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Electrical questions

Big Les

Big Les

New member
When flashing the headlamps whilst they are in the closed position, should the headlamps pop-up, flash and go back down again? Mine flash but the lights don't pop-up.

Clock light - I've replaced the bulb in my clock but it still doesn't work. Testing with a multimeter I get power into the clock to make the clock work but on the other two pins on the connector there is no power coming through to the bolb connctors when the light switch is turned on (the light in the cigarette lighter comes on OK). Is this likely to be a problem with the light switch? If so how easy is to remove the cover panel to get acces to the light switch?

Any assistance would be appreciated.
 
Your head lights should not pop up & down again, the high beam driving lights in the front bumper provide the visual flash to other drivers.
 
ORIGINAL: Big Les

......Clock light - I've replaced the bulb in my clock but it still doesn't work. Testing with a multimeter I get power into the clock to make the clock work but on the other two pins on the connector there is no power coming through to the bolb connctors when the light switch is turned on (the light in the cigarette lighter comes on OK).........
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Have you tried with the ignition on?
 
As the guys say the lights don't pop up to flash (they do on my MX5 which makes me laugh almost as much as having just washed the windscreen trying to flash them as the stalks are the opposite way round on it).

The clock should light with the ignition and then dim with the lights turned on.
 
Thanks for the info on the lights - I've checked and the driving lights do flash.

Regarding the clock light, I've tried with the ignition on and off and with the light switch on side lights and headlights but no joy. It seems there is no power getting through to illuminate the bulb. I've checked the wiring diagram and it's odd becuase the cigarette lighter and hazard warning illumination are on the same circuit as the clock and they both illuminate OK. When I've put the multimeter on the 4-pin plug that goes into the back of the clock there is no supply coming through to illuminate the bulb (there is supply to power the clock and I've tested the bolb in it's holder and that works OK). Tracing it back through the wiring diagram the main light switch activates the supply to the clock illumination so it would seem a fault between the light switch and the clock.
 
Actually I've now noticed that the illumination on the light switch itself isn't working, and it should be as it's a new bulb last year, all the other dash illumination is working including the potentiometer to dim them. Me thinks I need to get the light switch out and give it a good clean up.
 
ORIGINAL: Fen

...........(they do on my MX5 which makes me laugh almost as much as having just washed the windscreen trying to flash them as the stalks are the opposite way round on it).
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same with my Prelude !
 
Can someone tell me why the headlights are such utter CRAP? Good for (maybe) 10mph in twilight but not much more. Does anyone have a mod. for these?
 
They are 18-20yrs old at least and the mirror finish on the headlight reflectors is bound to deteriorate over the years. I'd bet if you changed the lights for brand new std units they would be much better. However HIDS 4 U (I think that's how you spell it) do a HID conversion that fits into your std lights for about £250, but the best mod seems to be the Iceshark mod which includes new light
units, a new loom and an uprated alternator voltage regulator. Not sure if this is still available as the chap who developed and sold it has sadly passed away but if you use the search function you might be able to get enough info on it to pull together a kit.
 
ORIGINAL: Daro

Can someone tell me why the headlights are such utter CRAP?
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They're not (unless you have a problem)

The trouble is that most modern cars now have lights that are way too bright IMHO, dazzling all and sundry and lighting up the road like a mini sun so that our perception of night vision is ruined. You can buy new headlamp units for around £50 (I got one for £10 brand new at Husbourne Crawley Autojumble) and this will transform your lighting if your reflectors are old
 
I agree to an extent with Paul in that I am reasonably happy with my 944 lights, even though I have removed the driving lamps from the bumper completely and only have the pop-ups. Mine are reasonably new lamp units and they have Osram SilverStar bulbs which I genuinely think are not just snake oil; they made an especially noticeable difference on my 306 for example and they are now in the 944 and the main beam units of the hearse.

The hearse has xenon dip units and they are awesome, not so much because they are bright (they aren't especially in fact) but becase it really is less tiring to drive a long distance in the dark behind a light closer in temperature to daylight. I am not a great fan of xenon add-on kits though because they don't have the dynamic self-levelling that OE xenons have to incorporate and that translates to dazzling other road users. They also frequently have stupidly high colour temperatures that are actually worse than filament bulbs.
 
My thanks to Scott, Paul and Fen! That gives me something to work on and I guess that although the reflectors look good they have probably deteriorated over time. At least I now know the std. units aren't as utterly useless as I thought.
 
ORIGINAL: Daro

Can someone tell me why the headlights are such utter CRAP? Good for (maybe) 10mph in twilight but not much more. Does anyone have a mod. for these?
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I used to think that.. and then I cleaned them!! WOW!
 
Because my 944 is pre 1985 I can legally use a higher wattage bulb in the headlights. This made a remarkable difference to what was fitted when I got the car. At least you are only having to buy H4 bulbs so you have the chance to experiment. The ones you don't keep in the headlights are always good for spares. Don't go for high temperature (xenon type) bulbs as they are cr4p.
Cheers,

 
Good point on the cleaning. I thought that mine were clean after washing them with a sponge and the usual car shampoo, but then I gave them a good scrubbing with Windolene and a whole world of invisible caked on grime came off them which immediately improved their performance. So next time you give the car a wash try getting a J-cloth (or something else mildly abrasive) and some Windolene and give them a good scrubbing to make sure they are actually clean.
 
ORIGINAL: sawood12
but the best mod seems to be the Iceshark mod which includes new light
units, a new loom and an uprated alternator voltage regulator. Not sure if this is still available as the chap who developed and sold it has sadly passed away but if you use the search function you might be able to get enough info on it to pull together a kit.
Click to expand...

Hey all,

Just window shopping on www.rennbay.com and found a product similar to icesharks new headlight loom:

http://www.rennbay.com/porsche-944-headlight-relay-harness-p-111.html

Cheers

Dave K.
 
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