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Headlight pop's up

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Old Jan 24, 2011 | 12:15 PM
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Default Headlight pop's up

When I shut my car off, the right headlight pop's about 3/4 of the way up. Sometimes it slowly lowers back to the closed position, sometimes it stays up. Anybody know if that is a problem with the actuator relay or the headlight actuator?
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Old Jan 25, 2011 | 12:46 AM
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There is a sticky with a good write up on how the headlight system works and there is also a troubleshooting link in the forum archives. I have a similar issue. On my vehicle the passenger head light pops up minutes (as much as 10) after the drivers side headlight comes up. When I turn them off, the passenger side light goes down first then the driver's side. I have only seen one C3 corvette in which the headlights come up and down at the same time.... It was a 68 I was looking over for someone in Florida.

Last edited by Oldguard 7; Jan 25, 2011 at 12:53 AM.
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Old Jan 25, 2011 | 06:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Silver 73
When I shut my car off, the right headlight pop's about 3/4 of the way up. Sometimes it slowly lowers back to the closed position, sometimes it stays up. Anybody know if that is a problem with the actuator relay or the headlight actuator?
Mine does the EXACT same thing...I'll get to it someday...

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Old Jan 25, 2011 | 09:04 AM
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Mine dose but everthing has beem replaced.Once you understand how it works its not that bad to trouble shoot
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Old Jan 25, 2011 | 03:18 PM
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Replace the filter in the line between the manifold and the reserve tank.

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Old Jan 25, 2011 | 03:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Silver 73
When I shut my car off, the right headlight pop's about 3/4 of the way up. Sometimes it slowly lowers back to the closed position, sometimes it stays up. Anybody know if that is a problem with the actuator relay or the headlight actuator?
With the car running take a pair of pliers and pinch the small hose feeding the 2 relays,see if it pops up.
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Old Jan 25, 2011 | 11:46 PM
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Mine pop up in 4th gear at 5500rpm. What causes that?
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Old Jan 26, 2011 | 12:09 AM
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Originally Posted by eastltd
Mine pop up in 4th gear at 5500rpm. What causes that?
Check valve would be my first guess.
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Old Jan 26, 2011 | 06:48 AM
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Originally Posted by eastltd
Mine pop up in 4th gear at 5500rpm. What causes that?
And again....mine do THAT too ! LOL !!!

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Old Jan 26, 2011 | 07:34 AM
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Originally Posted by MrJlr
And again....mine do THAT too ! LOL !!!

Have you done this quick and easy test for the Control side ?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...inch-test.html
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Old Jan 29, 2011 | 12:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Oldguard 7
I have only seen one C3 corvette in which the headlights come up and down at the same time.
Mine work pretty good.
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Old Jan 29, 2011 | 07:22 AM
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Hi East,
I just read this thread, and your post.
In your case I think that at 5500 rpm in 4th gear your headlight doors are too afraid to continue and just want to be let off this ride.
Regards,
Alan
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Old Jan 29, 2011 | 11:05 AM
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That is pretty good. They go down at the same time. But that 68's headlights went up and down at the SAME time. Yours are still very good though...Now to get mine to work as well.
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Old Jan 29, 2011 | 11:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi East,
I just read this thread, and your post.
In your case I think that at 5500 rpm in 4th gear your headlight doors are too afraid to continue and just want to be let off this ride.
Regards,
Alan
You're too funny Alan
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Old Jan 30, 2011 | 04:27 PM
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HELLLLPPPPP!!!

I've replaced all of the vacuum hoses, the check valve, and the switch. If I hook everything up, both headlights pop up.....nice and quick and almost simultaneously, but that's not what I want. My switch is in the off position and the override is up. Again, I've replaced each and every hose from dash to the lights. The only way to keep them down is to disconnect the hose from the check valve to the tank. Of course I plug the vacuum leak.

I have read the "How Your Headlight Vacuum System Works" which is an awesome reference.

I'm thinking about throwing $1K at it and removing this vacuum system in favor of a full electric pop-up system. Can you feel how pissed off/frustrated I am????
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Old Jan 30, 2011 | 07:19 PM
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Originally Posted by kirt8548
HELLLLPPPPP!!!

I've replaced all of the vacuum hoses, the check valve, and the switch. If I hook everything up, both headlights pop up.....nice and quick and almost simultaneously, but that's not what I want. My switch is in the off position and the override is up. Again, I've replaced each and every hose from dash to the lights. The only way to keep them down is to disconnect the hose from the check valve to the tank. Of course I plug the vacuum leak.

I have read the "How Your Headlight Vacuum System Works" which is an awesome reference.

I'm thinking about throwing $1K at it and removing this vacuum system in favor of a full electric pop-up system. Can you feel how pissed off/frustrated I am????
Do you have the red and green at the actuators reversed?
edit-vacuum on the small hose at the relay tells the lights to stay down,no vac on the small hose tells the headlights to pop up

Last edited by ...Roger...; Jan 31, 2011 at 07:48 PM.
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Old Jan 31, 2011 | 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by kirt8548
If I hook everything up, both headlights pop up.....nice and quick and almost simultaneously.
Understand your frustrations. You are SO close!

I think there are only 4 possibilities:

"...Roger..." points out the most likely one: Hose connections reversed at the actuators.

Reversed connections of the SAME hoses at the relays is another.

The third is failure to connect the hose running from the pull-down bypass switch to the tops of the relays through a "T" connector right next to the relays.

Fourth is the complete failure of the diaphragm in the top of one or both of the relays such that they cannot hold a vacuum. Easy to check using a vacuum pump at each relay's small top port.

Let's get this fixed! Sure hate to see anyone dump $1K unnecessarily.
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