Facelift headlamps & considerations

[recomdos]

Hi Guys,

So it's been discussed many a time. It's a great mod that will very much neaten up the prefacelift model and I am very much thinking of doing it. I just want a couple of technicalities to be verified.

1. The original lamps in my car have the option to alter the hight of projection, do the facelift lights have this facility (I'd imagine they do) and therefore if I replace/upgrade for the new lights will this feature still work or become useless?

2. Can I just use all the wires from the original lamps when putting int the new one piece setup? Or do I need some new kit/or to modify connections?

3. Do the facelift lights have an integrated foglamp? And if so will it work just the same from my original light switch? i.e. pulling it out 1 notch to switch them on.

4. What's the chances of not getting the light setup correctly and positioned in the right projection? If it's fcuked up will my car be screwed on MOT day etc etc?

5. Are there any differences I have missed out or need to take into account?...I'm more than sure there are - as always with me! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif


Thanks for the help guys - all appreciated. Really want the light upgrade, but need all the above answered first.

Rob /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[recomdos]

...anyone...?

 

[RacingTeatray]

Umm this is a non-technical answer but may be of some help!

Yes the facelift headlamps on my 2001 car are height-adjustable though I've no idea if this is standard across the range.

No the facelift units do not have integral foglamps as they were relocated down to the front airdam for the facelifted cars. However you can pick up these fogs and all the necessary bits as a retro-fit set which will apparently fit the pre-facelift A3 as well as the newer cars. I cannot however remember where I saw these for sale (was on the web here in the UK somewhere) as my car already has them.

 

[FactionOne]

I've not actually done this mod myself, but I plan to in the new year some time, and from what I've read (and in support of what RT said above...

[ QUOTE ]
recomdos said:
1. The original lamps in my car have the option to alter the hight of projection, do the facelift lights have this facility (I'd imagine they do) and therefore if I replace/upgrade for the new lights will this feature still work or become useless?

[/ QUOTE ]
AFAIK this will work so long as you install and connect correctly.

[ QUOTE ]
2. Can I just use all the wires from the original lamps when putting int the new one piece setup? Or do I need some new kit/or to modify connections?

[/ QUOTE ]
I think there is a new connector needed and some wire-crimping to be done, but IIRC it's not a rocket-science job.

[ QUOTE ]
3. Do the facelift lights have an integrated foglamp? And if so will it work just the same from my original light switch? i.e. pulling it out 1 notch to switch them on.

[/ QUOTE ]
As RT says, part of the facelift was the relocation of the fogs to the bumper-valance, so they were omitted from the headlight clusters. There is a kit to do that conversion here - http://www.vagparts.com/pages/A3lights.htm

[ QUOTE ]
4. What's the chances of not getting the light setup correctly and positioned in the right projection? If it's fcuked up will my car be screwed on MOT day etc etc?

[/ QUOTE ]
I think so long as you're careful when doing the conversion you shouldn't be far out enough so only minor corrections are needed (which you can make) to the aim through the lens /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ QUOTE ]
5. Are there any differences I have missed out or need to take into account?...I'm more than sure there are - as always with me! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Neil (user A3 97-R 1.8T) carried out the conversion, and did one hell of a write-up/HOWTO - perhaps if you search for it he posted it here, I know it's definately listed on another Audi site... one I think you also have a HOWTO posted on /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif

Regards,

Rob.

 

[recomdos]

cool - fanx for the info there /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I know about the kit from vagparts for the front valance - anyone done this? I'm not sure if I'm totaly worried about this as ya can't tell when I have front fogs on THAT much, so not sure if I'll miss that as such...

as for Neil's write up - yes it's very good, but I'm not sure if xenon's have the same requirements as ain't they 'self levelling' or something? therefore they may not have the same feature for adjustments? this is the one piece of info I'm particularly concerned about as I have a facelift lamp with a slight crack on the inside, which should join to what I think is the motor for adjustment. It's barely noticeable and I could probably glue it back on, but worried if I use it that the leveling feature may break free again. It's tricky to take pics of the bit I mean but I will try so you can all have a look at it...

thanks /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

p.s. what does IIRC abbreviate?

 

[RAPS3]

IIRC = If I Remember Correctly

 

[recomdos]

thanks Paul,

how you doing anyway matey? all going well?

Rob /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[recomdos]

So here's why I have all these questions:

1. Here is my facelift lamp (ns / passegner side) however it has a slight crack, which isn't noticeable until you get up close and get a good look.

The thing is this may incurr further problems when attaching to the 'adjustment motors'.

