When starting my 78 after winter storage a strange thing happened. As soon as I started the motor the headlights went up without the light switch or the aux switch being on. This the first time this has ever happend!

Has anyone had this happen before?

Is there generally a single routine cause or can there be mutiple causes? 

Does anyone know the fix?

I replaced my headlight switch last year do to an electrical problem  and have had no problems with the switch since. Could it be this switch?

Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, J.D. Grant

As it turns out, it was a pinched vacuum line from the light switch to the control valves.

All is well now working as normal!

Thank you very much for your help!

Boy, the search feature works great!  The same thing happend to me this morning, so I searched the forum to see if anyone else experienced this. 

The other thing that I found strange, is that the override switch under the steering column doesn't move at all.  Is this because the vacuum is gone?

Anyway, I'll have to look for a pinched hose!

Adam,

You may want to take the bypass switch out and check and see if it will move. There are 2 screws that hold it in so it is very easy to remove. If it is bad it's easy to replace.

As for the loss of vacuum, I would start at the fire wall with the motor running and see if there is vacuum going to the headlight and bypass switches. If so, then check with the motor running and with the headlight switch on if there is vacuum coming from the switch at the firewall. If there is vacuum there, then trace the hoses out and see of there are any pinches or cracks in the hose. If you have vacuum there, then check for vacuum at the relays. They are located in between the head light actuators. If you have vacuum going into the relays check for vacuum going out of the relays. If you have vacuum there, then check from the relay to the actuators.

If both lights will not come up I believe that it should be within these areas.

From what I have been told, rarely do both relays or actuators go out at the same time. Should be in a hose or switch.

I hope this helps!

From the guy that bought you 2 beers in Bowling Green at the banquet.

Save the wave,

John D. Grant

glad to see you found the problem so quickly. I had never used the search, so i checked it out, you are right it does work wonders. But being a lazy Southern boy I will still ask the experts for answers, this is easier and in my experience faster, anyway by posting the questions you know the people who answer are always there and giving you their knowledge and experience - letting you know they have been in you position.

Boy, the search feature works great!  The same thing happend to me this morning, so I searched the forum to see if anyone else experienced this. 

The other thing that I found strange, is that the override switch under the steering column doesn't move at all.  Is this because the vacuum is gone?

Anyway, I'll have to look for a pinched hose!

[/QUOTE]

That's what it was!!! Pinched hose!  The hose running from the firewall was being pinched by the hood latch.  I had the hood up yesterday (looking for the *@!*& gas smell), so when I closed it, it must have caught the vacuum hose. 

Wow am I glad I used the forum search to find someone with this issue!  Boy... my C3VR membership fee is worth every penny!!

Thanks JD!  I guess I owe you one more beer, huh!?

I am glad it was a simple fix.

It is easy to pinch a hose without realizing it!

You are quite welcome,

John