- Thread starter Turbo
- Start date
Thanks for the replies.
I'm very careful when fitting bulbs not to get any grease on the glass, usually wearing new gloves.
Fitting them is a torture, access is terrible and involves 2 torches, a mirror, ET like fingers and much swearing! Sometimes you can get them in 1st time, normally it's an hour of struggling.
I'll go through your suggestions and check everything, a wiring issue could be a culprit, French cars are not known for their wiring quality.
Potholes was not something I considered but could well be the culprit. The roads around here are terrible, one patch near home is like a washboard and I travel that daily. The 6 mile stretch of B Road to town is one of the worst in the country. Not strictly potholes but very bumpy and badly cared for.
I'm very careful when fitting bulbs not to get any grease on the glass, usually wearing new gloves.
Fitting them is a torture, access is terrible and involves 2 torches, a mirror, ET like fingers and much swearing! Sometimes you can get them in 1st time, normally it's an hour of struggling.
I'll go through your suggestions and check everything, a wiring issue could be a culprit, French cars are not known for their wiring quality.
Potholes was not something I considered but could well be the culprit. The roads around here are terrible, one patch near home is like a washboard and I travel that daily. The 6 mile stretch of B Road to town is one of the worst in the country. Not strictly potholes but very bumpy and badly cared for.
addjunkie
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I live along a 1 mile long unmade road and dont have headlight problems, though its quite bumpy!
Bobupndown
What could possibly go wrong?
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Had them in one of my Minis, melted the headlight switch. I did also have 4 Lucas 700 spots on a works rally lamp bar. You can never have too much light on the road.
Have an aftermarket hid kit from Auto bulbs direct in my Freelander 2. Standard Hb3 bulbs were crap, poor light and lasted no time. The hid kit is literally night and day different. Not technically road legal but doesn't dazzle other road users and passes mot with no issues.
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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Just had a headlight bulb go on the Mondeo. Went to pop out last night and the dash warning flagged up. Had to take SWMBO's car.
Thinking about it I'm running with the tyres inflated to full load figures from a dad's taxi run last week so I'd better drop them down. (Potentially dangerous too). I do have to replace far more near side front bulbs than anything else.
I'll change it this morning. Need to stock up on spares again too.
I always wipe new bulbs with IPA on a bit of clean kitchen roll just as a precaution against any finger borne grease.
Thinking about it I'm running with the tyres inflated to full load figures from a dad's taxi run last week so I'd better drop them down. (Potentially dangerous too). I do have to replace far more near side front bulbs than anything else.
I'll change it this morning. Need to stock up on spares again too.
I always wipe new bulbs with IPA on a bit of clean kitchen roll just as a precaution against any finger borne grease.
Morrisman
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Local bike garage says they can be legal, if the beam pattern falls within MOT regs.
I’ve fitted an H4 LED bulb to my old Beemer, it gives a really good white light in the same beam pattern as the original yellow glow worm. I didn’t even have to adjust the headlight up or down.
I assume the bulb geometry is pretty much the same as a stock bulb. The bulb itself is cast aluminium, rather than pressed tin. When it’s on there is zero heat on the headlight lens, whereas the stock bulb it gets quite warm.
Bobupndown
What could possibly go wrong?
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Winters morning you need to defrost your headlights with LEDs, don't heat up and melt it like halogens.
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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I don't go with the bumpy road theory unless the headlights are loose and constantly vibrating. I drive some terrible roads, and most of my cats care very stiffly sprung. Other than the Lancia. They use halogens. The Alfa has similar terrible access to the back of the lamp - probably quicker to remove the headlamp to change. Done it once in ten years.
Maybe try using a relay to power the lamps - new direct fused supply from battery to the relay, new cables to the lamps, use the existing lamp feed to switch the relay(s)?
