Xenon Questions

[TaviaRS]

In an Octavia with Xenons:

1. What type of bulb is the main beam? H3 or H7?

2. How do you change the main beam bulb?

3. How do you change the sidelight bulb or the foglight bulb?

4. Is it possible to change the height of the beam? ie instead of pointing 20 ft in front of the car, raise them to be 30ft in front of the car.

5. How does the self leveling work? Assume there is some sort of level, where is it located?

6. Which fuse controls the leveling?

That'll do for now. Any help gratefully received

[redbaron]

cant do shag all with xenons.

and they mess up the weight distribution and ruin the handling..

...can you tell i have not got them.

[TaviaRS]

Can you also tell, I don't like them. What is wrong with being able to change bulbs? Or being able to have them at a constant known height, that I select?

[robmawer]

But Jon...surely this isn't an issue on an SDi Classic?

Rob.

[KLB]

Xenon bulbs are D series, not H series, so there's no direct comparison (except for the fake "xenon" halogen lamps). Click here for lots of technical stuff (probably more than you ever want to know) on them.

[redbaron]

cos they are a strange beast... like women.

[tavia4x4]

Women are not strange, just misunderstood... you need to read the manual.

[redbaron]

and have you got a copy?

more chance of buying fly fishing by J R Hartley....

[tavia4x4]

Is that fly fishing for tranverse or longitudinal?

:duck:

[tavia4x4]

(oh, and if you lose the manual, instructions are printed underneath, near the battery cover )

[redbaron]

i always find my women perform better mounted longditudinally... althought you are known to like mounting trannies...

[tavia4x4]

although you are known to like mounting trannies...

That took me a lot of confidence to admit,

well done on being straight, is that how you put your back out?

[fen_l&k]

Jon,

Can only help with 4 and 5.

The self-levelling is fixed (if you see what I mean) and is fed from a sensor on the front suspension that tracks the movement/attitude(!) of the car. I know what you mean about the range, but I guess this is set to reduce the risk of dazzling oncoming drivers (cue moaning from our chimp-choking friend).

You can sometimes see the self-levelling doing its stuff when a Xenon-equipped car comes towards you - the lights have a tendancy to 'twinkle' as the system moves them up and down according to the road conditions (well, at least on our not-quite-billiard-table-smooth Fenland roads ).

You can watch the system setting its level if you park in front of a wall at night and switch the lamps on - they do a little down-up waggle as it sets itself.

K may be able to help more with whether any of the settings can be changed, but from what I understand its a bit of a black art, and should be handled with care, as there are extremely high voltages around the Xenons.

Hope this helps a little.

Cheers,

[TaviaRS]

Mike, cheers for the link, but, the Octavia has Xenon dipped beam and "normal" main beam. I don't want to change the dipped, just the main.

So any answers to the questions?

[TaviaRS]

Howard, mine used to do that self adjust thing. Now they have stopped doing it and are set at their lowest setting permanently. :( So about 15ft in front of the car which is neither use nor ornament. Hence the fuse question and the where is the sensor located.

[Tech1e]

Sensor for the Xenons should be located on the n/s/f wishbone.

Height can be set using diagnostic device (VAG COM or what ever) in addy word 55 - Headlight contol iirc.

Go into 55, then into basic settings (04) channel 01. Wait for the text to say set adjustment, then adjust lamps with usually a 6mm allen key. Then go into channel 2 to set the new position.

[fen_l&k]

Jon, K did tell me exactly where on the front suspension it was located, but it was on Briskoda Chat and I don't have a record of it anywhere (and a crap memory).

Have you been tinkering in the springing department? ;)

ETKA might help, assuming you either have a copy or Denis is online. Mine is at home so can't look at the moment.

[Tech1e]

If the Octy is the same as the rest of the VAG range the sensor is mounted on the n/s chassis leg and is connected tot he wishbone by a rod.

[fen_l&k]

Ross!

[TaviaRS]

Cheers Ross, I'll have a look. Then I'll have a play with VAG-COM.

[TaviaRS]

Where is the lamp adjuster on the unit?

[Tech1e]

Shouold be a white headed srcew which can be adjusted with either a phillips or a 6mm allen key, might have go down thu a hole in the slam panel though.

[Xavier]

I'm trying to figure out why do you need to fettle with your suspension...

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.

.

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Ooooh, I know. It's so you can handle all the extra lugguge in the boot that is a requirement when you become a taxi driver.

[TaviaRS]

Indeed it is! Top marks Xavier, these airport runs always seem to have me carrying lots of luggage

[big k]

sorry jon i did get you all the info on this i will try and scan the pages tonight and mail them to ya (if i can re-size them that is)