Questions about halogen headlights...

[GreenGhost]

1. Headlights in 10-year old car are kind of yellowish. Would buying new bulbs help?
2. What are the newer, brighter bulbs. Any recommendation?
3. I hate some that are very blueish -- I see people installing them in 10-year old cars 🙂 . What brand/model to avoid?

Thanks,

GreenGhost

 

[vi edit]

Great post. I'm in need of some new bulbs myself and would like to know which is the best & brightest without being an obnoxious color.

 

[StageLeft]

I have read about cleaning the interior of your bulb casings if you're finding the lights are getting kinda yellow.

 

[GreenGhost]

I do think the reflector in the case plays a good part. In my car, you can literally see they look "worn" after years of sun/sand. Never thought they would be dirty inside, though.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

If the plastic is yellow, it's yellow. How do you figure new bulbs will make them less yellow?

 

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I have read about cleaning the interior of your bulb casings if you're finding the lights are getting kinda yellow.

Yep, there are products you can buy if the actual plastic cover is yellow and you want to clean it. However, if your lights are sealed beam (common on older cars, although 8 yeras ago might be new enough for just a bulb replacement), then it won't work.

I would say to take out the bulb and see if it's the bulb or the casing that's yellow, and proceed from there.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Skoorb I have read about cleaning the interior of your bulb casings if you're finding the lights are getting kinda yellow.

Yep, there are products you can buy if the actual plastic cover is yellow and you want to clean it. However, if your lights are sealed beam (common on older cars, although 8 yeras ago might be new enough for just a bulb replacement), then it won't work. I would say to take out the bulb and see if it's the bulb or the casing that's yellow, and proceed from there.

Go to pep bos or home depot an buy some plastic polish. It's designed just for this kind of application, and can usually clear everything up (pun intended). It has the word "blue" in it's name, IIRC. It needs to be applied monthly, though.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: rbloedow

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Skoorb I have read about cleaning the interior of your bulb casings if you're finding the lights are getting kinda yellow.

Yep, there are products you can buy if the actual plastic cover is yellow and you want to clean it. However, if your lights are sealed beam (common on older cars, although 8 yeras ago might be new enough for just a bulb replacement), then it won't work. I would say to take out the bulb and see if it's the bulb or the casing that's yellow, and proceed from there.

Go to pep bos or home depot an buy some plastic polish. It's designed just for this kind of application, and can usually clear everything up (pun intended). It has the word "blue" in it's name, IIRC. It needs to be applied monthly, though.

I have never heard of this substance. I was always told, on this forum and on HardForum, that the only way to fix yellow headlight lenses is to replace them.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Originally posted by: rbloedow

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Skoorb I have read about cleaning the interior of your bulb casings if you're finding the lights are getting kinda yellow.

Yep, there are products you can buy if the actual plastic cover is yellow and you want to clean it. However, if your lights are sealed beam (common on older cars, although 8 yeras ago might be new enough for just a bulb replacement), then it won't work. I would say to take out the bulb and see if it's the bulb or the casing that's yellow, and proceed from there.

Go to pep bos or home depot an buy some plastic polish. It's designed just for this kind of application, and can usually clear everything up (pun intended). It has the word "blue" in it's name, IIRC. It needs to be applied monthly, though.

I have never heard of this substance. I was always told, on this forum and on HardForum, that the only way to fix yellow headlight lenses is to replace them.

Nope - you were told wrong! 🙂 Some B14 Nissan Sentra/200sx owners at NissanForums.com has had great sucess with the stuff - let me see if I can dig up their thread 😉

Edit: Ok, how yellow are the lights? If they're really bad, there's realy no hope. If they're only slightly yellow, I'd give it a try: http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?s=cc805337a499f52fcb8156ef4affc60c&threadid=36767&highlight=blue

Plus, it's definitly cheaper than buying new headlight units 😉

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: rbloedow

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Originally posted by: rbloedow

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Skoorb I have read about cleaning the interior of your bulb casings if you're finding the lights are getting kinda yellow.

Yep, there are products you can buy if the actual plastic cover is yellow and you want to clean it. However, if your lights are sealed beam (common on older cars, although 8 yeras ago might be new enough for just a bulb replacement), then it won't work. I would say to take out the bulb and see if it's the bulb or the casing that's yellow, and proceed from there.

Go to pep bos or home depot an buy some plastic polish. It's designed just for this kind of application, and can usually clear everything up (pun intended). It has the word "blue" in it's name, IIRC. It needs to be applied monthly, though.

I have never heard of this substance. I was always told, on this forum and on HardForum, that the only way to fix yellow headlight lenses is to replace them.

Nope - you were told wrong! 🙂 Some B14 Nissan Sentra/200sx owners at NissanForums.com has had great sucess with the stuff - let me see if I can dig up their thread 😉

Thanks. My 240sx headlights are yellow as hell and it looks terrible.

 

[bernse]

Be careful with the blue replacement bulbs. They are not legal everywhere. Even though people use them, I've known people that have been ticketed using them.

