A Cautionary Tale of Bulbs

[Suffolk944]

As the day dawned without pelting rain or freezing temperatures, I thought I would have a crack at installing a set of rear light clusters with clear indicator lenses I bought from Richard (Wolfie 308) before Christmas.

Took my courage in my hands and heated up the sealant as instructed and after a bit of gentle persuasion the old cluster came off. Put the new one on (complete with new sealant) , tightened up the bolts and it looked great. []

Removed new silvered bulb from packet and attempted to click it into place in the socket. Nothing doing, thing wouldn't budge. After much pushing, twisting, effing and blinding I finally took a look at the bulb. Had bought a pair of Philips bulbs and turns out that the pin offsets are different to those of the original Osram examples. Hence their complete inability to click into place in the socket. [][&:]

Had not even occured to me that different makes of "standard" bulbs would not be identical in their fitment. I am assuming that modern Osram bulbs still have the same offests as the ones I have in place now ? Otherwise I am stuffed. Anyone know ?

Anyways have now ordered a set of Osram silvered in the hope that they will be fine. In the meantime I have a 944 with one clear rear indicator lense (with no bulb) and one functioning amber one on the other side. Guess I wont be using the car this weekend ! [&o]

 

[mik_ok]

Sounds weird. Bulb fitments (H1, H7 etc etc) are standards - regardless of manufacturer. [&:]

 

[Fen]

Jon's talking stop/tail and indicator type, not headlight, Mik []

Old bulbs had pins directly opposed, more modern ones have an offset - I don't know why in the case of single filaments where it doesn't matter which way round you fit them.

Just grind off one of the lumps; you only need one. I typically have just used something like a concrete doorstep to rub it against, even last time I did it when I put clear fronts on my Cherokee in August.

 

[eitnurg]

It's amber flasher bulbs that now have offset pins to prevent you fitting a clear bulb (with 180° pins) in a socket where an amber bulb should go. However if you search around you can still find old stock of amber bulbs with 180° pins; one of the first volume cars I remember using them was the old Mk 3 Cortina, donkey's years ago.

 

[Fen]

That makes complete sense, thanks for the explanation. Shame they didn't offset the pins on the clear bulbs though as most cars I have replaced bulb in have stop/tail combined lamps and don't use 21w clear bulbs at all so it wouldn't have had any impact whereas everything made before sometime in the Nineties I guess has a problem with 21w indicator bulbs.

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: Fen

...Just grind off one of the lumps; you only need one. ....

A pain but had to do the same thing to fit silvered bulbs with my clear fronts.

The silvered bulbs look far better though as, otherwise, the light takes on the appearance of a fried egg

 

[Suffolk944]

Thanks for the advise chaps. Its persisting down again today so will have to wait until next weekend to try again.

 

[Suffolk944]

Completed the job today, bulbs fitted perfectly once one of the nibs was removed and am well pleased with the end result. Might warm up in a day or two, 'twas freezing out there !

 

[Fen]

So; pictures required I think...

 

[Suffolk944]

Took a very quick and not particularly wonderful snap in a rare moment when it was neither raining nor snowing, but hopefully gives a decent idea of the end result.

 

[Fen]

And indeed it looks good, better in the "flesh" without the flash bounce from the reflectors I am sure. Most cars, particularly "colourless" onse (black, white or silver) look so much better without orange bits on them.

 

[wolfie308]

Indeed they do. Here's a photo of the actual units I managed to take sans flash. Jon, if you could mail me some better pics weather allowing that would be much appreciated [8D]

 

[Suffolk944]

Yes I will take some more "proper" ones when the weather is rather more clement []