MatraSport Forum

Since I sorted out all my vacumeleaks and lubricated all the rusty points in the headlights mechanics, my headlights go down very fast.
In fact they go to fast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAaebUKMHdA

It is clear that this is not to good for the bulbs.
Especialy when you have more expencive bulbs mounted you don't want them to be killed by this system.
I found a simple solution to make the vacume adjustable.
Go to the car-shop and buy this thing.
Price around €2.-
It is a T splitter for screen watersystem 6 mm.
(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/2933/p1010579medium.jpg)

Make the mid point a bit shorter.
(http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/3773/p1010580medium.jpg)

Get a bolt M5 long enough to adjust the vacume to close.
It will work as a adjustable valve.
(http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8190/p1010581medium.jpg)

Cut a piece of this hose and place it there.
(http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/6702/p1010587medium.jpg)
(http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/6687/p1010589medium.jpg)

Now you can adjust the speed closing the headlights.
Sorry for the dark movie

http://www.youtube.com/user/pikvanmanus#p/a/u/0/_y3TWRdWDgo

It wil save the expencive bulbs.

What a great idea, simpel and easy to do, that will be one of my project on my "to do list"

Thanks

Kim

It sounds like you do not have the spring which ballances the weight of the lights.

On the left side of the lifter bar, there is supposed to be a spring. It mounts on the chassis to the arm, just in front of the ball where the connecting rod to the light is situated. The spring compensates for the weight of the lights, but also prevents them from slamming down when the vacuum is reversed.

Ideally the lights are ballanced so it requires vacuum to both lift and lower the lights. I actually have a spring on both left and right side of the bar.

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It sounds like you do not have the spring which ballances the weight of the lights.
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The spring is there.

Is the spring a heavy type like in the photo I added above?

I don't have the car at hand at the moment, but I will see in to this.
Maybe it is warned out, but I saw more Murena's and bagheera's that have the same problem.
In any case the modification will make it go smooth.

I've always felt that the popup headlights tended to pop down a bit too fast and not as gracefully as when they lift up, but for me it's been one of those small things I've learned to accept as one of the Murena's small annoyances. Like the rear window demister never really working well, and the sloppy gearchange of course ;) I don't think much about it any more!

But this is a good and very simple idea - restricting the amount of air being drawn through the hose is just excellent. The thing is, that the spring only serves to keep the headlinghts fixed in the open position even when the vacuum is disconnected. But by reducing the amount of air being able to pass through from the vacuum actuator, you will limit the speed with which the lamps close - and open! The "restrictor" will also limit the opening speed if you think about it ;)

/Anders

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The "restrictor" will also limit the opening speed if you think about it.
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Indeed, but you can find a good balance with this.
You also don't want them to open to slow.