Also be sure you are within wattage regs. Usually 55/60 watt for street use. Anything higher than that you could face a serious fine especially if you blind an oncomming cop and he gets pissed off at you.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: bernse
Be careful with the blue replacement bulbs. They are not legal everywhere. Even though people use them, I've known people that have been ticketed using them. Also be sure you are within wattage regs. Usually 55/60 watt for street use. Anything higher than that you could face a serious fine especially if you blind an oncomming cop and he gets pissed off at you.

Forget blue, get Sylvania Silverstars. The bulb looks purple, but they shine a nice, bright white. They're some of the brightest and pure white legal bulbs you can buy 😉

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: bernse
Be careful with the blue replacement bulbs. They are not legal everywhere. Even though people use them, I've known people that have been ticketed using them.

Also be sure you are within wattage regs. Usually 55/60 watt for street use. Anything higher than that you could face a serious fine especially if you blind an oncomming cop and he gets pissed off at you.

HID xenon bulbs are brighter with the same wattage as halogen aren't they?

 

[Thraxen]

It's the xenons that have a bluish hue... you see them on some newer cars and almost all luxury cars. But some people buy those cheap lights with a blue tinted bulb... I guess so they look like the lights on more expensive vehicles (but they don't).

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: jumpr
However, if your lights are sealed beam (common on older cars, although 8 yeras ago might be new enough for just a bulb replacement), then it won't work.

Uh, sealed-beam headlights ceased to be mandatory about 20 years ago. 1986 Volvo 240s had headlights that were not sealed beam. By 1988 Honda Civics were using non-sealed beam headlights. (Accord in 1990, Prelude in 1993 when they ditched the retracting headlights.) 8 years old is well new enough to use a non-sealed beam system. By 1992 almost all cars were using non-sealed beam systems.

My recommendations are Sylvania's "Xtra-Vision" bulbs. They are optimised without having a blue tint. If your car does use a sealed beam headlight system, I would recommend finding a HELLA H4 conversion. This is a bolt-in replacement that accepts standard Halogen H4 bulbs and greatly improves vision. Make sure to get the HELLA kit though, there are many imitations by less-than-reputable companies that do not have the proper beam pattern from the reflector and can cause big problems for oncoming drivers.

ZV

 

[Vegito]

HID xenon bulbs are brighter with the same wattage as halogen aren't they?

Yes & No, HID Xenon - real one, the $500+ ones uses 35W vs 55/65W for halogen. So for lower wattage, it puts out more light

The blue bulb you see are sometimes 110/115/120W which burns out and leave a brown mark on the inside of your head light assembly

 

[DurocShark]

Yep, the 86 and up Volvos had those big ugly plastic lenses. They clean up pretty nice with chrome polish... heh

 

[Vegito]

Originally posted by: bernse
Be careful with the blue replacement bulbs. They are not legal everywhere. Even though people use them, I've known people that have been ticketed using them.

Also be sure you are within wattage regs. Usually 55/60 watt for street use. Anything higher than that you could face a serious fine especially if you blind an oncomming cop and he gets pissed off at you.

That is true, plus the higher wattage leaves the brown burnt mark in ur headlamp...

 

[GreenGhost]

Originally posted by: Thraxen
.... but some people buy those cheap lights with a blue tinted bulb... I guess so they look like the lights on more expensive vehicles (but they don't).

That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid 🙂

I saw some PIAA extra white at tirerack.com. They were around $80/pair.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: bernse
Be careful with the blue replacement bulbs. They are not legal everywhere. Even though people use them, I've known people that have been ticketed using them.

Also be sure you are within wattage regs. Usually 55/60 watt for street use. Anything higher than that you could face a serious fine especially if you blind an oncomming cop and he gets pissed off at you.

forget the cop.... when I get blinded by them, I have half a mind to turn around, follow the person, and smash out both of their headlights.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: GreenGhost

Originally posted by: Thraxen .... but some people buy those cheap lights with a blue tinted bulb... I guess so they look like the lights on more expensive vehicles (but they don't).

That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid 🙂 I saw some PIAA extra white at tirerack.com. They were around $80/pair.

But the Sylvania Silverstars - they're just as white as the Piaas, and cost half as much.

 

[Vegito]

Originally posted by: rbloedow

Originally posted by: GreenGhost

Originally posted by: Thraxen .... but some people buy those cheap lights with a blue tinted bulb... I guess so they look like the lights on more expensive vehicles (but they don't).

That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid 🙂 I saw some PIAA extra white at tirerack.com. They were around $80/pair.

But the Sylvania Silverstars - they're just as white as the Piaas, and cost half as much.

friends piaa burn out twice within 1 year... they prob run higher wattage.. but he got his 1 year replacement money back.. they had no more in stock so they refund his 80 bucks

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Do they sell those Sylvania Silverstars at Autozone?

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Do they sell those Sylvania Silverstars at Autozone?

Yep.

$20 a pop.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Get the Sylvania XtraVision.

The pair installed from the factory were optimized for logevity so they're less likely to have to replace them under warranty.

XtraVision won't last as long, but it performs better. I'm not an advocate of SilverStar and other coated, "super white" bulbs.