Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I need to replace the headlamp switch on my S3 baby elan.

I mean the dashboard mounted switch that links the vacuum to the pods
and gives the headlight their erections. Mine leaks.

Can anyone help?

geoff
***@***.***

The switches are very difficult to find. The problem with them is the
little rubber bit inside them goes hard and no longer seals the vacuum.
May be one day someone will start making that little rubber bit again.

What I have done is leave the switch in the dash for cosmetic effect and
fit a solenoid valve to switch the vacuum wired in to the headlight circuit.

geoffreiss wrote:

There is one on eBay in the UK at the moment: 170020135214
May be what you are looking for. Mine, on a 72 Sprint, is different:
vacuum and electrical switches are separate items.

Cheers,
Pete.









Steve Waterworth wrote:

I have an early switch somewhere in the basement. Since my car is an S4
Federal I don't need it. I don't know if it works though. Anyone have an
idea of what they are worth these days (I'm still paying for the engine
rebuild and the baby will be here in a couple months).

I did find that I could make my switch work better by pushing some grease
for rubber parts into the openings of the switch so it filled the voids.
This is still working well 5 years later and the lights stay down for a
week.

Before I got the switch I am using now I took a broken Federal switch apart
and cast a mold from the rubber piece then I cast a new rubber piece from
that. It worked halfway decent in tests. I didn't use that one since it was
missing the knob and shaft and I got the one I am using off ebay.

Rob LaMoreaux

A & D Technology Inc.
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