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78 Corvette Headlight Problems

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Old Jun 21, 2018 | 11:27 PM
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Default 78 Corvette Headlight Problems

Hello everyone, just joined the forum. Purchased my first Vette a couple months ago. It's a 78 , 25th anniversary edition. Have a few , hopefully small problems with it I was hoping I could get some help with. First problem is that the headlights will not flip up, have to manually pull them up and manually put them back down. Since both of them are not coming up does that mean that more than likely its the relay or the vacuum line filters and not the actuators? Another problem I'm having is the tacometer is all over the place, it will stay around a1k for a little bit and then jump to 5k and is all over the place. How can I fix this?
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Old Jun 22, 2018 | 01:40 AM
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Default Hi and Welcome!

Troubleshooting the headlights:

http://www.corvette-101.com/vacuum.htm

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Old Jun 22, 2018 | 07:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Lhtemup22
Hello everyone, just joined the forum. Purchased my first Vette a couple months ago. It's a 78 , 25th anniversary edition. Have a few , hopefully small problems with it I was hoping I could get some help with. First problem is that the headlights will not flip up, have to manually pull them up and manually put them back down. Since both of them are not coming up does that mean that more than likely its the relay or the vacuum line filters and not the actuators? Another problem I'm having is the tacometer is all over the place, it will stay around a1k for a little bit and then jump to 5k and is all over the place. How can I fix this?
My 78 SA the headlights will go down but won't open. That is a symptom of the seal where the clevis comes out failing. You can by kits to repair this from many of the Vette parts stores. Or you can replace the canister.

But do the tests that were posted by Peterbuilt above to make sure.

Last edited by LenWoodruff; Jun 22, 2018 at 07:38 AM.
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Old Jun 22, 2018 | 08:55 AM
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Awsome, thank you guys. I'll let you know what I find out.
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Old Jun 23, 2018 | 07:45 AM
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I replaced the canister actuator seals and dust boots yesterday. The headlight now open like they should.

I have a lazy eye on the left headlight that may be a sticking relay. I sprayed some WD40 in the exhaust port of the relay. This may loosen up the sticking valve.
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Old Jun 23, 2018 | 07:53 AM
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Originally Posted by LenWoodruff
I replaced the canister actuator seals and dust boots yesterday. The headlight now open like they should.

I have a lazy eye on the left headlight that may be a sticking relay. I sprayed some WD40 in the exhaust port of the relay. This may loosen up the sticking valve.
I just ordered the 73-79 Headlight Vacuum Overhaul Kit from ZIP yesterday. The headlights on my 78 open fine, but they close very slow and the right one doesn't close at all. Initially I thought that it may have something to do with the cam used in my rebuilt engine and it still might me that, but either way the current vacuum lines look a little dry.
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