Headlight repairs
Re: Headlight repairs
Seems to be holding steady for the time being. I don't drive much at night though so I haven't checked properly for a while. I'll let you know. I am now thinking that vibration causes the cogs to slowly unwind. I've marked them up and will see if they have moved.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
Re: Headlight repairs
Mmkay.
Think my car's gone the same way. Ho hum. Tear into it at the weekend - see what's gone on...
Al
Think my car's gone the same way. Ho hum. Tear into it at the weekend - see what's gone on...
Al
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emission-tax-dodging 2000 S6 Avant.
Bog-stock and boring silver, but with an interior blacker than the Earl of Hell's waistcoat. And RS 19s.
Re: Headlight repairs
Aim is off again! The cogs haven't moved. I might have to look into the level senders to see if there is a problem there!
RS!
This is really weird. I took the car out for a blast earlier and hit a dip at 100+ kleptons and the headlight came back into aim. I actually saw the beam slam back into position. There is definitely something very strange going on.
And then popped back on when I hit a bump. Would explain the aim coming back to the right position...
RS!
This is really weird. I took the car out for a blast earlier and hit a dip at 100+ kleptons and the headlight came back into aim. I actually saw the beam slam back into position. There is definitely something very strange going on.
I like the way you think. That makes sense if the reflector popped off the end of this at some point previously:Maximo wrote:That does sound like the stepper motor doing silly things. When you took the headlight apart last time did you see how the stepper motor connected? Could it be that hitting the dip forced the connection back into place?
If you turn the lights on and then start the engine do both dip and re-align? Maybe we've something less well engineered than the TC in the Gearbox.
And then popped back on when I hit a bump. Would explain the aim coming back to the right position...
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
Re: Headlight repairs
So I'm going to guess the stepper motor just turns and that either pulls or pushes the reflector? Could the reflector be getting caught on something loose inside the unit and that's made it pop off?
R18 GTX Estate > Saphire 2.0i Ghia > R19 16v > Vectra V6 SRi > M3 > RS6 Avant
Re: Headlight repairs
It's a linear stepper motor, so it doesn't turn, it just moved in and out. I'd love to take it apart to see how it works. 
I don't think there's anything in there that can get caught, but it's worth a look. The reflector basically swings about the the 2 other fixing points and the motor adjusts the aim up and down.
I don't think there's anything in there that can get caught, but it's worth a look. The reflector basically swings about the the 2 other fixing points and the motor adjusts the aim up and down.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
Re: Headlight repairs
It'll be really simple inside, just a motor around a corkscrew at a guess, well that's how I'd do it anyway. To be honest I'd ahve put the corkscrew attached to the reflector and rotating motor, that way it would be a fixed connection rather than a pop-on pop-off type. Must have been a YTS boy designing the headlights for VAG at the time. So with the light unit apart is the reflector unit easy to move, does it have a pivot point?
Thinking about it, could the stepper motor be out of sync? Maybe it's forogotten where it should default to.
Thinking about it, could the stepper motor be out of sync? Maybe it's forogotten where it should default to.
R18 GTX Estate > Saphire 2.0i Ghia > R19 16v > Vectra V6 SRi > M3 > RS6 Avant
Re: Headlight repairs
Maybe I didn't express myself very well. There is no corkscrew, the motor is a push-pull thing. It doesn't turn. The ball at the end of the knob pops into the receptacle on the reflector with copious quantites of lube and is held inside by the pressure of the lips. The reflector can swivel around all 3 fixation points - this is what allows you (or the motor) to adjust the aim - left, right, up, down.
When you adjust the aim, you do so with the car on a flat surface and you use the Vagcom to center the motors. So in theory, the range should be fine, but it was Audi that last adjusted the aim, so it wouldn't suprise me if they didn't know how to do it properly.
When you adjust the aim, you do so with the car on a flat surface and you use the Vagcom to center the motors. So in theory, the range should be fine, but it was Audi that last adjusted the aim, so it wouldn't suprise me if they didn't know how to do it properly.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
Re: Headlight repairs
"ball" + "end of the knob pops into" + "with copious quantites of lube" + "held inside by the pressure of the lips"Shoppinit wrote:Maybe I didn't express myself very well. There is no corkscrew, the motor is a push-pull thing. It doesn't turn. The ball at the end of the knob pops into the receptacle on the reflector with copious quantites of lube and is held inside by the pressure of the lips. The reflector can swivel around all 3 fixation points - this is what allows you (or the motor) to adjust the aim - left, right, up, down.
