headlight vacuum problem

[69bronzed]

I have a 69 dodge charger. The hideaway headlights will go up when I turn the lights on, but will not go back down when I turn the lights off. My car does not have a cannister. It appears that the previous owner put new vacuum lines in, hooked two of them to the pods, and the third is hooked up to the power vacuum booster for the brakes. Any ideas?

[Chryco Psycho]

wELCOME
THE PODS SHOULD HAVE A VACUUM LINE TO BOTH THE TOP & BOTTOM OF EACH pod  the switch directs the vacuum to the bottom or top of the pods , check for lines to both sides & then check you headlight switch [I HATE CAPS LOCK !!!!!!]

[8WHEELER]

Well he must still have some vacuum hoses going to the back of the headlight switch or
they would not work by the switch. There is a chrome arm that comes off the side of
the headlight switch that is about an inch long and comes to a U shape at the end and
that fits into a white plastic vacuum switch, that arm with the U on the end often will
brake and cause problems, like the headlights will go up and not down or the other way
around depending on how the arm broke.

Dan

[Shakey]

Are the headlight switches 1969 only?

Does anyone have a photo of the back of one?  I am assuming from the posts that the vacuum lines hook right into the back of the switch?

[69bronzed]

I checked all of the vacuum lines and they were all connected to both ends of the pod. My concern was the way it was hooked up to the brake vacuum booster and if that was causing the problem.

[8WHEELER]

Yes it can work if rowted correctly, I would not do it myself I would be concerned about my brakes
if the pods went bad or if the vacumm liines to the switch came off or went bad.

Dan

[694spdRT]

One thing to check is the engine vacuum.

I had the same problem with my '68 and could never figure it out. Turned out the 509 cam I had would open the lights but not close them. When I changed out the engine to one with a stock cam it worked fine again.

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

anyone here have  a diagram in how to install hideaways on a second gen charger?-MATT

[ChargerAndy]

I checked all of the vacuum lines and they were all connected to both ends of the pod. My concern was the way it was hooked up to the brake vacuum booster and if that was causing the problem.

I believe that the vac lines should actually be connected to a vacuum tree right off the intake manifold.  I do think your problem is with the vacuum switch which is attached to the electrical headlight switch.  I fixed mine with advice from the old DCCOM site archives. It was pretty simple........and I was all ready to spend upwards of $100 on an NOS vac switch........ glad I fixed the old one. Message me if you need the step by step. Andy