Headlight Actuator boots??
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 35
Likes: 4
From: Troy Michigan
Headlight Actuator boots??
I've finally chased down my headlight problem to the driver side actuator. When plugging the red hose I cannot manually lift the headlight, however if the headlight is up and I plug the green hose I can effortlessly push the headlight down. Im not sure if this means I need to replace the whole actuator or not but I did notice that the boot is completely ripped in half on that side. My question is, does the boot actually seal anything or is it to protect the actuator from dust? And if by having a ripped boot caused a seal to go bad is it replaceable?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,270
Likes: 4,362
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi w,
What you see on the shaft is a dust boot, in side it is a separate seal.
Hook the vacuum pump to the port for the red hose. If the vacuum holds, both the diaphragm and seal are good. If the vacuum drops, but held when you tested the green port, the seal is bad.
It can be replaced.
Using the headlight door to force the diaphragm is hard on the diaphragm seal; think about buying a vacuum pump with a gauge like a Mity-Vac.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
What you see on the shaft is a dust boot, in side it is a separate seal.
Hook the vacuum pump to the port for the red hose. If the vacuum holds, both the diaphragm and seal are good. If the vacuum drops, but held when you tested the green port, the seal is bad.
It can be replaced.
Using the headlight door to force the diaphragm is hard on the diaphragm seal; think about buying a vacuum pump with a gauge like a Mity-Vac.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Aug 15, 2012 at 03:27 PM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 35
Likes: 4
From: Troy Michigan
Hey thanks a lot Alan. I hooked up a vacuum pump to the red hose while the headlights were down and it does hold vacuum. But the green hose does not hold vacuum when the lights are up. So is this a seal issue? I already checked the Vacuum regulators and the passenger sides system works fine if I pinch the hose going from the vacuum canister to the driver side assembly. Im just confused because I just bought the actuator last year and its hard to believe it went bad so quickly. It was not a re-pop, it was off of an 80 vette with 22,000 miles that was totaled
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 35
Likes: 4
From: Troy Michigan
well mike, when you put it that way I guess not... Im just more frustrated. I replaced my radiator and after the install the headlights stopped raising so I figured it would be something little like a pinched hose but the actuator is a pain, or at least it was for me to replace
Pro
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 511
Likes: 34
From: NW Michigan
I feel your pain. I just replaced an actuator on my '80. Did not remove hood or under-skirting to do so, but man... It was tight with very little room to work or get a wrench/socket in there. I lost some skin.
As you've already done this I'm sure you know, but just to add for those who have yet to experience the joy: be sure to count the number of turns or threads of your clevis prior to taking it off. I failed to do so and after buttoning up found that the light would not lower completely (even with adjustment screw completely out). As the clevis was super tight I had to remove the actuator again to rethread it a bit.
BUT, all is well now. Both lights snap up and down on command.
As you've already done this I'm sure you know, but just to add for those who have yet to experience the joy: be sure to count the number of turns or threads of your clevis prior to taking it off. I failed to do so and after buttoning up found that the light would not lower completely (even with adjustment screw completely out). As the clevis was super tight I had to remove the actuator again to rethread it a bit.
BUT, all is well now. Both lights snap up and down on command.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 35
Likes: 4
From: Troy Michigan
I feel your pain. I just replaced an actuator on my '80. Did not remove hood or under-skirting to do so, but man... It was tight with very little room to work or get a wrench/socket in there. I lost some skin.
As you've already done this I'm sure you know, but just to add for those who have yet to experience the joy: be sure to count the number of turns or threads of your clevis prior to taking it off. I failed to do so and after buttoning up found that the light would not lower completely (even with adjustment screw completely out). As the clevis was super tight I had to remove the actuator again to rethread it a bit.
BUT, all is well now. Both lights snap up and down on command.
As you've already done this I'm sure you know, but just to add for those who have yet to experience the joy: be sure to count the number of turns or threads of your clevis prior to taking it off. I failed to do so and after buttoning up found that the light would not lower completely (even with adjustment screw completely out). As the clevis was super tight I had to remove the actuator again to rethread it a bit.
BUT, all is well now. Both lights snap up and down on command.
I too made the mistake of not counting the threads. Theres nothing like doing a job twice for careless errors
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 370
Likes: 0
New England Events Coordinator
I would like to jump in here; I am planning to repair the boots on both actuators this winter, can the actuators be removed from where the front license plate mount is. Assuming I remove the center grill and support.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 35
Likes: 4
From: Troy Michigan
There are a few different ways in which you can do it. If your doing it on a car that your not worried about nicking (Such as a car your getting ready for paint) raising the headlights and removing them from the top is the easiest. If it's on a car you would rather avoid scratching raise the headlights to remove the fiberglass bezels and then I would lower them back down and do the rest of the work from through the grills
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 35
Likes: 4
From: Troy Michigan
What I meant was the easiest way to remove the actuators was to first remove the fiberglass bezel while the headlights are open, Then close the headlights and remove the actuator from the front grill. Yes you will have to be on your back to do it but that way you dont risk scratching your paint. There are springs and such that you need to remove and if one gets loose on you from the top side it might shoot off the rod and nick your paint. I have a 79 vette so my front grills may be different from yours if you have an earlier c3 with the longer grill but it should be just as easy. I also like to remove the rod that the springs sit on and grease up the bushings and other moving parts to make sure everything is riding freely. I've never actually replaced the seal or boot before though so I'm not sure if you're supposed to grease and of those components but I'm sure someone here would know
Last edited by wrmcmaha; Aug 16, 2012 at 03:09 PM. Reason: spelling error
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,936
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
i find needle nose vice grips work nice on the springs.do yourself a favor and do both seals on both sides or you'll be doing it again soon.