Pop up lights

[PeterDraper]

I have been reading with intrest about the lights. I had trouble with mine which was all down to vacium loss. Now cured but they will drop down over 90. I put this down to the manifold NRV. I have not been able to source a remote in line unit. I hope someone knows a supplier I can contact to purchace one.

[cabc26b]

I think I have seen check valves in the aircraft spruce catalog.

[triumphelan]

Peter ,if you mean they are dropping down to much there should be adjustable stops

[RobL7/Elan]

Peter,

Having delt with the "dreaded Light Droop" as has been discussed in depth recently here, a couple of points: 1. you should add a second check valve a few inches down line from the manifold check valve you have. This valve can be sourced from several vacuum related companies. I found mine by doing a google for vacuum check valves. Make sure the valve has a 3 pound "cracking pressure", as this is the problem with the original, allowing vacuum to leak back below 3 or 4 pounds of vacuum. this occurs under conditions of low manifold vacuum, such as up hill load or long periods of acceleration. Also make sure all hose connections are clamped in some way, and the main vacuum headlight actuators are not leaking. I found a flexable innertube sealer as used in bicycle tubes, (called slime in the US), remains flexable, and seals diaphragm leaks.

Good luck, and keep your lights UP!

Rob
65 S2

[surveyor]

Peter,

When the non-return-valve on my plus 2 died I fitted an in-line valve from a Mini brake servo vacuum line as a stop-gap until I could source the correct valve.

That was two years ago and it worked so well I have never bothered to replace. Cost ?1 from a scrapyard.

dennis

[DJThom]

Gents

I have a headlight issue that I don't believe is vacuum. My headlights only come up about 95% on their own. I can manually pull them up the rest of the way, and they will stay there. Also, under fast driving conditions, the wind pressure will push them down to about 50%.

When I turn the car off with the headlights up, they will stay up at least 12+ minutes at the fully raised position.

It seems i don't have enough vaccuum pull or the wrong check valve somehow. Any suggestions greatly appreaciated especially since we are now moving into the shorter days requiring more frequent headlight usage

\darren

[billwill]

Gents

I have a headlight issue that I don't believe is vacuum. My headlights only come up about 95% on their own. I can manually pull them up the rest of the way, and they will stay there. Also, under fast driving conditions, the wind pressure will push them down to about 50%.

When I turn the car off with the headlights up, they will stay up at least 12+ minutes at the fully raised position.

It seems i don't have enough vaccuum pull or the wrong check valve somehow. Any suggestions greatly appreaciated especially since we are now moving into the shorter days requiring more frequent headlight usage

\darren

I would guess that your problem is too much friction in the swivels that the headlight pods turn on. Off my head I don't recall exactly how they work, are they just bolts with a nyloc on them? If so the nyloc nut is probably too tight, and you could also grease the pivot.

[types26/36]

I would guess that your problem is too much friction in the swivels that the headlight pods turn on. Off my head I don't recall exactly how they work, are they just bolts with a nyloc on them? If so the nyloc nut is probably too tight, and you could also grease the pivot.

No nylocs as far as I remember, the headlight pods swivel on the thread of the pivot bolt as I recall.
The bolt is screwed through the pod bobbin then into the bobbin in the body and swivels using the thread of the 1/4" UNC bolt, needs a bit of "adjustment/setting" to get the pod to swivel without binding as the pod moves slightly left or right......but then again my memory could be playing tricks

[reb53]

My memory, from when I replaced a pod 20 years ago, agrees with Brian's.

There are lots of ways binding can occur what with poor threads, bent bolts , paint on threads, etc.
As a first step I'd be inclined to disconnect the lifting part of the mechanism and make sure they move up and down freely by hand.

Ralph.