2. Here's a close up from the front (won't look as bad as this if I repair it)

3. Shot from the behind/the internals showing 'the crack'.

4. So this is my worry/concern. I imagine the higlighted is one of the headlamp adjustment motors.
As you can see it should join to the interior working of the 'bulb holder', but it's snapped /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif.
I'm thinking about glueing it which has a couple of worries:
(A). It's gonna be VERY intricate to get to, even if I remove the front lense.
(B). Will it hold when reconnected up to the headlamp adjuster motor, and I use it.

Thanks everyone for any input/advice /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Rob

 

[XXX_18T]

yes the facelift lights are adjustable manually but sice urs is snapped i heard u can still get around it to adjustr the height of it

I have the facelift xenons and i have had no probs with cops/mot here in australia as they are aimed correctly

goodluck with it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[recomdos]

[ QUOTE ]
XXX 1.8T said:
yes the facelift lights are adjustable manually but sice urs is snapped i heard u can still get around it to adjustr the height of it


[/ QUOTE ]

hmmm - little confused there mate - do you mean you've heard of a method of getting round the broken lamp and being able to make it work WITH the adjusters? Or do you mean it's possible to set them manually and then they will not be adjustable?

Cheers for the feedback anyway - appreciated. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Rob

 

[GregC]

What was it you hit - a Dog?

 

[recomdos]

[ QUOTE ]
GregC said:
What was it you hit - a Dog?



[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif heh heh heh - ain't hit anything mate...it's not even on the car yet! and I'm not in the habit of beating up animals with headlamps! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Rob

 

[RAPS3]

Alright Rob - things are ok /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

Just a thought but couldnt you do some jiggery pokery with some plastic and a hot glue gun and get them as good as new. You could eveb get a headlight from a local scrappy if you needed some of the silver stuff. Could be of any car really, and just take a hammer to it.
I'm sure if you took your time you'd be able to get so the adjuster all worked fine.

 

[RAPS3]

Some options for you.

(a) Hot glue gun as said above.

(b) You could try some of that chemical metal stuff. (you can take a grinder to this stuff.) dont know whether this would bond very well to the plastic though.

(c) Normal Superglue type stuff. I wouldnt really bother with this though.

(d) Bonding agent - try and find out what type of plastic the headlight is made of and get a proper bonding agent for it. (It basically melts the two surfaces together.)

(e) Or you could plastic weld it. This would be my choice personally. Use a soldering iron. I'd try and get some plastic of the same type and give it a go before taking it to the ones for your car though. Also try and get some of the same plastic to act as a filler.

What ever you use, if your glueing it, just make sure you rub down the plastic before hand, to give it something to key to.

Good luck

 

[recomdos]

[ QUOTE ]
r88per said:
Alright Rob - things are ok /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

Just a thought but couldnt you do some jiggery pokery with some plastic and a hot glue gun and get them as good as new. You could eveb get a headlight from a local scrappy if you needed some of the silver stuff. Could be of any car really, and just take a hammer to it.
I'm sure if you took your time you'd be able to get so the adjuster all worked fine.


[/ QUOTE ]

Hi mate, good stuff /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

You see, this is what I was thinking. I'm in no rush and bought the lamp as I thought it was a bargain (which it was, as I didn't know about the crack) so im working now to resolve that with the seller /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif.

Yeah I thought about doing some work on it to get it back to health. It's such a 'minor' crack to look at it from the front it wouldn't be noticealbe (especially with lights on /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif) I just wouldn't be happy enough if I didn't get the adjuster working, so if the absolute worst comes to it I could just buy a new one and sell this one to anyone that needs it as a spare part in the future /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Everybody's happy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[ QUOTE ]
r88per said:
Some options for you.

(a) Hot glue gun as said above.

(b) You could try some of that chemical metal stuff. (you can take a grinder to this stuff.) dont know whether this would bond very well to the plastic though.

(c) Normal Superglue type stuff. I wouldnt really bother with this though.

(d) Bonding agent - try and find out what type of plastic the headlight is made of and get a proper bonding agent for it. (It basically melts the two surfaces together.)

(e) Or you could plastic weld it. This would be my choice personally. Use a soldering iron. I'd try and get some plastic of the same type and give it a go before taking it to the ones for your car though. Also try and get some of the same plastic to act as a filler.

What ever you use, if your glueing it, just make sure you rub down the plastic before hand, to give it something to key to.



[/ QUOTE ]

Ah cool - thanks for some extra options there...I'm also like you on the case of just using superglue...I don't want something that's just going to snap off! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif As I say I'm in no major rush, but having it here makes me want it on NOW! lol

Will obvioulsy keep you all posted (as always) lol

Rob /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif