[V8] Headlights

[Scott Justusson]

 Some good points here Roger, and I agree with most of them.  I started in ProRally in 1980, and have had 30 years of various Ecode/aux lighting on my machines since.  I became a defacto lighting critic quite young...
http://forums.audiworld.com/picture.php?albumid=163916&pictureid=230729
Since that time, I have owned several 5ktq's, as well as, several v8q's.  I have 2 v8 in the stable now, a 91 with DOT and a 92 with Euros.  I found the v8q DOT lights to be quite adequate for years...  Well, until I put the euros in my 92.  Although, I admit freely, the v8 ecode swap being fractionally as dramatic as the 5ktq DOT>Ecode swap.  But even in the v8, the euros produce a much cleaner light pattern, in main or dipped beam.

Interesting your comments regarding lenses.  Back in the 'coimbra' days, I advocated that brighter light on a crappy lense just made for bright crappy light.  Interesting too, the difference between the 200euros and the v8 euros is enough to give the comparo to the v8 Ecodes hands down.  That said, when I repaired the v8 ecodes that were damaged in shipping, I noticed that the innerds (reflectors and bulb mounts) were identical between the 5ktq/200 and the v8.  That means the difference in noticeable light improvement is the 30% larger lense attached to the front of the housings.  And, unfortunately for us in the US, Cibie never got the venerable "Zbeam" (Ecode without the 15* uptick) to catch on.  I had those on many cars in the 80's and they were the rats batooty.

The best ecode setup I have run uses 3 relays and a bulb mix.  I use 55/65 in the H4 position, and 100 in the inner main/high position.  I installed a fog light switch to activate/deactivate the inner bulbs from the high beam position.  This gives 3 levels of light, 110w low beam, 130w high beam, and 330w high beam.  Since many of my autobahn trips are into northern Michigan, I encounter a lot of fog and moisture laden high beam driving.  Being able to reduce the glare-back from 330w high beams, while still having the 130w high beam pattern, has helped keep the 'deer eyes' at the highest level.  All that is required to do this mod is to separate the inner high wiring from the H4 inside the housing, a procedure that can be done with just the covers removed.

I always though the v8 had one of the best sets of DOT headlights of the 90's era, but my 94 Landcruiser DOT top the v8's, mostly due to an even larger lense than the v8, but with the same decent lense pattern.

The question remains:  Are the v8 ecodes worth the investment?  That's tough to answer.  I think if a lot of driving is done at night, especially on rural roads, the answer is definitely yes.  If it's occasional driving at night, or most of that in the city, the value of the upgrade diminishes in favor of a couple of relays on the stock DOT headlights.  WRT any bulb over 100w, never had good results running those, even in the monster Rallye 2000 or Bosch Motorsport lights I still own.  The reflection of a well-lensed 100w bulb on a exit sign, can actually cause momentary flashes that will almost blind you, btdt.

HTH and my .02

Scott J
91 v8 DOT
92 v8 Ecodes
ex
5ktqa Ecode
78 scirocco S Open Class ProRally 

 


 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: rmwoodbury at roadrunner.com
To: V8 at audifans.com
Sent: Sat, May 28, 2011 7:30 am
Subject: Re: [V8] Headlights


When I bought this particular V8 it had just 66,000 or so miles on it, and since 
my night driving had dropped considerably, I never considered installing 
European headlights.  Well, that's not entirely true:  my "normal" source in 
Europe had ceased offering them, and there didnt' seem to be another set lying 
around anywhere.  I also found that the stock headlights were really adequate 
since I really wasn't driving extensively at night.
>...
 My 1993 V8 came with stock DOT lighting, but since prior to that I had been 
driving an '89 Avant into which I had installed European headlights because 
those lights were so poor that I automatically bought a set of Euros for the V8.  
>...
Anyway I find it interesting that people commonly relay their headlgihts and 
install 100 watt or larger bulbs and are impressed with their results.  In the 
Audi 200 20-Valve Avant that I had a few yeas ago, the headlights were set up 
that way.  The headlights in that car were a compromise of a European designed 
front end, with headlights that met DOT standards and still fitted into the body 
work.  They were simply lousy by design and installing 100 watt bulbs with 
relays only yields much brighter lousy headlights.  For most this is adequate.  
Unless you drive where there are no streetlights or building lights for miles 
and miles, the system is sufficient.

The issue is not brightness.  Extremely bright light beyond a certain point 
yields glare and little additional benefit.  The chief difference between 
European headlights and DOT headlights is that the European design is based on a 
theory that is completely reversed from US driving habits and standards.  Here 
in the US we drive most of the time with what we call "low beams", and only 
occasionally do we switch to "high beams". Most Americans drive in heavy traffic 
conditions and high beams blind not only oncoming drivers but the cars in front 
also.  
>...  

Roger 
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