Head Light Problem, use of Xenon

Mine don't seem to last that long, I have changed 2 or 3 in the last 40k!

I only rubbed a tiny bit off mine and learnt fast Mike. Iv'e still got some sealed beam units in the garage!

Peter.N.

Hi. Peter.

If you're popping bulbs prematurely, might just be worth popping a voltmeter across the battery to make sure the alternator isn't losing the plot.
Bet you've still got the sealed beam for when you get the PA back from the welders --- 30 odd years or so ---- should just about have it finished if they've stuck at it!

Mike.

Hello Mike

I see you'r unregistered again! I'm pretty sure the electrics are OK, its three different bulbs that have gone so I guess they were at the end of their life.

I cant rember where the 700 sealed beams came from, I think that the last car I had that used them was the Oxford. Wasn't it marvelous when practically all cars used the same lights! Rember the P700s that the Rovers used.

My last Cresta the PC used 5" sealed beams X 4, similar to my sons Capri I think.

Peter.N.

Hi Steve,

The headlamp glass is held on to the plastic body with a dozen or so spring clips. Just spring them all off and the glass lens comes away from the body. Access to the innards is by the front with a little fiddling from the rear (fnar !!). This is with the headlamp out of the car in you r hands. Otherwise you can't get to the clips on the underside.

cheers

noz

This post has been edited by noz on November 27, 2006 11:10 pm

Hi Noz and Steve

It is fiddly but possible to remove and refit all the clips with the headlamp insitu.

Regards

XMexc

Yes, I managed mine with the lamps still in the car but its tight at the bottom.

Peter.N.

I tried removing the inner plastic deflectors, then took the car to my local MOT tester who put the lights up to the beam setter and reported that if I were to present the car for MOT with headlights like that he would fail it. No clear cut off on the right side of the beam pattern. Would be likely to dazzel oncoming traffic. So I too am interested in HID, if the price is right, and they can be focused properly.

Stuart T.

I didn't have any trouble with mine, in fact the cut off was sharper at the top and bottom without the diffusers and it passed the MOT all right. Did he actually show you the beam in the wrong place. I thought that the r/h cut off was achieved by the lens. - or maybe mine just slipped through?

Peter.N.

Got the bulbs from ebay. I have to say I thought I was ordering 100watt bulbs. Yes I know technically they are illegal but with the lights so bad on the XM, using Irish Logic (sorry Ciaran! ) I thought 100watt would be about as bright as lights on "normal" cars !

Anyway I received 55watt bulbs . Duly fitted them and found them about the same as the old ones but slightly different in colour!

I haven't done anything to the headlamps themselves due to lack of time. I don't know whether to mess with the plastic lenses and reflectors or just try the 100watt bulbs. The plastic lenses do look quite clear and not yellow. I might just buy the bulbs and be done with it.

I had 100watt in the 405 (just halogen not xenon). They were excellent and I never ever got flashed by oncoming drivers.

At the moment then its Car 1, Me 0.

Hi. Demag

Don't forget that if the reflectors are plastic mouldings (which I don't know -- not had them apart), introducing bulbs producing getting on twice the heat might have a pretty negative effect in time.

Mike.

I have noticed over the last few nights when driving that the new bulbs are quite bright. You know, reflections off cars in traffic and shop windows etc. but for some reason this brightness seems to get lost between the headlamp and the road!

Looking at the dip beam pattern its not sharp at all but quite fuzzy around the edges. I'm wondering if the light is dispersing for some reason although no one has flashed me.

Could it be the plastic inserts? I looked at the headlamp glass but there doesn't appear to be any sort of dip pattern in the glass as on other cars. So I should imagine not using the inserts will throw the light all over the place.

What does the team think?

The bulbs themselves get poorer as time goes by. I am told that they are expected to last - with full efficiency - for no more than 3 years. Try renewing one for a start and fit one of the later "30% brighter" ones while you are making the change. There's nothing wrong with advancing as the technology advances.
I took my car to the local MOT test garage and got him to set the headlamps exactly correctly, not just "good enough for the MOT" I now drive with a new confidence at night.

Don't worry I was too drunk to notice that wee quip!

I've just been and had a good look at them in the dark and the plastic inserts look sort of smoked, as if they have condensation all over them. I think I'll take them out and give them a good clean and see what that does.

I dont think cleaning them will help much as the plastic goes opaque, it made quite a difference when I removed them, although there seems to be some question about the legality of that (see earlier post) - also for cleaning of reflectors.

These so called 'brighter' bulbs are in fact not brighter unless they are of a higher wattage but they do give a better focused beam and so put the light where it should be!

Also beware of fitting higher wattage bulbs, they will give you more light but apart from the legal considerations, they draw twice as much current and the wiring/relays may not be up to it. I did this with my CX and after a while there was a smell of burning....

Peter.N.