Omega Owners Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Please check the Forum Guidelines at the top of the Newbie section

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Headlamps  (Read 1875 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Greenbay packer

  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • North Devon
  • Posts: 143
    • View Profile
Headlamps
« on: 24 March 2018, 11:11:16 »

Hi Everyone,  I'm hoping to change the 'foggy' early ribbed style headlamps on my 1996 estate for a set of 1997-99 projectors as I've been advised on here they are a straight swap and better lamp too. Could someone confirm for me that this is just a case of removing the connections and bulb holders, removing the old unit, fitting the new unit, replacing one H1 bulb for an H7, then refitting the original connectors and bulb holders? Ie, no other parts, adjusters, etc are needed?

Also, I believe you can get misty headlamps professionally re-polished so they come up nice and clear and almost as good as new - has anyone on here tried this and does it work? There's someone locally who offers this service for £40 and I'm not sure whether to try this or put the money towards replacements - won't get through another MOT with the current headlamps.
Logged

Nick W

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Gender: Male
  • Chatham, Kent
  • Posts: 10834
  • Rover Metro 1.8VVC
    • 3.0l Elite estate
    • View Profile
Re: Headlamps
« Reply #1 on: 24 March 2018, 11:45:17 »

You can restore the lenses with £1 worth of wet&dry paper and soapy water, followed by a dollop of paint rubbing compound - I use Farecla G3. Takes about 10minutes per lamp, by hand, on the car. If you're really OCD about them, then a small micro-mesh polishing kit will add another 10minutes, and make them slightly better.


You can buy headlamp restoration kits if you like paying for instructions, tiny product quantities and pretty packaging.
Logged

VXL V6

  • Omega Lord
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Solihull
  • Posts: 9810
    • 530D M Sport, Elite 3.2
    • View Profile
Re: Headlamps
« Reply #2 on: 24 March 2018, 12:49:03 »

Yes if they are the ribbed headlights then swapping to projectors is a simple and effective upgrade
Logged

Greenbay packer

  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • North Devon
  • Posts: 143
    • View Profile
Re: Headlamps
« Reply #3 on: 24 March 2018, 13:06:43 »

You can restore the lenses with £1 worth of wet&dry paper and soapy water, followed by a dollop of paint rubbing compound - I use Farecla G3. Takes about 10minutes per lamp, by hand, on the car. If you're really OCD about them, then a small micro-mesh polishing kit will add another 10minutes, and make them slightly better.


You can buy headlamp restoration kits if you like paying for instructions, tiny product quantities and pretty packaging.

Thanks, I did try one of the kits and found it to be pretty poor - tiny quantities like you said and the silly little wet and dry pads didn't last long. Loads and loads of polishing helped a bit and removed some of the bloom but they still didn't come up really clear and only just scraped through last years mot. It might be worth another go but I was thinking if the projectors are a better light anyway I'd look out for some. What grades of wet and dry would you recommend for polishing?
Logged

Greenbay packer

  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • North Devon
  • Posts: 143
    • View Profile
Re: Headlamps
« Reply #4 on: 24 March 2018, 13:08:11 »

Yes if they are the ribbed headlights then swapping to projectors is a simple and effective upgrade

Thanks for the reply - is the swap as simple as I outlined above, nothing else to do or needed?
Logged

Andy H

  • Omega Lord
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Auckland
  • Posts: 5498
    • Mazda MPV
    • View Profile
Re: Headlamps
« Reply #5 on: 24 March 2018, 13:15:53 »

Yes if they are the ribbed headlights then swapping to projectors is a simple and effective upgrade

Thanks for the reply - is the swap as simple as I outlined above, nothing else to do or needed?
Yes - it's that simple :y

Except .....
When I fitted projectors to my 94 Omega I fitted DEPO pattern headlights and I had to tweak one of the electrical connectors because one of the pins didn't make a good contact.
Logged
"Deja Moo - The feeling that you've heard this bull somewhere before."

Greenbay packer

  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • North Devon
  • Posts: 143
    • View Profile
Re: Headlamps
« Reply #6 on: 24 March 2018, 13:23:53 »

Yes if they are the ribbed headlights then swapping to projectors is a simple and effective upgrade

Thanks for the reply - is the swap as simple as I outlined above, nothing else to do or needed?
Yes - it's that simple :y

Except .....
When I fitted projectors to my 94 Omega I fitted DEPO pattern headlights and I had to tweak one of the electrical connectors because one of the pins didn't make a good contact.

Great, thanks - I was considering some DEPO's, they're ok apart rom the electrical issue?
Logged

Andy H

  • Omega Lord
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Auckland
  • Posts: 5498
    • Mazda MPV
    • View Profile
Re: Headlamps
« Reply #7 on: 24 March 2018, 13:47:11 »

Yes if they are the ribbed headlights then swapping to projectors is a simple and effective upgrade

Thanks for the reply - is the swap as simple as I outlined above, nothing else to do or needed?
Yes - it's that simple :y

Except .....
When I fitted projectors to my 94 Omega I fitted DEPO pattern headlights and I had to tweak one of the electrical connectors because one of the pins didn't make a good contact.

Great, thanks - I was considering some DEPO's, they're ok apart rom the electrical issue?
I had no other issues with the DEPOs - I didn't regret fitting them and they gave an immediate improvement in lighting over the old lights.
Logged
"Deja Moo - The feeling that you've heard this bull somewhere before."

Greenbay packer

  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • North Devon
  • Posts: 143
    • View Profile
Re: Headlamps
« Reply #8 on: 24 March 2018, 14:32:22 »

Yes if they are the ribbed headlights then swapping to projectors is a simple and effective upgrade

Thanks for the reply - is the swap as simple as I outlined above, nothing else to do or needed?
Yes - it's that simple :y

Except .....
When I fitted projectors to my 94 Omega I fitted DEPO pattern headlights and I had to tweak one of the electrical connectors because one of the pins didn't make a good contact.

Great, thanks - I was considering some DEPO's, they're ok apart rom the electrical issue?
I had no other issues with the DEPOs - I didn't regret fitting them and they gave an immediate improvement in lighting over the old lights.

Thanks again, that gives me one option then.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.039 seconds with 18 queries.