Murena back on the road - few small issues to resolve.

[Murena IRL]

Got the Murena on the road for the first time in nearly 12 months.

From previous posts - new clutch fitted; SS exhaust fitted; Mini service with new HT leads, plugs and filters. Both electric windows fixed. It drove really well over the weekend.

Jobs to do:

Oil pressure switch - Oil level was fine but had no oil pressure indicating on dash - where is the oil pressure switch or fuse?

Headlights - When I raise lights from switch, they will not raise all the way. When I turn the switch to turn them off, they will not go down (stay in same position half up/down). I need to get out of the car and lift slightly and will then go down. I have checked the headlight bar and it looks fine. The bushes at the end of the bar (part # 00301337 00) look worn. If these bushes are worn, would they restrict the lights from raising/lowering? Anyone else have this problem?   

Other Jobs:

Windscreen & Wiper blades - Need new screen at some stage & wipers blades (now!).

Cosmetic - Wheels, Gear stick.

Thanks
Derek

[michaltalbot]

New windscreens are still available for cca 235,-Eur, but I'm not able to organise the transport...

[krede]

On the 2.2 the pressure switch/sender is situated on the engine right above the oil filter... dont know about the 1.6.

Head lamps: does it make ANY difference if the car has JUST been driven? or do they fail to raise all the time?
I'd check/clean/lube the electro/vacuum valve.. Ive heard those can cause problems or even get stuck.

[Jon Weywadt]

Headlights - When I raise lights from switch, they will not raise all the way. When I turn the switch to turn them off, they will not go down (stay in same position half up/down). I need to get out of the car and lift slightly and will then go down. I have checked the headlight bar and it looks fine. The bushes at the end of the bar (part # 00301337 00) look worn. If these bushes are worn, would they restrict the lights from raising/lowering? Anyone else have this problem?   

I had some issues with my headlights too and all of the below was necessary to make them work properly.

First check the vacuum hoses to the valve under the hood.

Then check that the valve operates correctly. With the engine running, switch the lights on so they raise up. If they don't raise up all the way, push on the plunger that sticks out of the selenoid on the valve. If that makes them go up all the way, then the problem could be dirt in the valve. (mine was leaking because the plunger didn't get pushed in all the way)

Then. The bar that raises the lights is mounted in plastic bearings on the frame. The bearings are in two halves that can be adjustet to fit snugly around the bar. The bar rusts in the bearings, so take it apart, remove the rust and paint it with a rust protection paint, such as Hammerite. When you assemble it again make sure that the bearing and bar is greased (silicon is best in my oppinion) and adjust the bearing snugly around the bar (this probably requires two people sinceit is a b... to hold the bearing snug, hold the lamps up and tighten the bolts at the same time  ) Make sure that the links are clean and greased.


Lastly, make sure that you have a spring that help lift the lights. The spring should be connected to the bottom of the brackets that are on each side of the bar and to the frame. If you have no spring there may not be enough vacuum to lift the lights. Especially if you have some of the other issues iI mentioned above. The spring can be seen in the yellow circle on the photo below. There should be one on both sides, but I only have the one.

Have fun, it is great when the lights finally open and close quickly, like they are meant to.

[Bart_Maztra]

Then check that the valve operates correctly. With the engine running, switch the lights on so they raise up. If they don't raise up all the way, push on the plunger that sticks out of the selenoid on the valve. If that makes them go up all the way, then the problem could be dirt in the valve. (mine was leaking because the plunger didn't get pushed in all the way)

Also check the piece of angled metal which is the end-stop of the plunger.  If it is not in the correct place, the plunger stops in the wrong place and the valve is not operating correct.  Try to move it a little and see what happens.  The angled metal can be made a bit firmer by strapping it against the solenoid body with a cable-tie.

Lastly, make sure that you have a spring that help lift the lights. The spring should be connected to the bottom of the brackets that are on each side of the bar and to the frame. If you have no spring there may not be enough vacuum to lift the lights. Especially if you have some of the other issues iI mentioned above. The spring can be seen in the yellow circle on the photo below. There should be one on both sides, but I only have the one.

I don't remember seeing springs on my car. As far i know, the lights are only lifted by vacuum and not assisted by springs.

[suffolkpete]

The spring doesn't help to lift the lights, it acts as an over-centre lock to hold them up or down.  The servo is double acting - it powers the lights up and down.  If the spring was needed to raise the lights the servo probably couldn't get them down again and they'd tend to pop up when there was no vacuum.  My car had the servo removed and replaced by a manual control.  The spring held them firmly up or down at any speed.

[Jon Weywadt]

The spring doesn't help to lift the lights, it acts as an over-centre lock to hold them up or down.  The servo is double acting - it powers the lights up and down.  If the spring was needed to raise the lights the servo probably couldn't get them down again and they'd tend to pop up when there was no vacuum.  My car had the servo removed and replaced by a manual control.  The spring held them firmly up or down at any speed.

I will have to check if the linkages are adjusted correctly on my car. Because they do not move "over center" so they hold up the lights with no vacuum. In fact, if I turn off the engine without first lowering the lights, then they just slowly settle down and almost close sompletely.

[Anders Dinsen]

The spring doesn't help to lift the lights, it acts as an over-centre lock to hold them up or down.  The servo is double acting - it powers the lights up and down.  If the spring was needed to raise the lights the servo probably couldn't get them down again and they'd tend to pop up when there was no vacuum.  My car had the servo removed and replaced by a manual control.  The spring held them firmly up or down at any speed.

I will have to check if the linkages are adjusted correctly on my car. Because they do not move "over center" so they hold up the lights with no vacuum. In fact, if I turn off the engine without first lowering the lights, then they just slowly settle down and almost close sompletely.

In that case you have a vacuum problem, either with the actuator or a leak somewhere. On a correctly working system, the reservoir can hold enough vacuum to force the headlights down or up a couple of hours after engine shutdown.

But the adjustment sounds like it's wrong too.

I remember we talked about the electromagnetic valve last weekend... is there a hissing sound coming from it when the headlights are in either up or down position? In that case it may be just the metal bracket around the valve being incorrectly adjusted so the valve is not allowed to close fully.

/Anders

[suffolkpete]

I think both springs are required for the system to work properly, although it does sound as though you have a leak as well.