Headlight replacement advice

[italianjob]

Hello
I'm planning on improving my night illumination by carrying out the headlight relay upgrade (including upgrading the power feed from the battery to the fuse box).

I read somewhere in the forum/wiki that my headlight lenses should have 'H4' shown on the front somewhere to indicate that the lenses are capable of taking H4 bulbs - is this true???

My '85 C reg 1.9 DG wasserbox doesn't have 'H4' on the headlight lenses, I've looked and looked again. Does anybody know what year VW started to fit 'H4' lenses as standard please? (In case I can get hold of some decent second hand lenses)


Thanks for any advice you're able to provide

[syncroandy]

Do you have H4 bulbs fitted ? If so the lamp units are probably H4's too. There are a number of ECE approval marks which must be on a lamp unit fitted to a road vehicle, which indicate their permitted use. Some info on that here:

https://www.hella.co.nz/en/technology/h ... binations/
https://www.hella.co.nz/en/technology/e ... e-symbols/

(Cheap chinese-manufactured items often do not comply with ECE standards.... caveat emptor...)

[italianjob]

Hello - I'm currently running with tungsten bulbs as they're the only ones that fit. So I'm pretty sure I haven't got H4 lenses. I'll check out the links you posted however.

Cheers for now

[syncroandy]

I'm surprised VW was selling vans without H4's in '85, but my knowledge of 'early' vans is limited. Possibly someone swapped them. IMO your best way forward is to bin the lamps you have now and fit H4's and take it from there, you'll need them whether or not you opt for relays etc. You should find the H4's alone a big improvement (from what I've heard).

[bigherb]

If the lamps take H4 bulbs they have H4 moulded into the centre of the lens. There wasn't a changeover year, as some basic vans had tungsten bulbs to end of production.
If you have good condition bright shiny headlamp reflectors you can fit adapters to convert from tungsten to H4 bulbs.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/P45T-to-P43T- ... SwHoFXufjE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;