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head light sync

Old Aug 8, 2006 | 11:10 PM
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Default head light sync

OK.....can't seem to find any info on this: Are the headlights supposed to open / close in unison? I would think so....but I hate to guess. My RH opens a hair late......but both seem to operate powerfully and with little noise, so I am not sure if it's worth worrying about. I did take time to lubricate.
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Old Aug 8, 2006 | 11:12 PM
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Originally Posted by sjmaster
OK.....can't seem to find any info on this: Are the headlights supposed to open / close in unison? I would think so....but I hate to guess. My RH opens a hair late......but both seem to operate powerfully and with little noise, so I am not sure if it's worth worrying about. I did take time to lubricate.
No, but the are usually close.
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Old Aug 8, 2006 | 11:13 PM
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Default 81 engine compartment

Does anyone have a pic of a stock 81 engine compartment to post?

My air collectors and hoses to the two air cleaner snouts are missing.

Did 81 hoods have insulation??

Thanks in advance!!
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Old Aug 9, 2006 | 11:36 PM
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Mine react the same way and are also lubed well. My passenger sidw opens slightly later than the driver side. I dont worry about it much as long as they open. Mine also clunk upon fully opening, a metal to metal clunk.
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 01:44 AM
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Originally Posted by cherrybombc3
Mine react the same way and are also lubed well. My passenger sidw opens slightly later than the driver side. I dont worry about it much as long as they open. Mine also clunk upon fully opening, a metal to metal clunk.

Mine act exactly the same except that there is no metal clunk upon opening.
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 01:56 AM
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Mine have always opened one slightly after another. It's much more elegant and sophisticated to have them operate in this manner...
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 02:53 AM
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Originally Posted by cherrybombc3
Mine react the same way and are also lubed well. My passenger sidw opens slightly later than the driver side. I dont worry about it much as long as they open. Mine also clunk upon fully opening, a metal to metal clunk.
Mine operate the exact same way.
Hey......Just be thankful they open
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Bob Onit
Hey......Just be thankful they open
Amen to that Brother
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 10:03 AM
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If they open and close, you are golden. Mine girl winks. The right hand side opens after the left hand is almost fully open and same when they are closing. I just think my car is a flirtatous little B@tch. lol


Last edited by bluesilver82; Aug 10, 2006 at 04:36 PM.
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 04:32 PM
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I don't know if it's true,but someone said something about the hose length .
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 06:37 PM
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Everything else being equal, the driver's side headlight is closer to the vacuum source (upstream of the other one) so I would guess that one would operate a tad quicker. Is that everyone's experience?
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 06:56 PM
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Mine works the same way, left first then right, however, the motor must be running before they will go down. Is this normal or a sign of a vacuum leak?
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 09:41 PM
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Originally Posted by sjmaster
Does anyone have a pic of a stock 81 engine compartment to post?

My air collectors and hoses to the two air cleaner snouts are missing.

Did 81 hoods have insulation??

Thanks in advance!!


Straight from the garage downstairs....2 molded plastic pieces, 2 ducts. 81 hood has no insulation.
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by ark80
Mine works the same way, left first then right, however, the motor must be running before they will go down. Is this normal or a sign of a vacuum leak?
According to my AIM and my Haynes, the vacuum canister is supposed to hold enough vacuum to opperate the headlights once after the car has been turned off. Does not go into much detail about 'how long' after the car is off. If I try to turn off the headlight within 30 seconds of turning off the car there is enough vacuum for them to close properly. If I wait much longer the headlights will not go down. I guess I got a small vacuum leak in the vacuum canister as it slowly looses vacuum after the car is off...but all in all not a big deal to me.
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Old Aug 12, 2006 | 04:47 AM
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The leak is probably not in your canister-- it's probably an actuator or an actuator relay that is leaking. They have rubber diaphragms which are typically what will eventually start to leak as they age and harden.
The canister is just a plastic tank-- less likely to develop a leak unless someone pokes a hole in it or one of the hoses is leaking at the tank fitting.
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Old Aug 12, 2006 | 09:54 AM
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Originally Posted by cherrybombc3
Mine react the same way and are also lubed well.
What do you use to lubricate them? I assume youre talking about the actuator rods.
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Old Aug 12, 2006 | 10:00 AM
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The canister is made out of tin and is exactly the same as a coffee or tomato paste can. They do fail....pin holes develop in the bottom from internal moisture. They are outrageously expensive for just being a tomato paste type tin can.
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Old Aug 12, 2006 | 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by bluesilver82
If they open and close, you are golden. Mine girl winks. The right hand side opens after the left hand is almost fully open and same when they are closing. I just think my car is a flirtatous little B@tch. lol

You probably don't remember, but in the '70s, the Vette commercials on TV showed a C3 "winking" at women as they passed by. (They probably unhooked one hose to get it to do this.)
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Old Oct 26, 2006 | 11:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Z-man
You probably don't remember, but in the '70s, the Vette commercials on TV showed a C3 "winking" at women as they passed by. (They probably unhooked one hose to get it to do this.)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=c8dRF961SqQ
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Old Oct 26, 2006 | 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by cherrybombc3
Mine react the same way and are also lubed well. My passenger sidw opens slightly later than the driver side. I dont worry about it much as long as they open. Mine also clunk upon fully opening, a metal to metal clunk.
Same exact for me
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