When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hey everyone,
First time C3 owner here, I just picked up a '79 and it's also my first time owning a carbureted car, so I'm learning as I go. I had a couple of questions I was hoping someone could help me with, since Google hasn’t been much help and I’d rather tackle this stuff myself than take it to a shop.
The car has an Edelbrock AVS2 carb, but the choke plate is always open. And I’m not sure why, it doesn’t seem to move at all during startup or while running. Any idea what might be causing that?
Second issue: the car has electronic headlights. When I pull the headlight switch out, all the lights come on dash, brights, etc. but the actual headlight doors don’t open. Any advice, insights or tips to diagnose these issues.
Thanks in advance! Very excited to join the world of C3s!
great DIY car with advice here you can do almost anything..
suggest many pictures of areas of concern. many carb pics all around.. headlight actuators etc..
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Originally Posted by willymot
The car has an Edelbrock AVS2 carb, but the choke plate is always open. And I’m not sure why, it doesn’t seem to move at all during startup or while running. Any idea what might be causing that?
The person who installed the carb has intentionally locked the choke open because he didn't take the time to hook up the electrical system required to support the choke's operation on that (horrible) aftermarket carb. Your '79 does not have an electric choke - it uses a hot air choke - so modifications are required to make an electric choke operate. Those special mods have not been done. To make the choke work, you need to identify how it has been locked open (most likely the choke housing has just been rotated to the "full lean" position), undo the hack-job that has been done, adjust the choke correctly, and then hook up the proper electrical circuit to make it operate.
Originally Posted by willymot
Second issue: the car has electronic headlights. When I pull the headlight switch out, all the lights come on dash, brights, etc. but the actual headlight doors don’t open. Any advice
What do you mean by "electronic" headlights..? Some people refer to "LED" headlights as "electronic." There is no such thing as "electronic" headlights. There are "electric" headlight door conversions available - is this what you are referring to? If the same guy installed the electric headlight doors as the guy who installed the carb, chances are good that the electric motors have not been hooked up or that they are wired incorrectly. First step would be to try to determine what the manufacturer is of the conversion kit in your car and obtain the wiring diagram for the kit. See if the electric motors are hooked up at all, and do some basic troubleshooting to see if they operate. Trace the wiring back and see if there is any power being provided to the motors through the headlight switch (the stock switch has no provision for this). It is possible that a separate, hidden, switch has been installed to open and close the doors - that would be the hack-job way of doing the mod. You need to find all the hack-work that has been done and fix it...
The person who installed the carb has intentionally locked the choke open because he didn't take the time to hook up the electrical system required to support the choke's operation on that (horrible) aftermarket carb. Your '79 does not have an electric choke - it uses a hot air choke - so modifications are required to make an electric choke operate. Those special mods have not been done. To make the choke work, you need to identify how it has been locked open (most likely the choke housing has just been rotated to the "full lean" position), undo the hack-job that has been done, adjust the choke correctly, and then hook up the proper electrical circuit to make it operate.
What do you mean by "electronic" headlights..? Some people refer to "LED" headlights as "electronic." There is no such thing as "electronic" headlights. There are "electric" headlight door conversions available - is this what you are referring to? If the same guy installed the electric headlight doors as the guy who installed the carb, chances are good that the electric motors have not been hooked up or that they are wired incorrectly. First step would be to try to determine what the manufacturer is of the conversion kit in your car and obtain the wiring diagram for the kit. See if the electric motors are hooked up at all, and do some basic troubleshooting to see if they operate. Trace the wiring back and see if there is any power being provided to the motors through the headlight switch (the stock switch has no provision for this). It is possible that a separate, hidden, switch has been installed to open and close the doors - that would be the hack-job way of doing the mod. You need to find all the hack-work that has been done and fix it...
Looks like Bubba worked on your car too! I would recommend getting the GM manuals for your car (Factory Assembly and Service Manual) and a wiring diagram. Welcome to the Vette owner's club!
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
The GM manuals aren't going to help with a custom, modified car that is no longer in the factory configuration with any factory parts. When you buy a custom car with nothing but aftermarket parts, you better be pretty good at working on, and modifying, custom cars so you can fix all the bad workmanship done by the people who modified and altered the car. You're not going to find a common repair shop that will touch something like that, and getting advice from an internet forum when nobody knows what configuration and modification has been done to the headlight system and carb is absolutely pointless.
Edelbrock has a Technical Help Line that might be of assistance: 1800-416-8628 (7am -5pm Pacific M-F)
Their website: "edelbrock.com" has significant information about their products.
Your 1979 originally came with a Rochester Quadrajet carburetor on a GM intake manifold.
When you turn on your lights with switch, do your headlights come on? I know they don't pop up, but do they come on?
If they come on, then look for a separate switch that activates headlight motors.
The GM manuals aren't going to help with a custom, modified car that is no longer in the factory configuration with any factory parts. When you buy a custom car with nothing but aftermarket parts, you better be pretty good at working on, and modifying, custom cars so you can fix all the bad workmanship done by the people who modified and altered the car. You're not going to find a common repair shop that will touch something like that, and getting advice from an internet forum when nobody knows what configuration and modification has been done to the headlight system and carb is absolutely pointless.
I recommended the manuals to assist with identifying what is and isn't stock when looking into an issue. I see your point as well.
Try looking for a switch at the base of steering column at bottom edge of dash. The previous owner of my car had converted to electric headlights and to make the covers open I had to push that switch.
Post pictures of what you’re dealing with.
If you don’t know what you’ve got some pictures will help us see what you have.
For example, electric headlight motors will look similar to what I’ve installed on my car.
If you don’t see similar electric motors up under the hood surround, you may not have electric headlight actuators and may still have the oem vacuum actuators.
New C3 Help Carb/Headlights
