Need help with headlight door actuator
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Monroe,NC USA
Need help with headlight door actuator
After 30 years my '71 Coupe has the dreaded headlight disease. One of the actuators is hissing--I can't find a direct air leak--and it won't quite raise the light. It needs some help from my pulling it up. Any ideas? Many thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,310
Likes: 1
Re: Need help with headlight door actuator (Big Aldo)
The actuator seals are a cheap fix, if that's the problem.
There's a good instruction "sheet" on Zip's website.
I had a pin hole in one of my actuators and was able to solder it closed.
That was a relief, because "they ain't cheap!"
I hope it's a simple fix.
Oh, some people do, but I didn't have to remove the hood to get the actuators out. I just put a cloth between the actuator and the hood when I was sliding it out. It was tricky, but doable.
Good Luck!
There's a good instruction "sheet" on Zip's website.
I had a pin hole in one of my actuators and was able to solder it closed.
That was a relief, because "they ain't cheap!"
I hope it's a simple fix.
Oh, some people do, but I didn't have to remove the hood to get the actuators out. I just put a cloth between the actuator and the hood when I was sliding it out. It was tricky, but doable.
Good Luck!
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,708
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
Re: Need help with headlight door actuator (Big Aldo)
check the seal on it. I just got done redoing my system, and I literally had to replace/rebuild every componant(even the switches). It was BAD. Also when you take the actuator out to check the seal, check for pin-holes, somehow my actuators where rusted BADLY(so bad the drivers side was rusted through about 1/4th of the actuator).
The seal is where the rod goes into the actuator(Im sure you knew that)...if that seal is not ripped, then you may have an internal diaphram problem. Also, check your relay for that light...those go too! If your relay is leaking, use the good relay to power both lights...it works good. If you want to rebuilt your relay and keep 2 of them...I will send some pictures of how I fixed mine.
Daniel
The seal is where the rod goes into the actuator(Im sure you knew that)...if that seal is not ripped, then you may have an internal diaphram problem. Also, check your relay for that light...those go too! If your relay is leaking, use the good relay to power both lights...it works good. If you want to rebuilt your relay and keep 2 of them...I will send some pictures of how I fixed mine.
Daniel
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
Re: Need help with headlight door actuator (daniel77350)
Don't forget though, that if you do re-plumb for only one relay, that all your eggs are in one basket. If the remaining relay fails, you can't go home in the dark. With two relays, if one fails, the other will pop up one headlight so you can at least drive home when the sun goes down. Just a thought.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,660
Likes: 3
From: South Central Louisiana
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Need help with headlight door actuator (Tom454)
Thats the first project I did on my vette, those old seals where all tore up. Not to worry about the one relay going bad theory. You can pull lights up by hand and disconnect hoses if you have to.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 495
Likes: 0
From: ma
Re: Need help with headlight door actuator (Big Aldo)
Pull both hoses off the actuator the hook up a vacuum th the rear connection,if it holds a vacuum the diafram is OK if not it"s junk ,next do the same to the front connection it should hold a vacuum to if not the seal is bad :chevy
