1800: P1800es Delores 1972 Blue

[142 Guy]

I guess the term offside is open to some interpretation. Being in GB the right side head lamp is the one closest to oncoming traffic and aiming errors are likely to result in blinding of on-coming drivers and perhaps ensuing unpleasant hand gestures.

You are so close to the garage door that it is hard to see the light pattern. E code lens set up for H4 bulbs would have a low beam pattern that is low on the right and bends up to the left to illuminate signs. The attached photo is is for a North American E code lens - a GB lens should be the opposite.

Looking at your right beam, is there a chance that the wiring has been altered and that you are actually lighting up the high beam rather than the low beam filament? The high beam pattern is much different than the low beam pattern.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by 142 Guy

I guess the term offside is open to some interpretation. Being in GB the right side head lamp is the one closest to oncoming traffic and aiming errors are likely to result in blinding of on-coming drivers and perhaps ensuing unpleasant hand gestures.

You are so close to the garage door that it is hard to see the light pattern. E code lens set up for H4 bulbs would have a low beam pattern that is low on the right and bends up to the left to illuminate signs. The attached photo is is for a North American E code lens - a GB lens should be the opposite.

Looking at your right beam, is there a chance that the wiring has been altered and that you are actually lighting up the high beam rather than the low beam filament? The high beam pattern is much different than the low beam pattern.

Very good point about the main and dipped filament wires being transposed - having a second look at the first image i'd agree that's a good probability. Also the correct beam pattern for the UK/GB is in fact the mirror image of what you have on that Merc as you rightly suggest.



The image above shows UK, EU and DoT (USA) headlight dipped beam standard settings including the kick-up lines, anti-scatter zone etc.

[Groundes-Peace]

Just to help the understanding about off side and near side, this comes from the days of horses.
When mounting a horse with its head to your left and its tail to the right, that is the near side.
It is the same with vehicles.
Sorry if this explanation is boring to some!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

The alignment looks pretty close to be honest, maybe the offside (right) headlamp aim is a smidge high but shouldn't cause too many problems i wouldn't think.
A good job done, maybe an LED headlights upgrade next time to help preserve the loom.

Delores has obviously had new wings at some point Dave (and whoever undertook the work did a first class job, the welding is quite beautiful (compared to mine that is!)). Unfortunately the holes for the headlamp rings were drilled a few degrees out of true so the nearside lamp doesn't quite sit level. I don't think this is an issue and no one will notice unless SW tells them. I could fix it, but I really don't want to drill any new holes in the motor car's excellent bodywork.

The threads for two vertical beam alignment screws are a bit ropey. I think they will be okay because the screws carry hardly any load, but if they move around I'll see if just re-taping the holes works - if not I may have to helicoil them. I've told SW to just see how it goes, the new H4 bulbs are much brighter that the old and I think SW will be happy with them the way they are.

Alan

[Othen]

Originally Posted by 142 Guy

I guess the term offside is open to some interpretation. Being in GB the right side head lamp is the one closest to oncoming traffic and aiming errors are likely to result in blinding of on-coming drivers and perhaps ensuing unpleasant hand gestures.

You are so close to the garage door that it is hard to see the light pattern. E code lens set up for H4 bulbs would have a low beam pattern that is low on the right and bends up to the left to illuminate signs. The attached photo is is for a North American E code lens - a GB lens should be the opposite.

Looking at your right beam, is there a chance that the wiring has been altered and that you are actually lighting up the high beam rather than the low beam filament? The high beam pattern is much different than the low beam pattern.

Thank you, but don't take too much notice of that photo - I think SW would have taken if from inside her garage with the door about 2' from the front of the motor car - far too close to conclude anything of value.

I set the beams against the garage doors at my house with the motor car 20' away. I set the height by comparing it with one of my other cars (one that I know is correctly aligned) sat the same distance away against the left garage door, and with Delores facing the right hand door. It would probably be worth SW getting the alignment checked with a beam setter (but they are pretty close, I am sure).

Alan

PS. Off side means right hand side here in the UK - the one furthest from the kerb.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by 142 Guy

Looking at your right beam, is there a chance that the wiring has been altered and that you are actually lighting up the high beam rather than the low beam filament? The high beam pattern is much different than the low beam pattern.

... it would be sensible for SW to quickly check that I've wired up the main and dip beams the right way round (they were not connected at all when I drove the motor car back from Stoke - I was glad I hadn't realised that at the time!):

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showp...2&postcount=64

and:

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showp...0&postcount=98

:-)

[142 Guy]

Originally Posted by Groundes-Peace

Just to help the understanding about off side and near side, this comes from the days of horses.
When mounting a horse with its head to your left and its tail to the right, that is the near side.
It is the same with vehicles.
Sorry if this explanation is boring to some!

So, if I enter my right hand drive / left hand steer car via the driver's side door, I am near-side and the rest of you are all off-side? Off-side may have a slightly different connotation on this side of the Atlantic .

[ITSv40]

Originally Posted by 142 Guy

So, if I enter my right hand drive / left hand steer car via the driver's side door, I am near-side and the rest of you are all off-side? Off-side may have a slightly different connotation on this side of the Atlantic .

In motoring terms the nearside is the side of the car nearest to the kerb when driving or parked facing the forward direction of travel. The offside is the side furthest away from the kerb. LHD and RHD will be opposite to each other.

[Derek UK]

I haven't had a look but I think that the headlight buckets have slots for the fixing screws so you should be able to move them round to correct the slightly out position. If not you could certainly slot the holes a bit with a small round file.

[Snow White]

Originally Posted by Snow White

Thank you, I will post more after detective work 🕵️ and hopefully have an answer.

At the beginning of this year I started seeing a trickle of oil left on my drive, whenever I reversed Delores into the garage. I have monitored this since and it is still happening and is even more noticeable than in the winter.
This is definitely oil.
There are no measurable oil leaks at other times only when I select reverse gear and drive slowly backwards to park.
I’m wondering whether any of you wise and experienced members could decipher what may be happening?
It is always in the same format a bigger 2” blob then regular smaller drips and finishing with a bigger blob the same as at the start.
I do have photos but regret I haven’t yet worked out how to post them.
Thanks for your patience!
Snow White