uprated loom, lights still not that good!

[sciroccotune 0]

I have an updated loom and halfords 50% brighter bulbs and whilst my lights are much better than before they arte still not up to the standard of my mate’s mk3 golf. What more can be done?

 

Should I go for 80/100w bulbs? What fuse should i run in my loom?

 

Should I take the lights apart and clean the inside of the lenses?

 

Any other ideas?

 

cheers

[Supercharged 2]

I'm running the loom, new lenses and 55w Silverstar bulbs and the light is as good as most new cars and much better than my mums MK3 with the same bulbs!

 

How pitted are your lenses and what condition are the reflectors?

 

Not sure how good the halfords own brand bulbs are...

 

I'd advise against using bulbs over 55W as the heat they produce will knacker the reflectors.

[sciroccotune 0]

How pitted are your lenses and what condition are the reflectors?

 

they seem ok, but i havent been inside to have a look.

 

As for the bulbs i guess that they are likely not as good as the silverstars but they cant be all that bad, my mate is only using normal bulbs...

 

What should i look for on the lenses?>

[Supercharged 2]

lenses - can you clearly see the bulb filament thru them? - they should feel smooth, if they feel rough and look pitted with stone chips etc then it will be harder for the light to travel thru them... new lenses are about £20 a side...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah I was going to say my C's lights are way better than a MK3s and also a Passat and MK4!

 

I use the Osrams too, great bulbs. nice white light.

 

Check your alternator and battery are healthy too and that there's no corrosion on the light looms anywhere.

 

100W/180Ws blow real easy when sat in traffic as there is no air rush to cool the lamp housings.

[sciroccotune 0]

I get a good 13.8v at the lights when car is running so dont think there is any problem there.

[RW1 0]

How did you measure the voltage reading?

 

Across the bulb contacts? Or are you referencing the 12 volt bulb connection to the car's chassis earth?

 

Check lamp earth across to chassis earth with your meter while the lights are on and see what voltage reading exists. Ideally it should be 0 volts.

 

If there is a difference, start looking at the earth connections - batt to chassis; chassis to loom mod, etc.

 

.

[sciroccotune 0]

How did you measure the voltage reading?

 

Across the bulb contacts? Or are you referencing the 12 volt bulb connection to the car's chassis earth?

 

Check lamp earth across to chassis earth with your meter while the lights are on and see what voltage reading exists. Ideally it should be 0 volts.

 

If there is a difference, start looking at the earth connections - batt to chassis; chassis to loom mod, etc.

 

OK so if i get a reading what does that mean?

 

 

I measured from the 12+ of the bulb to the battery neg

 

 

Cheers for the thermo switch question also mate, all sorted now!

[RW1 0]

Reading from lamp earth to chassis earth or chassis to battery earth pole?

 

It means the lamp's "earth" connection ain't true chassis earth somewhere and your bulbs only have say 12.5 volts across them not 13.8 volts.

 

What you have measured is the voltage across the bulbs - engine/gearbox - battery earth. There could be a voltage across the engine/gearbox earth path of say 1.3 volts and 12.5 volts across the bulb. Cos you've measured with reference to the battery, the meter see 12.5 + 1.3 = 13.8 volts. Only 12.5 across the bulb, so it would be dimmer.

 

If do have some sort of volts in the range 0.5 to 2.0 volts between the earth measurement points, you need to start looking for a poor connection of some sort. It could be the chassis somewhere or it could be a crimp in the loom end connections at the relay or lamp.

 

If this checks out OK, as said, the reflectors must be mirror silvered finished not tarnished & dullish.

 

.

[sciroccotune 0]

Well I checked all the voltages etc and the maximum drop was 0.4v so that’s not a problem.

 

However,

 

I have taken my lights apart and think I have found the problem; the reflectors are not so good! They have lost a lot of shiny, and cracked in some places.

 

The lenses are just fine and in the parts washer as we speak (dishwasher :lol:)

 

What can I do about the reflectors, is it new head light time?

 

I decided to give the black outer a try since I may have to get new reflectors anyway

[K-rado 0]

Picki 2, Work of art. top photo.

Picki 3, true Car nutter (outside your windoe :lol: . nuf said.

 

Good luck with your query :)

[DEL VR6 0]

my advice is to talk to H100VW Gavin. He sorted all my lighting problems out on the VR, has lots of info on the subject, and is very helpful.

[sciroccotune 0]

Picki 3, true Car nutter (outside your windoe . nuf said.

 

 

That aint the half of it lol, there are a few cylinder heads below the window :oops: :lol:

 

 

my advice is to talk to H100VW Gavin. He sorted all my lighting problems out on the VR, has lots of info on the subject, and is very helpful

 

Will do!

 

Thanks for the responses guys :)

[sciroccotune 0]

Well time will tell if my cleaning has helped at all, but heres a pic of my finished lights

[Supercharged 2]

Yay - another person that washes car parts in a dishwasher, lol!

 

Yep, looks like too high wattage bulbs have been used at somepoint and knackered the reflector, unfortunatly this is the only part of the light unit not available on its own...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah that's your problem, the reflectors have lost their sheen no longer reflect effectively. They should have a mirror finish. New headlight time, but it's not all bad as you get new lenses with them :-)

[sciroccotune 0]

Yay - another person that washes car parts in a dishwasher, lol!

 

Thats what its for!! :lol:

 

Yep, looks like too high wattage bulbs have been used at somepoint and knackered the reflector, unfortunatly this is the only part of the light unit not available on its own...

 

Yeah that's your problem, the reflectors have lost their sheen no longer reflect effectively

 

 

Bugger!! how much am i looking at? may end up going for some inpros?

 

cheers

[Supercharged 2]

New Lights are £100 each (early or late), Inpro's are about £250 a pair I think...

[sciroccotune 0]

New Lights are £100 each (early or late), Inpro's are about £250 a pair I think...

 

 

Hmm well if i cant source a set of 2nd hand ones, guess ill have a look at the inpro's but not this month lol

 

Cheers guys, another corrado problem solved!!!!!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Investigate replating options first mate, I'm sure a local place can rechrome them. If VW can chrome plastic, I'm sure a local engineering firm can?

[dazzyvr6 0]

http://www.aerocoat.net/aerocoatcustomp ... silver.htm according to the website they are in the process of chroming plastic

[sciroccotune 0]

Thanks guys, top idea! will look into it. :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Get them to coat it thicker than VW did and it'll last longer too ;-)

[sciroccotune 0]

Get them to coat it thicker than VW did and it'll last longer too

 

since VW seemd only to manage a nats cock worth of coating i dont see how any other could be thinner :lol: I mean it comes off when you touch it!

 

Bloody corrados, but on the pluse side i think my cleaning has helped a little

 

(dish washers rule!)