Okay so I bought a 1980 Corvette and like alot of old cars it has it's issues. The headlights would not go up. I found a disconnected vacuum line, reconnected it and tadah they rise... Now they won't go down.... WTF turn the car off turn the headlight switch off and they stay up..... Found the goofy thing under the dash override switch. I pulled it pushed it tried it fifteen different times and nothing. I can grasp them not rising but not closing doesn't makes sense to me. HELP !!! I would like to have it ready by spring..

Those systems are notorious for having trouble, they are a series of vacuum tubes and mechanical linkages. Make sure the linkages/springs are lubricated inside the headlights. You really need a FSM for the car. The vette houses sell rebuild kits for the system.

Matthew

http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDe ... itDetails.aspx?KitItemID={7f463158-7087-49ed-99c0-1dc21eec5553}&

http://www.corvettemagazine.com/body/ ... -make-them-both-open.html

http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette- ... solutions-1-320-3850.html

http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2002/ ... y/headlights/lights-1.asp

Here's the problem. It takes vacuum to raise the headlights, and vacuum to lower the headlights.

I imagine there is a leak on side of that circuit which is why the OP disconnected them.

The relays both can be a leak point. Same for the actuator boots. There is a set of tubes that connect to the vacuum tank, and then the stretch that run up to the back of the engine near the brake booster and intake.

Start by pulling every connection and inspecting for internal hose cracks. Trim .5" from the end of each tube and re-insert it.

The tubes on the override may also be backwards...common problem, so double check that too using the diagrams.

to what these guys have said.

Mine acted exactly the same at one time. I'm guessing your headlights go up rather slowly (?)

When the headlights go up, the two moving linkages travel past center and "lock" in place with the help of the assist springs. It sounds like your system is providing enough vacuum to raise the lights when you turn them on, but not enough to "unlock" the linkages when you turn them off. In the meantime, you can lower them by hand by reaching underneath and pulling downward on the forward linkage, but be careful not to pinch off your fingers!

Hope this helps!

Thanks, I just ordered a new hose kit from Zip. I've only had the car a week, trying to get it all sorted out. I will change the hoses one at a time, hopefully that fixes this mess. They open up o.k. just won't go down, they went down once, revved it up and they went down. They won't now though.... Oh well it's January gives me something to do.