Maybe try using a relay to power the lamps - new direct fused supply from battery to the relay, new cables to the lamps, use the existing lamp feed to switch the relay(s)?
rtcosic
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Never heard that phrase before. Cheered me up no end that has
@Johnnybravo been reading too much of Robert's output?
Fun On The Farm. | Retro Rides
hello chaps , asked to put up some of my new house malarky ,so here is the start of it all . Having had a few farms fall through i ended up lodging at my sisters for NINE MONTHS
retrorides.proboards.com
Morris
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Ivanhoew. He joined RetroRides in 2017 so during your time.Who is Robert? Haven’t been on retro rides for years.
I probably used that phrase on there about ten years ago…
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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The plug / socket on the back of the o/s Mondeo headlamp connector was a bit manky just now, slightly green on the terminals.
A squirt of ACF-50 sorted the slight corrosion out like magic.
Found a new, 2 pack of Lidl "long life" H7 bulbs bought when passing. New bulb fitted. I noted I'd smeared a bit of silicone grease on the bulb blades last time I changed it.
A squirt of ACF-50 sorted the slight corrosion out like magic.
Found a new, 2 pack of Lidl "long life" H7 bulbs bought when passing. New bulb fitted. I noted I'd smeared a bit of silicone grease on the bulb blades last time I changed it.
JOEPRO
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I generally have better service life from Osram or Hella bulbs. If I find a supplier who sells made in Germany versions I stock up hence I have an organiser box full of new bulbs.
I also clean the bulb with acetone and lint free cloth after installation to ensure it is spotless. And this means I no longer am replacing bulbs frequently. Years ago I was buying ring or similar braned bulbs from local auto parts and they had a short service life.
I also clean the bulb with acetone and lint free cloth after installation to ensure it is spotless. And this means I no longer am replacing bulbs frequently. Years ago I was buying ring or similar braned bulbs from local auto parts and they had a short service life.
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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I find it incredible how some cars are a doddle to change the headlight bulbs in whilst others, well! 
The Pug 206, plastic cover, easily visible, then a wire spring clip that tbh can be a pain. On the o/s you need to unclip the washer bottle neck.
The Mondeo, 2 T30 Torx screws to loosen the headlight. Then two Phillips esque plastic trim screws to loosen the front grill / plastic slam panel. Then wrestle the headlight out.
The Pug 206, plastic cover, easily visible, then a wire spring clip that tbh can be a pain. On the o/s you need to unclip the washer bottle neck.
The Mondeo, 2 T30 Torx screws to loosen the headlight. Then two Phillips esque plastic trim screws to loosen the front grill / plastic slam panel. Then wrestle the headlight out.
james butler
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higher voltage than normal from alternators seems common these days
maybe something to do with agm batteries or stop/start systems requirements for higher battery cappacities and faster recharge?
i have tested a Peugeot/Citroen van before and noticed 15v charge and said "that doesnt seem right" to the owner so they took it to Citroen who tested and said it was normal as it has an agm battery fitted
maybe something to do with agm batteries or stop/start systems requirements for higher battery cappacities and faster recharge?
i have tested a Peugeot/Citroen van before and noticed 15v charge and said "that doesnt seem right" to the owner so they took it to Citroen who tested and said it was normal as it has an agm battery fitted
Some psa vans have a smart alternator that adjusts it's charge rate according to battery voltage. After startup or under load the alt whacks the volts up to near 15v to charge the battery ASAP then drops way down to 12v.higher voltage than normal from alternators seems common these days
maybe something to do with agm batteries or stop/start systems requirements for higher battery cappacities and faster recharge?
i have tested a Peugeot/Citroen van before and noticed 15v charge and said "that doesnt seem right" to the owner so they took it to Citroen who tested and said it was normal as it has an agm battery fitted
My van has a std alt so that's not the cause of my issues.
The van has really good headlights so I don't want to spoil that by fitting led bulbs that are illegal and often poor quality.
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Sorting some bulbs out today and found this, box marked 3/6 so has to be 50+ years old.
