Headlights stopped rotating

[Michael G.]

[John L.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

It happened to me about 2 weeks ago -- turned out to be a bad voltage regulator

[Tom E.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

Maybe Check headlamp circuit breaker? Located on drivers side kick panel.

Tom

[Frank D.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

If both buckets failed similarly its almost certainly electrical and at a common tie point; e.g. the dash rocker switch or elsewhere.
And, this is why they have thumbwheels; if those work the rotational geometry and hardware are prob OK.

[Michael G.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

Upon further investigation (ie: I tried to close the buckets and they closed) the problem is strictly with opening them, which I did manually at dusk last night. I’m guessing we’re talk about a defective headlight rocker switch or a loose wire on on the connections to it. Considering the inside of the dash got wet during the storm (its a convertible) and may still have been wet when I tried to rotate the buckets last night, I’m betting on a bad or wet switch now. It’s pretty easy to analyze, methinks, so I’m off to the garage….

[Michael G.]

[Michael G.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

Took out the crappy repro switch. Nice decoration, does nothing....Oh, by the way the Black/yellow wire read 12.7 millivolts, not volts, it wasn't hot. Should wear my reading glasses

[Michael G.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

Good news!!! Looks like I can buy the same POS repro switch I have from seven different vendors!!!! Only a hundred bucks!!!!

[Joe R.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

Michael,

You can purchase a POS on ebay for less!

JR

[Michael G.]

[Richard M.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

I have a design to implement relays in the rollover switch circuit. It can be inserted into the harness connections between the switch and main harness. It works to eliminate the high current passing through the switch, which as we all know fails due to contacts burning.

By design, the switch is used to simply energize the relay coils, drawing milliamps vs amps.

The only problem is I cannot acquire the necessary 3 prong male plug(replicating the 3 switch contacts) and the female receptacle(what the harness uses to mate to the switch normal configuration) to make the package removable for judging, etc.

This is similar to my design to bypass early '56 Power Top toggle switch and inadequate 18G harness wiring and high current loads to the 4 pump solenoids(apx 15-18 amps each).

If anyone can lead me to the needed male and female rollover switch mating plugs, I could procede to fabricate a prototype for testing. The relay assembly module would mount inconspicuously under the dash. Simply removed for judging, if desired.

The harness and switch manufacturers have not been communicative in trying to acquire separate plugs for the design.

Rich

[Frank D.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

The repro switch I purchased was just horrid looking (for a 63) the "HEADLIGHT" script was wrong among other things, I put the switch electrical guts in the old housing and it worked for years before I sold the car. Maybe older repros internals were better.

[Norm B.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

Since you don't have a lot to lose here take your old switch apart and see if it just needs cleaning or drying out to get you through for the time being. If you look at the side of the switch body where the two clips that hold the connector on are you should see a small hole on each side. Pushing in a paper clip or similar wire size will release the clips and you can pull them out. Once you get the switch open you will see how simple it is and you may be able to at least get it working again temporarily.

[Michael G.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

Since you don't have a lot to lose here take your old switch apart and see if it just needs cleaning or drying out to get you through for the time being. If you look at the side of the switch body where the two clips that hold the connector on are you should see a small hole on each side. Pushing in a paper clip or similar wire size will release the clips and you can pull them out. Once you get the switch open you will see how simple it is and you may be able to at least get it working again temporarily.

The attached pics tell the story. Whatever crap low-melting-point plastic they used in China, combined with spring tabs that are extremely difficult to deflect, resulted in the plastic part of the toggle softening and deforming.

751A505A-52CF-45E6-8D1E-F0EEA3807C18.jpgA4226C5C-AC2D-4999-8A2A-EC3D2B684134.jpg

[Gary B.]

Re: Headlights stopped rotating

Mike,

On my soapbox again… “Whatever crap low-melting-point plastic they used in China…” = “Whatever crap low-melting-point plastic the US company included in their specifications to the Chinese manufacturer…”

Primarily, it’s the fault of Paragon or Corvette Central or Long Island Corvette that they allow parts to be made with crappy materials. And ultimately our fault for not saying we won’t tolerate it or not being willing to pay more for better quality products. LIC, etc., sells us what we will buy.

Does anyone have to complain about crappy materials in an Apple iPhone made in China?

Gary