Happy holidays to all.

I need a little help in removing the **** on the headlight switch. I know in the manual it says to insert a paper clip in the notch on the **** to release it, but it just won't work. Tried the paper clip, eyeglass repair screw driver, no good. All I want to do is remove the right and left trim covers to replace burned out bulbs.

Also, can anyone shed any light on common leak entry areas on the passenger side, front. After a heavy rain, I find a puddle on center of the front floor mat. The interior of the roof over the windshield is dry, pulled out glove box, did not see any signs of where the water may be entering.

Thanks for any help, much appreciated.

 

It would help to know the year and model of car.

I am not familiar with a headlight switch **** that is removed that way, but it may be for a year range that I have no experience with.

Common leak points are at the bottom of the windshield and the kickpanel vent.

- Eric

 

water can come in if the drain on the firewall for a/c heater box is plugged.if you are talking about the tab that shows in the notch of the headlight *** you have to pull back on that to rremove the ***.

 

From his other posts, Eric, it appears he has a 78 Delta.

 

Hi, sorry about that. It is a 1978 Delta.
The **** at the end of the stalk has a little slot that a paper clip supposedly can be manipulated in to release the ****. Doesn't really work.

 

Thank-you for the info. I will check this area and drain.

 

you dont want to push the tab,if you hold the **** and pull back on the tab with an "L" shaped tool it will release.jc

 

If your heater box is anything like a G-body, you have to take out the cowl screen and get in there and pull out the dirt that used to be leaves and the drain flap will then be free to do it's job.

 

On the headlight ****, there is a spring clip under that notch. A small slot screwdriver works well, something a bit bigger than a jewelers screwdriver though.

Regarding the water leak on the floor - see if you can loosen and remove the heater box against the firewall under the hood. Aside from the possible clog previously mentioned, there are a couple of other possibilities. One is fairly easy: these used a type of strip caulk to seal the heater box to the firewall. That can fail with time and water can enter the passenger compartment, so you may need to replace it. If that goes on for some time, you can get rust holes in the firewall, which obviously is a more ambitious repair job.

 

Removing the trim below the windshield can reveal rust holes if you have them, hopefully not though.

 

This is a '78 Delta. There is no trim below the windshield.

 

Bruce,
The 1978 left side dash is very much like the 1983 dash. (I had 2 1983 Ninety Eights) You don't need a clip or screwdriver to release the headlight ****. You do need to be a little bit of a contortionist though.
1. Remove the 2 phillips screws (from below) from the speedo area.
2. Gently pry the lower steering column cover down and out from the center of the lower part of the dash. It's only held in by a couple plastic clips attached to the part that comes out.
3. Reach up behind the far left side dash till you can feel where the headlight switch is.
4. Feel around (think it's on the top) for a rounded off plunger that can be pressed down.
5. Pull out the light switch till it stops.
6. Press the plunger down and pull the light switch out the rest of the way.
7. Your headlight on chime will be sounding so you may want to pull the fuse for that. (or once you get the plastic trim off you can just put the headlight **** back in till you're ready to reassemble the dash)

Grasp the center of the dash plastic and the give the whole left panel a quick tug outwards. It's only held on now with metal spring clips on the back. You will have to wiggle the plastic trim up and over the column. After that you have easy access to the bulb areas. Be careful taking off the clear plastic shielding and trim plates for the speedo. Keep the screws/bolts organized. If your car has a trip odometer, you need to remove that little set screw in the middle of it so the clear plastic lens will come off.

To remove the right side dash cover
1. Remove the radio *****
2. Remove 2 phillips screws (from below again) just above the rear defogger switch and remote mirror bezel.
3. Give the right side dash plastic a tug and it will pop off. Same clip system as the left side.

Now you have access to the other bulbs. The right side 'idiot cluster' has a multicolor membrane over top that's just held in place by friction on 4 pegs. Ease it off and Bob's your uncle. I believe all these lights are 194s. I used a small piece of vacuum hose to fit over the bulbs and wiggle them out.

re: Water leaks. I had that with my car, but it came from the moon roof drains being clogged. Doesn't sound like that's your problem though. Try what the others have suggested. Water is a funny thing - it doesn't always follow a path you'd expect. If you can't see where it's coming from, here is my best suggestion.

Get a friend to help you do this. Get in the car and have them turn on a spray hose to simulate that heavy rain. Start by spraying down the right side (a fan or shower pattern would work best) while you stay in the car watching for the drip to start. Then back track the water to the source. Hope that helps or makes sense.

 

my Delta has a similar thing going on:

Behind the blower motor is a little door flap which either allows or disallows outside air into the cabin. This door flap is controlled by a diaphragm but mine is busted so it sort stays half-open. Basically in heavy rain, water can find it's way onto this flap from underneath the cowl cover and get inside the vehicle. It shouldn't happen very often, and if you have a floor mat there it should catch the lil bit of water. Only way you can fix it is to replace the part that's causing the door not to shut, or find another way of keeping it in the "down" position.

Just one possibility