Thanks Guys!

I'd managed to find the installation guide on TOPIX by myself (learned that trick from reading through old posts on the forum). You guys do have all the answers...!

Yup... the pretty, mounting bracket thing is the problem. On one side, it's mounted with a 1/4 inch gap - the grill pops out nicely on that side. On the other - it's butt up against the grill - the "no joy" part. It's a snug as a bug in a rug - and with the crazy cold temps, I really didn't want to try bending the grill too much - was afraid I'd crack it or suchlike, and hand myself an even more expensive repair.

Thanks for the parka tip - I already found myself wishing I had an extra hand when I was messing with the first try.

I've called a mechanic who does nice work on Jags that isn't too far from work, he's willing to get my 3 inside and do the required messing around for me. With the mounting diagrams in hand, he should be able to get it done pretty quickly, after we drill out the rusted screws...(sigh...!) With the whacky weather we're having, doing this by myself in my driveway just doesn't seem like much fun, so I'll wimp out and ask for help!

Again, thanks to all for the fantastic help here.

Mark

 

From what I remember of my front bar / light install, you should be able to unclip the grill just so it is loose. You won't need much extra room to wiggle the headlight out. The two release clips can be a bugger to get loose, and you can also lift them too high, making it hard to get the light out. You should be able to look at the alignment on the left clip to get an idea of the height.

Moving on to my question, it's not quite clear.. I have an original SE, with the original bulbs. I notice my left headlight is staying "bright" for a varying amount of time after switching to low beams. Now after reading Bruce's information, I suspect it might be the bulb. I'm quite happy with the factory bulbs, these being the best headlights i've ever had.

What bulb choices would there be to be factory or close to it.

What fog/driving light bulb choice is best, to get a little more out of them.

The original window sticker said "lighting package $1100.00" but there was no elaboration on specifically what they were.

A side note, I light the LR fog light setup, and I have never heard anyone really mention it. If you pull out the headlight switch one notch, the fronts come on, if you pull it out another notch, the rear ones come on. I like that in storms, snow, fog, etc.

 

I presume that you have the factory projector HID headlights per the attached jpg.

Is so, then I imagine you have been sitting in front of a storefront glass window watching how your headlights react when the high beam flipper is operated.

What you are saying is that when you operate the steering wheel high beam / low beam flipper, the right side projector headlight goes to low beam at the same time as the inner high beam turns off, (all as it should), but on the left side, the inner high beam turns off as it should but the left projector seems to remain on high for longer than it should.

This to me sounds like the metal flipper inside the projector unit is sticking. If so, I think I can find the link on disco3 where the guys have a fix for that already worked out. As I recall, a bit of filing inside the assembly is required. It does not sound that difficult either.

See that sketch / jpg on one of my earlier posts in this thread on page 1 where the Shield is identified. That is what sticks.

 

100% correct on all your comments. + suggestions on freshening up the bulbs If you have an opinion on that.

I think I found the lengthy thread on disco by filo.. there they mention on page 2 the filing, sanding, etc. hmmm, darn I had that light out today too... tomorrow I'll give it a whirl.

Thanks

 

It is lengthy thread and you have to read it all as they got off track a couple of times figuring they had solved the problem - but they finally did.

My present factory 35 watt Philips Xenon HID D2S 85122 bulbs have been in there since new, (in 2005), so I figure they are getting tired. They do age and change colour with time and dim. As such, I will replace them this fall.

As to the replacement HID's, I recently purchased two new 35 watt D2S Philips Xenon HID 85122+ bulbs, basically the same as factory installed, but improved a bit.

That is the colour remains the 4100K / 4300K colour temperature but the + infers a matched set that sort of is supposed to retain its colour for longer than the original 85122 units.

New production vehicles are pretty much sticking to the 4100/4300 colour HID's so I am not about to muck about with something that seems to work well.

 

I seem to be having difficulty figuring out which bulbs are required. On ama zon they say that won't fit my vehicle, but say the 85122C1 is the correct bulb, and the 85122 is not... go figure..

Is there a separate High / Low beam, I can't quite make it out in that exploded diagram.

 

Philips 85122C1 is the correct but older Philips part number for the factory HID bulbs. On eBay, the parts finder says the the 85122C1 are not for the LR3 nor as you determined, the 85122+ HIDs. That is I assume because they see the 3 as only in the base SE model without your upgrade package.

Per the link below, when you look at the magnified view of the base, you will see the numbers 85122 and also a + and they do fit. They are the newer type that tend to hold their 4300K colour and brightness over the years whereas the C1 type tend to yellow, (colour shift), quicker and dim more over the years.

2 New Philips HID D2S Headlight Bulb 85122 35W 4300K Germany from Japan | eBay


This is to a forum link re comments on the + bulbs. Note that upon install, for the first few hours until the bulbs burn in, they will run yellow in colour.

My notes on Philips 85122+ Break in and color shift

The projector assemblies we have in our 3s are both high and low beam but with only one HID bulb. The flipper when activated blocks the high beam portion of the light. Calling on high beam makes the flipper flop down to stop blocking a portion of the light so that the full reflector is in use.

Some vehicles have four projector assemblies, two with reflectors designed solely for high beam and two with reflectors designed only for low; hence no internal flippers are required.

In this design, the pass to flash function is a bit challenged as the HID's have a warm up time, not much, but noticeable. In most vehicles, the bulbs within are not HID but standard halogen. This is what my wifes 4Motion Passat has so there is no warm up pass to flash concern; it is also a cheaper projector design to mass produce.

Flippers or not, for the 3, we have the two inner high beam 55 watt H7 halogen lights that are instant on and perform the pass to flash function as well as assisting with the high beam. As such, the HID projectors are not wired to perform the pass to flash function. The projectors are just high and low beams, plus here in Canada, also the Daytime Running Lights, DRL's.

 

Xenons can fail abruptly as well. They can fail at the anode or cathode. Also, my vehicle is an '05 and my headlamps seem bright as ever. Are you guys all in Canada, or do you otherwise run your HIDs all the time? I consciously try to only use them when I must and try to NOT cycle power.

 

Yes, I am in Canada and my HID's cycle many times a day - with every startup due to them also being the DRL.

Only one bulb has failed and it actually blew up. I do not know why but I had to remove the headlight assemble to shake out all the broken glass bits. I would characterize it as an abrupt failure.

There was no damage to anything; it was just that the glass outer envelope has shattered for no apparent reason and of course it would not illuminate.

I think my bulbs are getting dim - it may be my imagination or my eyes but regardless, I will install my new HID bulbs this fall.

Since I live in the land of the midnight sun, headlights are not much required here until late September when shortly after, all plunges into darkness for the duration.

 

I go weeks sometimes....without even turning them on.