'87 Headlight questions - Page 2

Seeeu911 · Seeeu911's Garage

why does anyone have to be on a particular side ? I am merely relating my personal factual experiences. I like the H5's with the better bulbs, cleaned and well adjusted they perform very well. No need IMHO to spend $300+ on following a fashion trend. sycophant suckup comments aside, I can see very well thank you.

ianc · 12-08-2005, 12:13 AM

Dunno about the fashion statements, but...

IMVHO, the H4's do look better than the H5's.

I replaced the 'sugar scoops' in my SC with H4's running 90\100's, and the light was phenomenal. With my new H5-equipped Carrera, I'm back in the stone ages again. It's pathetic.

In my mind, you should upgrade. It's expensive, but well worth it. I WILL do that entire upgrade again, but it will have to wait, there are more important things to do first, like shocks, new tires, etc.

ianc

wcc · 12-08-2005, 03:20 AM

Well I did another search and read quite a few more threads on this.

I'm doing the relay no matter what. Already ordered.

Since I don't drive much at night with this car I'm going to replace the 55/60w (one is burned out) bulbs in and just clean the fog out of the lenses. I don't want to melt anything down. I want to do other upgrades before I put money into H4s.

Thanks everyone......

Seeeu911 · Seeeu911's Garage

Glad the info here is helpful.
I really don’t think you need to worry about melting the lens.

Here a couple pics of one H5 assy on my car. The PO broke the collar holding the bulb away from the lens, then super glued a 60/100 into the housing directly! I replaced it with a H5 from classifieds here on PP.

Idiot drove like this for 1 year he told me. Also consider the color of the bulb you get, closer to sunlight the more effective the light output...no matter what the lens pattern. The second pic is whiter light than sunlight. 80/100.

Wil Ferch · 12-08-2005, 07:56 AM

To Mark sides and Seeeu911:

It's pretty clear what "side" I'm on... I favor the optical ( functional) superiority of the H4's..

I'm simply commenting on the strange statement made as to the H4's being a "fashion statement" ( !!). you need to look very close to see an appreciable difference ( in "looks") between a H4 and H5. Look how many people ( on this board) confuse the two.

So my question still stands...and has nothing to do with "taking sides".. namely... how is this issue a "fashion statement" ??

Wil

wcc · 12-08-2005, 08:11 AM

When I bought my car I honestly thought that "slant back" look were all H4s. It wasn't till I looked around on this site to learn otherwise. Even when I started this thread, as you can tell, I still wasn't 100% sure of what I actually had. All I'm trying to say is that until this thread I couldn't tell the difference between the two as far as appearance goes. But now I can....

I never really cared for the "sugar scoops" on my '85. I changed them to the H4s, now that was a fashion statement!

87coupe · 87coupe's Garage

Glad to see my thread on cleaning the H5's was useful to you guys. As a small update, if you have a lense / reflector that is really foggy, adding uncooked white rice to the alchohol mixture will clean the lenses even better than the alchohol alone

Just make sure you get all the grains of rice out when you rinse.

Wil Ferch · 12-08-2005, 11:10 AM

Certainly H4/H5....when compared to USA sugar scoops...has an element of fashion or style involved. Couldn't say the same comparing H4 to H5.

Sugar scoop is also very good at scooping water into the headlight bucket..another functional issue.

Wil

ianc · 12-08-2005, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Sugar scoop is also very good at scooping water into the headlight bucket..another functional issue

Not to mention just aerodynamically WRONG!

ianc

wcc · 12-16-2005, 04:23 AM

Ok, I got my relay hooked up and the the lenses cleaned. After taking out that fog they look a lot better. I installed my bulbs and I'm getting ready to reinstall them. But when I removed the PS light it only had one adjustment screw.

So, where do I get one? The one PP has listed in their catalog isn't the right screw (see RED arrow in pic). The one missing is a long one that screws into that plastic tube (see BLUE arrow in pic). I'll call them on the phone when they open and see if I missed something on their site.

