Hi All,
I'm fixing up an 80s kit car for a friend. It has old sealed beam units (off a 70s Cortina). The MoT station has failed it for 'Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect', the logic being it just does a splodge of light in front of the car rather than a real pattern. I can't really see how the pattern has changed from when it was new (the bulbs being solid and all..). I appreciate I can do up/down/left/right but other than that it's pretty limited. Looking through MoT regs it appears pretty lenient as long as it's not dazzling anyone. Thoughts?...
Cheers.
Steve
Sealed beam (not dolomite) MoT
Re: Sealed beam (not dolomite) MoT
Sounds daft but make sure its not upside down.
Tony
Tony
Membership 2014047
Re: Sealed beam (not dolomite) MoT
Both right way up. I moved them around a bit and raised the left one up a bit and suggested that is the 'flick' on the left which he was looking for. Passed now...
Steve
Steve
-
Carledo
- TDC Shropshire Area Organiser
- Posts: 7256
- Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:12 pm
- Location: Highley, Shropshire
Re: Sealed beam (not dolomite) MoT
Was the tester a young bloke? Sealed beam headlights (and many old style bulbed ones too) don't have the "flick" at all, never did and never will! It's all covered in the testers manual but younger guys and new testers don't know about it and fail for no reason other than their own ignorance. Most headlights since about 82 have the flick which brings them in line with EU regs but there is nothing to say you cant go on using the old "blob" type sealed beams if they were OE.
Steve
Steve
'73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!
Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!
Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.
Re: Sealed beam (not dolomite) MoT
Old guy, that's what surprised me! I was expecting him to pass them using the 'British American' pattern, which is what it looked like. Apparently they should pass the 'E' one though according to him... Either way he's passed it now.
I wouldn't have chosen that garage for an odd/old car (seems rather like a modern car place), I didn't get any choice though. I pointed out (quite vigorously) that the sealed beams were unlikely to have changed shape since they were made and that I could move them up/down/left/right as much as he wanted but they're still going to be rubbish lights.. I aimed them for just below the 0% line with the same distance between the blobs as between the headlights, and left one slightly higher. Pointed out they didn't dazzle anyone so how bad could it be...
Steve
I wouldn't have chosen that garage for an odd/old car (seems rather like a modern car place), I didn't get any choice though. I pointed out (quite vigorously) that the sealed beams were unlikely to have changed shape since they were made and that I could move them up/down/left/right as much as he wanted but they're still going to be rubbish lights.. I aimed them for just below the 0% line with the same distance between the blobs as between the headlights, and left one slightly higher. Pointed out they didn't dazzle anyone so how bad could it be...
Steve