Fog lights questions...

[farleyd]

Hi to all, i just acquired two nice OEM driving lights (fog) for use on a 1974 2.0L.
Mine didnt came with the fogs as a factory, hence the fittings are missing. I have three questions regarding this. Remember i have all the parts : two fogs with wirea and the green switch.

1) Is my 914 has the proper wiring installed at the factory? Like the center console harness is there even if you dont have one?
2) Is my 914 have the brackets on the body to bolt the fogs?
3) How do you open them and which bulb should i put for a good ligthning? H3 H4 ???
4)Someone has the wiring diagram if my 914 doesnt have it pre-installed?

Hope i am clear. Thanks again.

[roadtrp204]

It should, my 75 had all the wires even though it did not have factory installed fog lights. There was two yellow wires and grounding spade terminals in the bottom of the front trunk, and three or four unconnected wires by the headlight switch behind the dash. The hole for the switch is even punched out in the metal portion of the dash to the left of the steering wheel behind the vinyl and padding material. Using a wiring diagram and used factory switch, the installation was easy.

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Chris
75 914 2.0L

[KWales]

Both of my 74's had the wiring installed. When removing the fromt bumper, I found the wiring present and neatly folded- ready to plug up to the lights. Those clever Germans!- no saving a penny or two by deleting un-needed wiring- just do it right! I also remember threading them back through when placing the good harness in the good car.

As best I can recall, here is a bracket on the lights that accepts a bolt through the front panel of the trunk so if you have a bolt with the lights, you are set. Also had wiring in the dash ready to plug up to the light switch.

Use stock bulbs as higher wattage bulbs can perform some spectacular (and undesirable) fireworks with 25 year old wires.

Ken Wales

[HMeeder]

Well, well, well...

I was just messing with my fog lights about an hour ago.

1. All the wiring is there, like the previous posts suggest. Of course you'll have to purchase/find light grills for the bumper.

2. The lights bolt to nuts that are fixed in place behind the bumper and front valance. It sounds like you have the lights, but maybe not the brackets? If they are the original Hella lights,I would try to scrounge the original brackets out of a yard, they will fit better. The brackets have dished washer things that friction fit on the lights. If the bolts (Allen head, 7mm ID)are not already in place (they may be!) a pair of 10x20mm bolts will fit perfectly. You won't have to remove the bumper, but the front valance might have to come off. It will make access a lot easier.

3. You open them by unscrewing the screw on the bottom. The screw holds a tab that in turn holds the outer ring on. That outer ring has spring clips that hold the lense and reflector to the ring. A spring clip on the back of the reflector holds the bulb assembly. Unclip the bulb assembly to pull the bulb. The bulb assembly is also where the hot lead for the lights is attached (small screw in the bottom) The ground attaches to the inside of the back of the light. The original bulb is rated at 35 watts. I believe that a 55 watt replacement bulb is also available here on the PP site. You won't be able to use the H3 or H4 bulbs as they are for specific applications and are not adaptable to those lights.

4. The wiring diagram in your Hayne's manual or here on the site include the wiring for the foglights. You may have to get/buy the relay which is on the back of the fuse block and I would have to guess that some of the incidental wiring that goes from the fuses to the switch may be missing, (though the guy in the previous post had all the wiring, and you say that you've got the switch wiring) but that would be pretty easy to replace.

If you want to wire the fogs to stay lit even when the lights are not on go to "search" and type in fog lights and look for a string dated 10-07-98, called "Fog Lights On When Head Lights On (How To)"

Good Luck!

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Herb

[This message has been edited by HMeeder (edited 01-31-2001).]

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

We've just been discussing fog lights on the Rennlist.

Rich Johnson a914guy@aol.com sells adaptor kits that will let you put H3 bulbs into the stock (70-74) fog lights. They will still have the fog light pattern (short distance, wide) as opposed to a driving light pattern (long distance, narrower) but they'll be pumping out more lumens.

One of the volumes of Up-Fixin' Der Porsche (available from PCA) has instructions on how to wire the fog lights so you don't have to have the headlights on to turn the fogs on. The article is from an 88 or 89 issue of Panorama. Or, you can check Mike Ginter's website for a scanned-in version of the article. http://members.rennlist.com/gman/porsche.html

I took a very brief glimpse at it, and I'm not sure how valid it is for all years. Check the diagram as given against the diagram for your year's 914. Haynes has them in B&W, Pelican has many of them available in color.

--DD

--DD

[pbanders]

please ignore

[This message has been edited by pbanders (edited 04-23-2001).]

[HMeeder]

Yes, the stock fogs are pathetic. But as Brad says, they emit a low, flat and wide beam. The fog that is typical for the German countryside is thick, intermittent and hangs close to the road surface (ocassionally when driving there, I would be driving in the fog and the car's greenhouse would pop through the fog and the rest of the car would still be deep in it. My impression is that the little crappy OEM fogs would work fairly well under those conditions.)

And yes, aiming the H3s is a bear. Fortunately, my valance attaches to the car from inside the trunk and fenders (fast clips on the valance.) Easier to remove than the whole bumper. My goal is to have the driving lights pointing low and slightly to the sides. The 100w high beams are aimed well and far down the middle of the road. I wanted a bit more coverage for the fringes and to hopefully highlight and scare away any critters hoping to make it across the road in front of me.

Good luck everyone!

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Herb