Headlight pops up when engine is shut off.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,581
Likes: 14
From: Tolar Texas
Headlight pops up when engine is shut off.
What component is malfunctioning that would cause one of the headlights to pop up right after killing the engine? This happens on the passenger side every time I shut off the engine.
What causes the headlights to raise under heavy acceleration? This just happened once today. I haven’t ever noticed it before.
What causes the headlights to raise under heavy acceleration? This just happened once today. I haven’t ever noticed it before.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 16,416
Likes: 1
From: NC,USA
Re: Headlight pops up when engine is shut off. (MIKER)
I think I read on here a while back that there is a release valave in the head lights that causes it to trip open on a stock car
if you have a hose in the wrong location you might just make more vacum when you shut of the engine to let them open??
ZD
if you have a hose in the wrong location you might just make more vacum when you shut of the engine to let them open??
ZD
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Re: Headlight pops up when engine is shut off. (MIKER)
Vacuum is required to keep the headlights down. Loose the vacuum and the lights pop up. That said, after shutdown, the check valves are what generally holds the vacuum in the system. One of the valves, or the vacuum seals on the headlight gizmos themselves is leaking. You can get rebuild kits... however before you do that, I suggest you put them on a rigorous exercise program for a month. Mine did the pop up after shutdown thing. I bought the rebuild kits (actually Greg got them for me for Valentine's day...). then I started using my '70 as a daily driver. Each day though the tunnel, into the underground parking my headlights got a workout. Well wouldn't ya know it but the problem fixed itself after about a month of exercise!
The opening under hard acceleration is again, not enough vacuum left over for the headlights... aka leak or valve leak or soemthing like that. Sorry I can't give you more specific help since I never did get into mine more since that problem went away on it's own. :D
The opening under hard acceleration is again, not enough vacuum left over for the headlights... aka leak or valve leak or soemthing like that. Sorry I can't give you more specific help since I never did get into mine more since that problem went away on it's own. :D
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,213
Likes: 1
From: South Alabama
Re: Headlight pops up when engine is shut off. (MIKER)
You might want to check your metal checkvalve for leaks (failure). Behind the carb there is vacuum pickup. On mine one hose goes to the tranny and the other to the headlight system. The first piece you find on the headlight hose should be a plastic white filter, the second is a metal 1 into 2 checkvalve (one hose goes to the headlight switch and the other to the front of the car). On every C3, in my case, that I've owned that did what you describe, turned out to be a bad checkvalve. Eckler's and Mid-America carry them. Good luck :yesnod:
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,581
Likes: 14
From: Tolar Texas
Re: Headlight pops up when engine is shut off. (MIKER)
That little check valve is ~ $25. :eek:
I did a temporary repair until I can find a suitable replacement.
I used a bench grinder to grind away the seam, opened it up, saw that the diaphragm was torn and replaced it with a home made one cut from rubber. I stuck the two halves back together and secured them with with a few tightly stretched wraps of electrical tape. It works perfectly for now.
WHO BE BUBBA!!!
I did a temporary repair until I can find a suitable replacement.
I used a bench grinder to grind away the seam, opened it up, saw that the diaphragm was torn and replaced it with a home made one cut from rubber. I stuck the two halves back together and secured them with with a few tightly stretched wraps of electrical tape. It works perfectly for now.
WHO BE BUBBA!!!
