Adjusting OE HID lights, (non 406)

[Doggy]

I'm working through a lengthy list of MOT fail snags on my daughters 807, (aka The Starship Enterprise).

One that so far I can't see an easy answer to is the offside dip beam too high. I don't believe there are any conventional adjusters, it relies on automatic beam height correction, courtesy of an adjusting motor, ecu and position sensors on both front and rear suspension. (What could be simpler)?

There's a separate ecu for each headlight, both have remained fault code free since clearing an intermittent suspension sensor fault on each ecu.
On PP2000, you can see both lights adjusting as you drive over bumps.
The beam height test activation seems to work properly on both sides.
I once managed to locate and activate a function to calibrate the headlights, (but now can't find it again).
...and the PP2k help text indicates you should adjust the beams normally*, (whatever that means), after calibration.

I'm hoping one of you 407/other manufacturer converts might have a clue.
Searching t'interweb just gets you masses of dubious guides to setting up your aftermarket HID nuisance lights.

[Welly]

Sounds really simple*

Believe it or not I R EXPERIENCE at adjusting projector lenses because Volvo (the plastic manual adjusters sheared off).

The projector lens itself is normally removable and held in place with them screws. I managed to 'tilt' the whole lens by introducing small washers at the fixing points thus 'packing out' the fixings and 'adjusting' where the beam points. I don't have HID self exploding levelers but my bodge* did not interrupt the electric uppy-downy operation. The up/down thing appears to act on the surrounding headlamp 'framework' so the whole lot moves not just the projector lens; I assume the self-exploding system uses the same method albeit all the bloody time

Sounds like yours are out of calibration but using a mechanical fix may bypass all that other nonsense and save you time.

What I did, the shiny bit on the right houses the bulb and you can just see the projector glass globe on the left. The washers made the whole unit point upwards in my case but by a measured amount, worked a treat.

[steve_earwig]

There you go, all you need is a bag of penny washers

I'll boot up Service Box but 10 to 1 it doesn't say anything useful.

[steve_earwig]

Hmm, there are instructions but for some reason it wants me to insert disk 3 to see the pictures all the instructions refer to. There are only 2 disks

[steve_earwig]

Nah, I have it for the C8, there's loads of guff about setting up the alignment gauge but bugger all about actually adjusting anything, sorry

Out with the washers...

[Doggy]

Thanks for the replies gents.

FWIW they don't fit the usual 4-position levelling switch thingy if you've got HID's (or are HID-eous if that's the right expression)?
The adjusting mechanism seems to tilt the projector lens when you watch it doing its thing.
I'll have a go at getting to it, but I gave up after 2 hours of trying to remove the N/S lamp unit to sort a dodgy indicator and found another way round it.......

[steve_earwig]

Does it involve a big hammer?

Btw on those how to thingies it starts by saying remove the front bumper...

[Doggy]

Does it involve a big hammer?

Nearly. The indicator lampholder's meant to make contact with some conductive tracks in the plastic shell, that have seen better days.
I soldered some wires onto the lampholder directly and bypassed the connector......

Btw on those how to thingies it starts by saying remove the front bumper...

I tried everything else, so I guess you're right.

Thanks Steve.

[Welly]

Sounds like a number ten on the swearing difficulty scale. Some cars are tricky to remove the headlamp (Renner Megane?) I guess the 807 might be similar. Hope you can sort it mate, is this the replacement to the Vectra?

[Doggy]

Hope you can sort it mate, is this the replacement to the Vectra?

No - different daughter.
Vectra was replaced by £250 worth of 52-plate 307 2.0 petrol hatchback, with about 10 minutes MOT - now has 12 months after rear spring replacement & not much else.
But... while that was being sorted the head gasket went on her other half's Alfa 147, so that got binned in favour of a Saxo VTR, that's now got a MOT after a rear caliper swap. + tyre
Daughter No.2 has a 2-year old and 2 month old twins, hence the starship......
So far, the 807's had numerous lights fixed, both front wishbones, a drop link, airbag fault sorted, a seat belt unjammed, leccy windoze fixed.....
Just* the headlight aim, handbrake and a binding rear brake to go.
During the same few weeks I finally sorted my bro's central locking and fitted/wired his towbar [/fleet bodger]

[Welly]

Vectra was replaced by £250 worth of 52-plate 307 2.0 petrol hatchback, with about 10 minutes MOT - now has 12 months after rear spring replacement & not much else.
But... while that was being sorted the head gasket went on her other half's Alfa 147, so that got binned in favour of a Saxo VTR, that's now got a MOT after a rear caliper swap. + tyre
Daughter No.2 has a 2-year old and 2 month old twins, hence the starship......
So far, the 807's had numerous lights fixed, both front wishbones, a drop link, airbag fault sorted, a seat belt unjammed, leccy windoze fixed.....
Just* the headlight aim, handbrake and a binding rear brake to go.
During the same few weeks I finally sorted my bro's central locking and fitted/wired his towbar [/fleet bodger]

Fairly* busy then chap

[Doggy]

It seems OEM HID headlamp units have similar external adjusting screws to their conventional equivalent, (which is good).
Only problem is I didn't manage to stumble on this fact until I completely removed a headlamp unit, ( which is easily* achieved by removing all of the front bodywork).
I then discovered a convenient adjusting screw which effectively turns the up/down adjustment of the projector lens in the same way the motor does, without the control system 'knowing' you've moved it so you can offset the beam height as you wish.
Naturally, all of this can be achieved in seconds without removing anything if only you knew that was what the holes in the scuttle support frame were for..........

RTFM

[gumby6371]

So was there significant damage to the body work when you'd finished kicking the crap out of the car ?

There is nothing more frustrating than discovering you've put lots of time and effort into a job and it was all a waste of time!
On the plus side you're now a lot more familiar with the front end of an 807 when the next problem crops up

[Welly]

[Doggy]

On the plus side you're now a lot more familiar with exactly how many flimsy bits of plastic make up the headlamp washer assemblies on an 807 when the next problem crops up

Fixored