# Hidden Headlights.



## wings012345 (Sep 10, 2014)

Hey all, just picked up a 68 GTO with hidden headlights. After like 10-15 mins the covers go down. Previous owner said he put new actuators on the car. Giving that it seems like a slow leak. Any Ideas where I should start looking first for the leak?


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## Matthew (Feb 11, 2011)

Need a little more info... the headlight doors go down after 10-15 minutes... is that with the headlight switch on and the car running? Or is that with the headlight switch and engine both off? I think the answer is going to be different for those two conditions.

The most common place for a leak in the system is the vacuum canister. They tend to rust from the inside out. Easy to test with a hand held vacuum pump/tester. You can disconnect the line at the canister and hook up your tester there or you will most likely find a place to disconnect up closer to the fire wall. 

OK, so back to the extra info needed. Which is it? Thanks, Matt


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## wings012345 (Sep 10, 2014)

Thanks for responding Matt. With the Car on,the headlights go up and down nicely. It's when i turn the car off that they eventually slowly go down. I will take a look at the cannister and test that out.


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## Matthew (Feb 11, 2011)

OK, it probably is not a vacuum leak. Your actuator springs are pulling them open. It could be one or more issues causing this. You see, the spring has a top-center affect. It helps to open the door and hold it open on one side of top-center and helps hold the door closed on the other side of top-center. 

Where to start? I recommend getting a plastic bushing set for the hideaways from Ames and install those first. It may fix your problem. If it does not, you will have to adjust a few things. Don't adjust anything until you have new bushings installed. Bushing set does not cost much. Hope this makes sense. Matt


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## wings012345 (Sep 10, 2014)

Hey, i went on Ames i dont see a plastic bushing set for Hide away headlights


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## Matthew (Feb 11, 2011)

The kit is part number B147. Matt


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## wings012345 (Sep 10, 2014)

Thanks Matt. Just ordered. How hard is it to install these. I'm sure I will figure it out. Just rying to visualize where they go.


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## Matthew (Feb 11, 2011)

The pieces for the inner side support brackets are the critical ones. The don't come with instructions, so don't hesitate to call the tech support folks at Ames. Ask for Big Jim or Peter. Matt


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## wings012345 (Sep 10, 2014)

Making progress. so I replaced the inner bushings and the bushings on the actuator arm. The bushings were shot and breaking apart. the passenger side works now. The driver side is having issues. So there were two different springs. One looked like an original spring, the other an after market. If i put the original spring on the driver side the headlight will go up and stay tight and not sag. It just has problems going down. If i give it a little help it goes down slowly. If I put the after market spring on the driver side. It goes up and down on its own (slowly but goes down) but will sag all the way in a half hour when the car is off. The passenger side will work with both springs. So does it sound like a weak actuator on the driver side?


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## Matthew (Feb 11, 2011)

OK, so to answer your question... the drivers side actuator may be contributing to the slow part of the problem, but it can't be blamed for the "sag all the way in a half hour."

The function of the spring is to hold the door open and closed with the high center affect. Vacuum plays no role in holding the door in either of these positions once the car is shut off. 

I think you are saying one spring holds the door open/closed and the other does not. Replace the one that does not? If that does not do it, you have something bent or not fitting correctly on the drivers side. 

"Slow" can be a vacuum leak in a line or the actuator diaphragm, but stick with the problem you are working on before chasing that issue. Matt


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## wings012345 (Sep 10, 2014)

When I put the original looking spring on. It goes up stays tight. Never sags. Just wont go down without some help from me. They actuator starts the pull down process right? My thinking was if its a weak actuator, maybe it cant pull down with the original spring because that's stronger then the after market.


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## Matthew (Feb 11, 2011)

Right, and if the actuator is slow to pull the door open, it probably has a vacuum related issue - diaphragm or feed line leak.


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## kilkm68 (May 5, 2011)

Just turn your headlights off before you turn the motor off.


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