Sluggish Headlight Mystery ........... Solved?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 792
Likes: 1
From: Louisiana, It's Always Party Time!
Sluggish Headlight Mystery ........... Solved?
I had wondered why my headlights took a couple of seconds to open. I just thought I had a vacuum leak (probably do anyway). Well, in starting to research the problem, I discovered that Bubba had removed the vacuum tank that should be under the front nose. Is there hope in finding a decent one at a junk yard or best to bite the bullet and buy new one?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 11,840
Likes: 0
From: Galloway NJ
Re: Sluggish Headlight Mystery ........... Solved? (Neo Fender)
You don't need that tank, it's just there so when the car isn't running you'll be able to open the lights a couple times. I also thought it was a part of the frame, at least mine looks like it is...
:cheers:
:cheers:
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 43,136
Likes: 155
From: Thomson Georgia
Re: Sluggish Headlight Mystery ........... Solved? (Metal_Wulf)
I do not even have one......Lights work fine though........Car must be running of course
[Modified by Alwyn678, 2:23 PM 6/6/2002]
[Modified by Alwyn678, 2:23 PM 6/6/2002]
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 792
Likes: 1
From: Louisiana, It's Always Party Time!
Re: Sluggish Headlight Mystery ........... Solved? (Neo Fender)
No, the tank (at least on the 80 model) is removable. I have a hoop type clamp that is attached to the support steel between the headlights under the nose piece. Needless to say the clamp is empty. I have seen replacement canisters in the various catalogs. You can usually find them under the section dealing with the headlights. In some catalogs it's not that easy to find them especially if there is no diagram or picture.
Advanced
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
Re: Sluggish Headlight Mystery ........... Solved? (LABulldog)
So, I take it from this conversation the lights aren't supposed to take a few seconds to come up? Hmmm. Just thought that's the way they worked. Vacuum leak the usual culprit I guess?
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 43,136
Likes: 155
From: Thomson Georgia
Re: Sluggish Headlight Mystery ........... Solved? (tboltkc)
So, I take it from this conversation the lights aren't supposed to take a few seconds to come up? Hmmm. Just thought that's the way they worked. Vacuum leak the usual culprit I guess?
Pro
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 689
Likes: 0
From: MI
Re: Sluggish Headlight Mystery ........... Solved? (Alwyn678)
My lights don't work unless the engine is running either. I also assumed that this was the way correct ones worked. The guy I got my car from told me his name, but I bet if I checked his birth cert. his middle name would be bubba. You should see some of this guy's wiring.
Mine also open one at a time. Could this vacuum tank be why that is as well?
[Modified by Double_0_7, 2:17 AM 6/7/2002]
Mine also open one at a time. Could this vacuum tank be why that is as well?
[Modified by Double_0_7, 2:17 AM 6/7/2002]
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: Massena NY
Re: Sluggish Headlight Mystery ........... Solved? (Double_0_7)
My lights don't work unless the engine is running either. I also assumed that this was the way correct ones worked. The guy I got my car from told me his name, but I bet if I checked his birth cert. his middle name would be bubba. You should see some of this guy's wiring.
Mine also open one at a time. Could this vacuum tank be why that is as well?
Mine used to open one at a time and also took about 3-4 seconds to go up and down. I thought it was normal also until I saw my buddy Viril's 79' I bought a complete new set of vacuum from Zip and I also got the actuator rebuild kits. It was kind of a PITA to get the actuators out but if you patient with them you'll get them. The whole thing cost only about $80 and my lights work great now. They go up and down together and in less than a second. I can also get them to move with the motor off. You might want to get a vacuum gauge and try to locate the problem first, I know the vacuum relays are prone to going out.
It's nice to have proper working lights and it's a pretty cheap and relatively easy fix. Good luck!
[Modified by Double_0_7, 2:17 AM 6/7/2002]
Mine also open one at a time. Could this vacuum tank be why that is as well?
Mine used to open one at a time and also took about 3-4 seconds to go up and down. I thought it was normal also until I saw my buddy Viril's 79' I bought a complete new set of vacuum from Zip and I also got the actuator rebuild kits. It was kind of a PITA to get the actuators out but if you patient with them you'll get them. The whole thing cost only about $80 and my lights work great now. They go up and down together and in less than a second. I can also get them to move with the motor off. You might want to get a vacuum gauge and try to locate the problem first, I know the vacuum relays are prone to going out.
It's nice to have proper working lights and it's a pretty cheap and relatively easy fix. Good luck!
[Modified by Double_0_7, 2:17 AM 6/7/2002]
[Modified by Sean Willard, 11:36 PM 6/6/2002]
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Godfrey Illinois
Re: Sluggish Headlight Mystery ........... Solved? (LABulldog)
Greetings,
Yeah those actuator rebuild kits are nice..cheap and easy to do...Highly recommended! The good thing is that from my experience all but 3 were totally fixed just by doing that!
Yeah those actuator rebuild kits are nice..cheap and easy to do...Highly recommended! The good thing is that from my experience all but 3 were totally fixed just by doing that!
