Head light question
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,164
Likes: 7
From: Beringen
Head light question
I just put in my rebuilt steering column and attached all the wiring. The headlight however do not go up or down when using the headlight switch. I can get them to open and close with the override vacuumswitch.
Hoses seem fine and are new.
What could be causing this ?
Hoses seem fine and are new.
What could be causing this ?
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The over-ride switch is the next switch in the system between the headlamp switch and the relay.. So I'm going to guess you have a switch problem. For the over-ride to work it has to be getting vacuum and blocking it. For the over-ride to get vacuum the hoses have to be attached to the headlamp switch.
So this makes sense.. The vacuum is pulled from the check valve at J located on the hose diagram below. The vacuum pass’s through J to hose H by going in and out of the headlamp switch. The headlamp switch blocks the vacuum which makes the lamps come open. So as you can see from the diagram for vacuum to make it to the over-ride it has to be passing through the switch which is what leads me to conclude the switch is bad.
A quick test would be for you to pinch the hose J closed… at the firewall… if this makes the lamps open, (I feel sure it will) then the only thing between those two points is the headlamps switch.
So this makes sense.. The vacuum is pulled from the check valve at J located on the hose diagram below. The vacuum pass’s through J to hose H by going in and out of the headlamp switch. The headlamp switch blocks the vacuum which makes the lamps come open. So as you can see from the diagram for vacuum to make it to the over-ride it has to be passing through the switch which is what leads me to conclude the switch is bad.
A quick test would be for you to pinch the hose J closed… at the firewall… if this makes the lamps open, (I feel sure it will) then the only thing between those two points is the headlamps switch.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Jan 20, 2013 at 08:38 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,164
Likes: 7
From: Beringen
Thanks, I was thinking that maybe I switched the hoses going to the switch in the wrong position (reversed) which would have made it necessary to take the cluster out (again).
I will pinch the line and see if something moves.
BTW : how do you get the know of the headlight switch to disassemble the switch from the dash. I remember not getting it out ...
I will pinch the line and see if something moves.
BTW : how do you get the know of the headlight switch to disassemble the switch from the dash. I remember not getting it out ...
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 29
From: The Netherlands
Have you tried turning the **** on your headlight switch?
If so; have you removed one of the clusters? Perhaps one of the copper 'fingers' on the circuit board where the plug uhm, plugs in (lol) is askew or even touching one of the other leads. Had that myself recently.
If so; have you removed one of the clusters? Perhaps one of the copper 'fingers' on the circuit board where the plug uhm, plugs in (lol) is askew or even touching one of the other leads. Had that myself recently.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,164
Likes: 7
From: Beringen
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,164
Likes: 7
From: Beringen
Have you tried turning the **** on your headlight switch?
If so; have you removed one of the clusters? Perhaps one of the copper 'fingers' on the circuit board where the plug uhm, plugs in (lol) is askew or even touching one of the other leads. Had that myself recently.
If so; have you removed one of the clusters? Perhaps one of the copper 'fingers' on the circuit board where the plug uhm, plugs in (lol) is askew or even touching one of the other leads. Had that myself recently.
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
Racer
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 429
Likes: 24
From: Charlotte NC
Yes it is pictured in the drawing that someone posted near the top of this thread and it is at the very top labeled D.
I have one on my 74 that looks just like that in black near the steer col. Im not sure if the 79 has it like that but suspect it does.
It just turns off the headlight hydrolic retract and disables it. Flip to toggle on again.
I have one on my 74 that looks just like that in black near the steer col. Im not sure if the 79 has it like that but suspect it does.
It just turns off the headlight hydrolic retract and disables it. Flip to toggle on again.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
