You can PM me if you want to try to get together.
GUSTO