When you adjust the aim, you do so with the car on a flat surface and you use the vagcom to center the motors. So in theory, the range should be fine, but it was Audi that last adjusted the aim, so it wouldn't suprise me if they didn't know how to do it properly.
How many times did you rewrite that, seriously? I can see you at every rewrite, leaning back, stroking your chin and saying "Hmmm, there's just not enough fnar in that post, must try again".
No matter where you go, there you are.
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Mr Footlong
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Re: Headlight repairs
All I got from that was 3 places for things to be stuck in to.
Current:
23' C8 RS6 Vorsprung - 23' RS E-Tron GT Carbon Vorsprung
Gone:
"Brutus"- C5 RS6 Avant - MRC stage 2 - Milltek non-res + 100 cell cats - Wagner ICs - PSS9 - H&R ARBs - OZ Superturismo LM - C6 Custom brakes - HD RNS-E - Various other bits - 555PS/832Nm
"Taz"- C7 RS6 - MRC stage 2 745PS/1095Nm
12' Cayenne Turbo, B7 RS4, S3, Cupra R, XJR, EVO VII, STI8,5,2&WRX, 106 GTI&XSI, other crap.
23' C8 RS6 Vorsprung - 23' RS E-Tron GT Carbon Vorsprung
Gone:
"Brutus"- C5 RS6 Avant - MRC stage 2 - Milltek non-res + 100 cell cats - Wagner ICs - PSS9 - H&R ARBs - OZ Superturismo LM - C6 Custom brakes - HD RNS-E - Various other bits - 555PS/832Nm
"Taz"- C7 RS6 - MRC stage 2 745PS/1095Nm
12' Cayenne Turbo, B7 RS4, S3, Cupra R, XJR, EVO VII, STI8,5,2&WRX, 106 GTI&XSI, other crap.
Re: Headlight repairs
Didn't rewrite it, but there was chin stroking involved, a fair amount of leaning back in my captain's chair (always is) and a certain amount of searching for the most appropriate innuendo.bam_bam wrote:How many times did you rewrite that, seriously? I can see you at every rewrite, leaning back, stroking your chin and saying "Hmmm, there's just not enough fnar in that post, must try again".
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
Re: Headlight repairs
Then your training here is complete, best of luck.Shoppinit wrote:Didn't rewrite it, but there was chin stroking involved, a fair amount of leaning back in my captain's chair (always is) and a certain amount of searching for the most appropriate innuendo.bam_bam wrote:How many times did you rewrite that, seriously? I can see you at every rewrite, leaning back, stroking your chin and saying "Hmmm, there's just not enough fnar in that post, must try again".
No matter where you go, there you are.
Re: Headlight repairs
Have you made any progress?
R18 GTX Estate > Saphire 2.0i Ghia > R19 16v > Vectra V6 SRi > M3 > RS6 Avant
Re: Headlight repairs
Haven't looked at it. They are a pain to get out and there is no immediate satisfaction to be had so it's low on my list of priorities. I don't often drive the car at night either so it's not foreomost in my mind. I am liking your popping out then back in again theory, though.
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
Re: Headlight repairs
Bloody aim is all over the place again. What is it with these headlights?!
Daytona RS6 C5 Avant. Viper'd, Billies, Waggers, MTM box brain, C6 stoppers, xcarlink, R8 coolant cap (woohoo)
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
///M3 E46 | XC90 (V8, natch) | Passat GTE | RR Classic V8 flapper
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair."
Re: Headlight repairs
On my old 1999 A6 the headlight adjuster motor slotted into a hole on the inner bulb housing. You had to pull the inner housing towards the back of the lamp unit to slot it into place before refitting the motor to the housing. Same headlights but without factory xenons. May be the same. Are you sure the motor was located correctly in the inner housing as if not this would cause the movment and beams going awry.
Current car: 2007 BMW 530d touring.
Previous car: 2005 S4 B7.
Previous car: 2005 S4 B7.
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