Adjusting headlights
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 142
Likes: 1
Adjusting headlights
I have a weird problem with my headlights. They work perfectly now when the car is running(they go up or down quickly and almost at the same time). but if I turn the car off and then change the switch only one light will go up or down(normally the passenger side) I know that the vacuum tank is holding vacuum because leaving it overnight I can pull a line and it will hiss from vacuum. I know that the driver side when up will lock in place, but the passenger side can easily be pushed down when the car is off. Either of them can be manually pulled up if the vacuum lines are unhooked.
My guess is that the lights need to be adjusted so that lights move freely enough that the available vacuum in the tank can pull them up or down. However I have no clue how to adjust the headlights and don't want to start playing with things and making it worse, so how would I adjust them so that they both will go up or down easily with the car off?
My guess is that the lights need to be adjusted so that lights move freely enough that the available vacuum in the tank can pull them up or down. However I have no clue how to adjust the headlights and don't want to start playing with things and making it worse, so how would I adjust them so that they both will go up or down easily with the car off?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,200
Likes: 4,287
From: Westminster Maryland
Have you taken the hoses off the actuators and moved the lights through their full travel to see if they pivot properly manually? Doing this will tell you if you have a mechanical problem or a vacuum problem. It sounds like a vacuum problem since they work with the engine running. Perhaps the tank holds some vacuum, but not enough to operate both lights successfully.
Regards,
Alan
Regards,
Alan
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Have you taken the hoses off the actuators and moved the lights through their full travel to see if they pivot properly manually? Doing this will tell you if you have a mechanical problem or a vacuum problem. It sounds like a vacuum problem since they work with the engine running. Perhaps the tank holds some vacuum, but not enough to operate both lights successfully.
Regards,
Alan
Regards,
Alan
You say they operate good with the car running-some guys would kill for that.
That said do both sides lock in the up position when the engine is running? If yes I would leave it alone.If it does not lock "up" when running then you can adjust for that but you might be opening a can of worms.
