Fixed My Opening Headlights
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Fixed My Opening Headlights
My headlight covers used to say closed for in excess of three months, but since I took the car out of storage, they began opening within 10 minutes after turning the engine off. To isolate the problem, I bypassed the service control switch and installed an alternate reservoir for testing purposes and still they opened within 10 minutes. I was able to find an NOS Motorcraft headlight switch which I installed and that solved the problem. So far they have been closed for 24 hours and I have no reason to think they will not stay closed for a lot longer. The vacuum part of the headlight switch has two O-rings which are not serviceable, but my suspicion is that these O-rings dry out over time and caused a vacuum leak that caused the headlights to open prematurely when the engine is shut off. I’m not sure if the new switch is an improved design as you can see it has a yellow piece of plastic between the two O-rings but maybe my old switch had clear plastic and it’s hard to tell. Just posting this to help others with a similar problem. As you know, mine is a 1973 full-size Lincoln coupe.
(Pic missing)
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
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Re: Fixed My Opening Headlights
This video helped me out when I was messing with my headlights. Its a super cheap fix that i think all these systems could benefit from.
https://youtu.be/k1UFf3ytrro
I bought the rebuild kit from his website and it fixed one of my actuators. The other actuator was no luck it ended up having a hairline crack in the housing that I found with my smoke machine and UV dye..
https://youtu.be/k1UFf3ytrro
I bought the rebuild kit from his website and it fixed one of my actuators. The other actuator was no luck it ended up having a hairline crack in the housing that I found with my smoke machine and UV dye..
55 Chevy 2 dr/ht pro street 427
71 Lincoln Mark iii
2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Rumble Bee #1168 of 4000
71 Lincoln Mark iii
2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Rumble Bee #1168 of 4000
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Re: Fixed My Opening Headlights
My actuators are fine. It was the headlight switch.
(Pic missing)
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
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Re: Fixed My Opening Headlights
I posted that video for future reference for people. I thought it was good information and maybe many people didn't know about seal kits available for these cars.
55 Chevy 2 dr/ht pro street 427
71 Lincoln Mark iii
2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Rumble Bee #1168 of 4000
71 Lincoln Mark iii
2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Rumble Bee #1168 of 4000
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Re: Fixed My Opening Headlights
Gotcha1Bad55Chevy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 7:53 pmI posted that video for future reference for people. I thought it was good information and maybe many people didn't know about seal kits available for these cars.
(Pic missing)
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
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- Addicted to Lincolns
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Re: Fixed My Opening Headlights
Well, it’s been four or five days now and the headlight covers are still closed down nice and tight. I am very happy!
(Pic missing)
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
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- Addicted to Lincolns
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Re: Fixed My Opening Headlights
Even with this frigid subzero weather, the covers are still closed!!!
(Pic missing)
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
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Re: Fixed My Opening Headlights
That is really cool, Jon...and I bet extremely satisfying! Nothing like suddenly finding and fixing a problem that remained elusive for years.
---Tony
---Tony
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet, just because there is a picture with a quote next to it." (Abraham Lincoln, 1866)
"Question Authority!"
1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
"Question Authority!"
1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
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Re: Fixed My Opening Headlights
Yes, very happy. They are now fully closed eight days later and counting. I am curious how long they will stay closed.
(Pic missing)
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT
- TonyC
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Re: Fixed My Opening Headlights
Well...maybe you can find out after the big thaw; right now I think it prudent to keep the engine warmed up on a regular basis.
---Tony
---Tony
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet, just because there is a picture with a quote next to it." (Abraham Lincoln, 1866)
"Question Authority!"
1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
"Question Authority!"
1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
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