More headlamp woes.

[ouiseyg]

Im a new 350i owner who has the usual headlamp problems!!! I am at the stage where my nearside works on main beam (not dip),it will flash and the pod will go up and down. The offside does nothing not even light the headlamp bulb on main or dip or make the motor run. It did work once but that was it. Ive swopped the relays around to check they all work and they seem to be ok. Are there only the two diodes on the relay board (Ive replaced these as well) as in the bible it says they are for the flash system while on the Wedge Pages tech info the say they are connected to the dip and main fuses? Where am I going wrong..HELP!!!

[wedg1e]

Don't panic! Could be a poor contact at the various connectors to the motor, or the contact strip inside the motor gearbox.

[ouiseyg]

Thanks for your speedy response I will look tonight.If the motor internal contacts are bad will this stop the head lamp from illuminating and is this just the removal of the side plate to clean. I did have a quick clean of the block connectors but they are pretty cruddy. Thanks again.

[dickymint]

I,ve a few photos of the internals if it helps......
http://community.webshots.com/album/130532535GOOqbn

[wedg1e]

ouiseyg said:

Thanks for your speedy response I will look tonight.If the motor internal contacts are bad will this stop the head lamp from illuminating and is this just the removal of the side plate to clean. I did have a quick clean of the block connectors but they are pretty cruddy. Thanks again.

Usually the lamp still lights, it's the motor that spits its dummy out.
Inside the gearbox, there are two diodes connected to the ends of the switch assembly. Unfortunately it's a crimped/ rivetted construction and it's possible for the joints to corrode. Occasionally the diodes can go pop. Usually though, it's just oxidation and arcing of the switch contacts.

[grahamw48]

Oh my goodness Wedg1e - just reminded me my dipped beams don't work !
(I just haven't been driving after dark).

Is this going to be a bad connection ....or ?

[ouiseyg]

No tried it all, teddys out of pram auto elec coming week on Saturday.

[wedg1e]

Y'know, I'm tempted to go into the business of supplying reburbished motor units.
Say, £20 each, exchange? Then I'd have a supply of cases... 'course it would depend on how much new bearings etc. would cost...

[ouiseyg]

Worst thing is the motor is quite new. The inside was spotless. But there are too many scotch locks for my liking!!!! Everywhere !!!!!

[SEvans]

Have you tried cleaning the switch contacts?

[ouiseyg]

Are we talking the dash switch or motor internal switches (these are like new). The column switch is about the only thing I have not attacked yet, maybe this weekend if the wife doesn't get hold of me??

[wedg1e]

ouiseyg said:

Are we talking the dash switch or motor internal switches (these are like new). The column switch is about the only thing I have not attacked yet, maybe this weekend if the wife doesn't get hold of me??

It's unlikely to be the column switch as one of the lights is working. It's down at the relays where the two sides split off. There are 3 relays, one is the control relay and there is another relay for each pod motor. Later cars have one or two extra relays just to bu99er things up, depending on what configuration of fog/ driving lamp flashing they were using that week
If one pod works, then the control and one of the pod relays must be OK. Try swapping the pod relays over and see if the fault switches sides, if not and the other one still works, you've proved it's not the relays (or the column switch).

[ouiseyg]

I spent about hour and half last night trying to id which bleedin relay is which. Ive come up with about two thirds but the ones I couldnt id Ive swopped with ones I know are working but still no good. I even took the diodes to work today and tested they where ok. The only curious thing is that both beams in the ns lamp are on but when I pull one of the plugs in the ns loom apart I loose the dip beam. About this time I think I need someone who knows what there doing!! Call the Sparks time..

[dickymint]

A bit long winded but i think you need to confirm that both motors are ok. Swap them over.
would be an idea to make up some extension leads so as to run the offside light and motor with the nearside supplies.........now where did i put those plugs?

[ouiseyg]

A bit of sunshine and every thing seems sooo much better. After following your idea of swapping motors over, during the process I needed to cut a cable tie holding the loom to the back of the pod at the metal bracket. Then it was all obvious the loom had chaffed the insulation through causing many a wierd short. A bit of tape and hey presto pop up headlamp with both dip and main working. Thanks for all your help everyone this wont be the last as I'm onto the defunct drivers window and mirror motor next !!!

[wedg1e]

ouiseyg said:

A bit of sunshine and every thing seems sooo much better. After following your idea of swapping motors over, during the process I needed to cut a cable tie holding the loom to the back of the pod at the metal bracket. Then it was all obvious the loom had chaffed the insulation through causing many a wierd short. A bit of tape and hey presto pop up headlamp with both dip and main working. Thanks for all your help everyone this wont be the last as I'm onto the defunct drivers window and mirror motor next !!!

Y'see, it's always the daftest things that cause the biggest worries...