[Vwdiesel] H4 headlights, relays and the proper speedo drive and other stuff

[Scott Alexander]

I did a conversion on my Rabbit.  I went from the rectangular sealed beams to (non-DOT) drop in lens assemblies that take H4s.  Additionally, similar to Hayden, I rewired things so that the headlight switch powers a pair of relays, which then switch wiring that is direct to the battery and larger gauge than the original wiring.  I’m immensely pleased with the result.  It’s frustrating to me to drive my 2000 Ford because the headlights aren’t nearly as nice.  Some of the rental cars that I’ve driven that have HIDs are marginally nicer, but not all of them.  To my mind, particularly given that I live in an area overrun with deer, this has been a very nice upgrade.

I’ll also put in a good word for Daniel Stern Lighting (http://www.danielsternlighting.com/).  I believe I got all of the components there.  In a few dealings with him, I’ve found his service to be outstanding and his products to be top notch.

Best,
Scott
’82 Rabbit Diesel

On Feb 27, 2014, at 9:59 PM, Ralph Meyermann <ralphmeyermann at gmail.com> wrote:

> I am planning on an H4 conversion for my Westy, and was wondering how much
> better they actually are
> 
> Velma 82 1.9L AAZ td westy
> On Feb 27, 2014 8:44 PM, <dieseltdi at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
>> It has been a while since I updated the trials and tribulations of my 82
>> Jetta GTD so I thought I would pass a few things on.  Although the Jetta
>> has 4 headlights on the front, I have never been satisfied with the poor
>> light output from them even on bright, so when I had a chance on ebay to
>> buy a set of H4 lights, I jumped on it.  Imagine my disappointment when
>> they seemed to be dimmer than the original lights AND all four lights
>> glowed on low beam and only the center lights turned on at high beam.  In
>> desperation, I called my son who has much experience with Scirocco lights
>> which are identical.  He basically told me to dump the stock wiring and
>> relay the lights.  I did an internet search and did what he suggested.
>> Sure enough, by using the existing left side wiring to trigger the relays
>> and taking power directly from the battery feed, I manage to get some
>> really superior lighting.  All the lights are bright white and all four
>> come on on the bright setting.
>> 
>> Many of you know that I had some temperature problems with the jetta so I
>> replaced the thermostat and then the fan thermoswitch.   This has solved
>> all the heating problems but I am about to mount a temperature sensor to
>> the front hose outlet on the engine to have an accurate temperature
>> setting.  I had wondered if the temperature problems were part of my low
>> mpg problems but that didn’t seem to change anything.  Then one evening, I
>> was reading up on 5th gear swaps to lower rpms and came upon a statement
>> that I wasn’t aware of.  I have known that there were several types of
>> speedo drive gears, each denoted by a color and each having different
>> teeth.  What I hadn’t really understood is that the gear is matched to the
>> transmission based on the final drive number.  Turns out the 3.67 final
>> drive in the CHD transmission requires the red drive gear.  I got one and
>> installed it.  I then took the car out for a long drive with the GPS to
>> test it.  Low and behold, speedo is absolutely accurate now.  Well at least
>> in terms of VW speedos.  When cruising at 60 the GPS fluctuated between 59
>> and 61.  I filled up at the same time I installed the new drive gear so I
>> could get a good measure of the difference.  Sure enough, my mpg went from
>> 33 mpg to 42 mpg.  The best I have ever gotten in the car was 37 so I am
>> very pleased.  The 42 mpg tank was 316 miles on just under ½ a tank (I fill
>> all the way to the neck) and was ⅓ highway speeds and ⅔ back and forth to
>> work.  The current tank will be all just back and forth to work and I can
>> tell from the gauge that I am probably getting in the upper 37-39 range.
>> This takes a big weight off my shoulders as I was beginning to think I was
>> going to have to do something drastic to fix the problem.  I am still going
>> to do a 5th gear swap into a spare CHD transmission I bought.  I have a FN
>> that I intend to remove the 5th gear from, then take it to a local shop to
>> get it installed.  From the Bentley, I fill like I can remove the gears,
>> just don’t want to chance doing something wrong.
>> One last think, I know someone on here said that they are running a volvo
>> sandwich oil cooler (Bryan?),  I just got one and I want to know what the
>> opening temperature for the built in thermostat?  Thanks, Hayden
>> 
>> “There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is
>> no party of principle.”
>> “I do not know if the people of the United States would vote for superior
>> men if they ran for office, but there can be no doubt that such men do not
>> run."
>> “I cannot help fearing that men may reach a point where they look on every
>> new theory as a danger, every innovation as a toilsome trouble, every
>> social advance as a first step toward revolution, and that they may
>> absolutely refuse to move at all.”  Alexis de Tocqueville
>> 
>> Proud owner of:
>> 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel
>> 1968 Beetle, Still in progress
>> 1982 VW Jetta Coupe GTD "FrankenJetta"
>> And many, many, many VWs; from a 1947 Beetle (13 Beetles total), to Vans
>> (5 - 3 splitties  2 bay window (both were campers), 1 Vanagon Westy,
>> Rabbits (3), Karmen Ghia (1), Jettas (11), Passats (2), Dasher (1), New
>> Beetle (1), Rabbit Convertible (1) and Rabbit Pickups (3) most now gone but
>> not forgotten.
>> 
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