Help With Headlamp Replacement
Discussion
I've read the Bible 2nd Edition, and it says that there is one bulb for the driving light and main headlamp. I may have read this wrong though.....
My question is, my nearside driving light comes on OK, but nothing happens when I switch on the main headlights - the drivers side is OK.
What bulb do I have to replace, (actual spec), and is it only one bulb I need to change.?? Can I get this bulb from Halfords.??
Cheers.
My question is, my nearside driving light comes on OK, but nothing happens when I switch on the main headlights - the drivers side is OK.
What bulb do I have to replace, (actual spec), and is it only one bulb I need to change.?? Can I get this bulb from Halfords.??
Cheers.
Hi mike,
I've recently changed the headlight bulbs in my late '97, having looked deep into the eyes of the wee beastie, I though they could be brighter [they were crap].
I replaced them with Xenon bulbs, 40% brighter and less current drawn [so I was told] and the headlight bulbs and sidelight bulbs are seperate, as has been already mentioned.
The headlight bulb is an H4 or 472 model. The sidelight a 233 if I recall, a little 4w bulb.
I used bosch bulbs, as the halfwits ones I've used over the years have blown more frequently than others.
Xenon and non xenon bosch bulbs are available at halfwits, but the sidelights bulbs [in xenon] were not, so I'll get one from BMW I guess.
The access to my bulbs was through the inspection hatch hidden conveniently in front of the front wheel.
Some of the screws were seized so I ended up replacing them having put some silison grease on so that I don't have that problem in the future. As it said in the bible, mastic the inspection hatches back, I used a heavy black rainwater pipe seal [from B&Q] also go over the screw heads..
In enhancing electrical connection I smeared a thin layer of silicone grease on the new terminals.
Because I do stuff on boats, and am used to water ingression, I also blobbed loads of liquid electrical tape all over the terminals to seal it fully, available at your local yacht chandlery or on line.
Having looked closely there was some considerable dirt inside the headlight itself, which I wanted to clean out, but it looked like taking the front lens off could be too much trouble, and difficult to relocate accurately. The reason it was dirty was the holes behind the reflector which would have all sorts blown up there, a useful mod would be to cover this better having cleaned inside the lights - but maybe I'll do that another time.
Good luck
J
I've recently changed the headlight bulbs in my late '97, having looked deep into the eyes of the wee beastie, I though they could be brighter [they were crap].
I replaced them with Xenon bulbs, 40% brighter and less current drawn [so I was told] and the headlight bulbs and sidelight bulbs are seperate, as has been already mentioned.
The headlight bulb is an H4 or 472 model. The sidelight a 233 if I recall, a little 4w bulb.
I used bosch bulbs, as the halfwits ones I've used over the years have blown more frequently than others.
Xenon and non xenon bosch bulbs are available at halfwits, but the sidelights bulbs [in xenon] were not, so I'll get one from BMW I guess.
The access to my bulbs was through the inspection hatch hidden conveniently in front of the front wheel.
Some of the screws were seized so I ended up replacing them having put some silison grease on so that I don't have that problem in the future. As it said in the bible, mastic the inspection hatches back, I used a heavy black rainwater pipe seal [from B&Q] also go over the screw heads..
In enhancing electrical connection I smeared a thin layer of silicone grease on the new terminals.
Because I do stuff on boats, and am used to water ingression, I also blobbed loads of liquid electrical tape all over the terminals to seal it fully, available at your local yacht chandlery or on line.
Having looked closely there was some considerable dirt inside the headlight itself, which I wanted to clean out, but it looked like taking the front lens off could be too much trouble, and difficult to relocate accurately. The reason it was dirty was the holes behind the reflector which would have all sorts blown up there, a useful mod would be to cover this better having cleaned inside the lights - but maybe I'll do that another time.
Good luck
J
I've since tried to get in to change the headlights, but I came accross the same problem that you to have done.......
I jacked up the car and removed the wheel.
I tried to remove the screws, but one of them was rounded off, one came out easily, and the other came half way out and then stuck fast.!!
How can I remove these screws without breaking the inspection cover.??
Are there any special tools out there.??
Cheers,
Nick,
I jacked up the car and removed the wheel.
I tried to remove the screws, but one of them was rounded off, one came out easily, and the other came half way out and then stuck fast.!!
How can I remove these screws without breaking the inspection cover.??
Are there any special tools out there.??
Cheers,
Nick,
I would consider drilling off the heads of any stuck screws [mine came out with mole grips once the cross hatch had gone on the head, good leverage.
Perhaps then start with new stainless self tappers, lining the new hole [by screwing into new hole with glass resin to seal it and then silicone grease on the thread to lube it once the resin's set and the screw can be taken out.
But i have regretfully bodged things in the past...
Good luck
Perhaps then start with new stainless self tappers, lining the new hole [by screwing into new hole with glass resin to seal it and then silicone grease on the thread to lube it once the resin's set and the screw can be taken out.
But i have regretfully bodged things in the past...
Good luck
Watch out for the fiendishly sharp pieces of fibreglass too, first thing I knew was the blood dripping!
A word of warning, I had to change a bulb recently and after contorting myself into the appropriate shape to replace the bulb, I took the car off to the MOT inspector only to have it fail on alignment!
To cut a long story short the adjusters were just sticks of rust and nothing moved so I had to drill them out which involved removing the headlight lens, etc etc...
...so, my advise to one and all - spray those adjusters with WD40 or cover them in Copperslip.
Tim
A word of warning, I had to change a bulb recently and after contorting myself into the appropriate shape to replace the bulb, I took the car off to the MOT inspector only to have it fail on alignment!
To cut a long story short the adjusters were just sticks of rust and nothing moved so I had to drill them out which involved removing the headlight lens, etc etc...
...so, my advise to one and all - spray those adjusters with WD40 or cover them in Copperslip.
Tim
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