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slow opening left headlight door

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Old Aug 14, 2021 | 12:25 AM
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Default slow opening left headlight door

My car is a '71 LT1. The left door takes at least 15 seconds to start elevating and then another 5 seconds or so to open completely. When closing, it is in sync with the right door closing. The right door functions normally. On the left I replaced the relay and the actuator and pressure checked them before installation. I replaced all the roll pins, plastic bushings and all 4 springs on the left. I checked the yellow hose from the reservoir under the left fender to the left relay and there were no cracks or holes. With the motor off, I am able open and close the right headlamp manually with no difficulty. However, the left headlamp will not budge if I try to open it manually with the motor still off, it is like it is nailed shut. However, if I remove both the red and green hoses from the left actuator with the motor off, the door moves up and down like a hot knife through butter.
Help,
Sal Ricotta
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Old Aug 14, 2021 | 03:22 AM
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Your really going nuts over a Non Problem. I've had mine for well over 30 years. the headlight doors have NEVER opened in unison. And I don't think I have ever seen one that does.
They open. You can see where you are going at night.
Stop over thinking it.
Sorry, best advice I can give you.
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Old Aug 14, 2021 | 08:33 PM
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New vacuum hoses.
Or at least cut the brittle, cracked ends off the ones you have.
One side's simply getting more suck than the other.

FWIW mine's got a 5 second lag between left and right..

Last edited by wadenelson; Aug 15, 2021 at 06:08 PM.
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Old Aug 17, 2021 | 04:16 PM
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Have You tried reversing the Vacuum Hoses to see if the opposite happens ?
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Old Aug 17, 2021 | 04:56 PM
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Some one else just posted this issue few days ago. You have 2 actuator relays in the nose between the actual actuators for the headlights. Swap the hoses from one to the other. IF the problem moves then you need a new actuator relay. Unfortunately they may be bad out of the box. If you think one is bad you can test it buy pulling vacuum on the top port. It will pull vacuum on the diaphragm that controls the valve. They usually dont fail. the other 3 hoses on the side are what makes the actuator do the work. You need to use a mighty vac and pull vacuum on the center port and block the other 2 ports to see if it leaks. it should on pull vacuum on the lower port only. If you can tee your pump and pull on th every top single port and the center port at the same time, the valve should move and you can feel the vacuum on the lower port.

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Old Aug 17, 2021 | 05:00 PM
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https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-sluggish.html
Theres another thread on this same subject as well in the last week

Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Aug 17, 2021 at 05:01 PM.
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