When I get all my parts together what is the procedure to adjust the lights?

Wil Ferch · 12-16-2005, 04:33 AM

Here's *one* good way to aim H4-type lights...good site for all manner of lighting issues, too -->

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

- Wil

aj88cab · aj88cab's Garage

There is something more wrong here than just the lamp color. Could be a loose/rotated collar, improperly installed lamp, improper filament orientation, damaged reflector.... something is not right.

Also, anyone thinking about colored replacement lamps should read Daniel Stern's web-site.

Daniel Stern

I am an architectural lighting consultant and I am constantly amazed at the marketing BS and mis-information these lamp manufacturers put out about their lamps. Its really not about color, or "brightness" (a very mis-used term by the lamp marketing folks). It's about lamp lumens (which they don't list on the packaging for a reason) and the optics of the reflector and lens assembly.

Quote:

Originally posted by Seeeu911
Glad the info here is helpful.
I really don’t think you need to worry about melting the lens.

Here a couple pics of one H5 assy on my car. The PO broke the collar holding the bulb away from the lens, then super glued a 60/100 into the housing directly! I replaced it with a H5 from classifieds here on PP.

Idiot drove like this for 1 year he told me. Also consider the color of the bulb you get, closer to sunlight the more effective the light output...no matter what the lens pattern. The second pic is whiter light than sunlight. 80/100.

PatrickM · PatrickM's Garage

Hey guys, while we're talking about headlamps, I want to ask if anyone knows why Wayne's H4's are like $65 more each, than on another BIG P-car's site? Wayne, you out there? Maybe there is a reason that I don't know about. Please enlighten me. Thanks, Patrick

ianc · 01-12-2006, 08:10 AM

Quote:

I want to ask if anyone knows why Wayne's H4's are like $65 more each, than on another BIG P-car's site?

I believe part of Wayne's NEW Pelican is a very aggressive price-matching plan. Call their sales number with your bona-fide deal and see what they can do for you,

ianc

PatrickM · PatrickM's Garage

Wayne, are you out there? Why are your Euro H4's so much more expensive than elsewhere? Am I missing something? I do see that your price has fluctuated lately.
-Patrick

movin · 01-20-2006, 11:23 PM

I'm pretty happy will just cleaning the lenses, adding the SUCRO kit, and Sylvania Silverstars. A noticeable improvement. Nice white & bright light. No need to spend $$$ for H4's!

sweet97m3 · 01-22-2006, 05:49 AM

What is the most effective upgrade when one wants to retain the original look? On my '86 I have no intention of changing away from the original look as (to me) this is one of the key factors in what makes it look like the quintessential Porsche. Not that the H4's look bad, I just prefer the original sealed beam set-up/sugar scoop...whatever...and as for collecting water when it rains...she doesn't go out in the rain. If one does routine night driving then the safety factor would trump all - in my book. That is not my case as I do virtually no night driving - but would like to have the best lighting available for the original set-up.

javadog · 06:31 AM

Hella makes some replacement lamp assemblies that bolt into the stock buckets. They use an H4 bulb and work a lot better than the stock lights. Pelican sells them.

JR

sweet97m3 · 01-22-2006, 10:50 AM

Thanks JR. I will check them out.

DavidI · 01-22-2006, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wcc
Ok, I got my relay hooked up and the the lenses cleaned. After taking out that fog they look a lot better. I installed my bulbs and I'm getting ready to reinstall them. But when I removed the PS light it only had one adjustment screw.

So, where do I get one? The one PP has listed in their catalog isn't the right screw (see RED arrow in pic). The one missing is a long one that screws into that plastic tube (see BLUE arrow in pic). I'll call them on the phone when they open and see if I missed something on their site.

When I get all my parts together what is the procedure to adjust the lights?

Bill, I found the same thing after removing my H5's. A fellow pelican head recommended getting some from a local auto parts store. I found some GM ones at Auto Zone. The slot was a little too narrow, but a little time with a dremmel solved the problem. Total cost $3.

Good luck, David