Headlights won't pop-up??????
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Headlights won't pop-up??????
I have done a search regarding this and i can't find a simplified answer to my question. (Or I don't have the patience?) On my newly aquired 79 - the headlights won't pop-up. I can pull them up with my hands and they stay up fine. They won't go down when i turn off the headlights. They don't even try to move. I'm not sure if this is a motor problem or a vacuum problem or what. I'm no mechanic and I really don't want to pay one either. I'm hoping someone on this forum can point me in the right direction as to where to look for a problem and how to go about it.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
You have a problem that many C3 owners suffer from at some point.
It's either a vacuum leak somewhere in the system or a faulty relay or actuator. Since neither will pop up it's probably a vacuum leak.
The vacuum system on your car is large. It starts at the motor, goes all the way up to the headlight switch, and then down to the headlights. It offshoots to the heater control valve, distributor, and vacuum brake booster.
Your headlight switch may be faulty, and the vacuum stop switch next to the headlight switch may be tripped.
There are ways you can check for all this yourself, but you have to learn as you go and you'll need to buy a vacuum gun for testing system vacuum.
It's either a vacuum leak somewhere in the system or a faulty relay or actuator. Since neither will pop up it's probably a vacuum leak.
The vacuum system on your car is large. It starts at the motor, goes all the way up to the headlight switch, and then down to the headlights. It offshoots to the heater control valve, distributor, and vacuum brake booster.
Your headlight switch may be faulty, and the vacuum stop switch next to the headlight switch may be tripped.
There are ways you can check for all this yourself, but you have to learn as you go and you'll need to buy a vacuum gun for testing system vacuum.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 3
From: Aurora Ontario
Make sure you have vaccum at the connection point on the mainfold. To the driverside of the distributor. Can't miss it. They are the only vac hoses coming from there and going to the headlights.
Check the pull down switch(see diabram above). Try it in both positions. Any change?
Do you hear a hiss noise coming from anywhere? Could be a vaccum leak.
See the hoses that go to the actuators at the front? The red and green in the diagram above? One supplies vaccum to get them up and one helps to get them down. See the green one in the diagram...its the front one...unplug it from the relay and blow or suck (not hard) into the hose. The light should go up or down...not sure which action this on hands....regardless...if its like blowing throw a straw the seal at the fron to of the regulator is gone. fortunately its cheap and replaceable...the seal that is. See below...
Check the pull down switch(see diabram above). Try it in both positions. Any change?
Do you hear a hiss noise coming from anywhere? Could be a vaccum leak.
See the hoses that go to the actuators at the front? The red and green in the diagram above? One supplies vaccum to get them up and one helps to get them down. See the green one in the diagram...its the front one...unplug it from the relay and blow or suck (not hard) into the hose. The light should go up or down...not sure which action this on hands....regardless...if its like blowing throw a straw the seal at the fron to of the regulator is gone. fortunately its cheap and replaceable...the seal that is. See below...
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: Lenoir City Tennessee
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