HELP!!! Dim low beams, great hi beams

[jke@wolfenet.com (John Eickerman)]

Car: 1987 4000CS Quattro

Hello everyone.  I made my donation to the Audi gods today, and they are
fighting back.  I installed brand new Euro Spec lights from Rons Parts.  I
need to learn how to cuss in German, so the car can understand me better,
but I think it understood the English quite well.  At the same time I
installed the lights, I installed a new K&N (very fricking stupid place to
put an airfilter if you ask me).

The headlight installation is not as easy as it should, super tight
tolerances.  Before I cut the old bulb socket connection, I tested for
hi-beam/lo-beam wires with my multitester.  I then tested the new
headlights to find out which wires do what.  After getting that squared
away, I soldered in the new connections, and wrapped with electrical tape.
I connected everything the way the old lights were connected, but something
is wrong.  Upon turning on my lights (lo-beam), the hi-beam indicator light
on the dash is dim, and when the hi's go on, that light goes bright like
normal.  That concerned me, but it was still daylight, it wasn't to the
bugging point yet.  After the sun went down, backed out the car and tested
out the new lights, lo-beams are dim, to the point where the parking lights
are basically as bright.  The hi-beams are very bright, and crisp.  The
hi's are what I expect from the Euros, not the lo's though.  I have checked
the fuses for lo's, and they are ok.  The solder connections seem good
also.  I don't know what the problem is.   It is so confoozing!!  The old
American Spec lights worked fine in terms of coming on and no hi-beam
indicator when lo's were on, but the dispersion of light sucked as everyone
knows.

Anyone have suggestions for me to try tomorrow?

I don't have time to run relays as I am in Central Washington, and need to
head back to Western Washington tomorrow through lots of snow in the
Cascades.  At this point, I am probably taking my dads Ford truck back, and
leaving the Audi in Yakima for my parents to drive over during the week, or
I come back next weekend.

I might try to put up some pictures of lights (or lack there of) on my
web-site as I have a new digital camera I a demoing from work.  One problem
is that my Powerbook is grayscale, and I can't view the pictures too well
before posting, and they are probably dark.  it is worth a shot though.
I'll send another note if I get this done tonight.

***Please respond directly to me, and the list if you like, as I get the
digest version, and have the 12 hour delay of reading time.***

Thank much for any help.


John Eickerman -- jke@wolfenet.com    MacZone -- 1-800-248-0800 x3997
Listowner for the Firearms Discussion List, FIREARMS@UTARLVM1.UTA.EDU