Main beam issue

[leigh24577]

Hi all,

1st post but long time lurker on this site.

I have a 1980 2l van and have an issue with the main beam....when I activate it through the indicator stalk and red light comes on the dash only one lamp works....ie one lamp full beam the other completely off! Dipped head lights and side lights work no problems.

My lamps are original 1980s round versions as is the wiring.

I think my van is a very early Air-cooled model as no fan blower or any other mod cons......at all!!!!!

​​​​​​I have checked the earth crowns and wiki so hopefully some one on here can shed light onto my ahem current issue.

Thanks in advance.

Samuel 

[bigherb]

If the other lights work in the same headlamp, it won't be the earth, as they share the same earth. So either the high beam bulb element has burnt out, or no power to the bulb, check fuses 5 & 6 as they control the left/right main beam elements.

[Rascal]

Red light? Am I'm missing something? Your headlight main beam tell tale should be blue.. Not Red.. So you have a wiring issue unless the bulb has be replaced

[bigherb]

Red light? Am I'm missing something? Your headlight main beam tell tale should be blue.. Not Red.. So you have a wiring issue unless the bulb has be replaced

Early instruments, used an LED instead of a blue bulb for main beam warning.
 

[Rosie n' Jim]

And oddly it was yellow, not blue! German's sense of humor I guess.

[DoubleOSeven]

Blue LEDs had not been invented when you van was built. VW did use a white bulb with a blue cap on later models.

https://brickwerks.co.uk/product/main-b ... -t4-caddy/



The Mk1 Golf had yellow LEDs, maybe early vans did too?



But I digress and agree with bigherb, probably just the filament bulb in the headlamp holder, if the fuses check out ok.

[leigh24577]

Thanks for the help so far....I'm working on the van this week as back from work now so I will update this post once I've tried a few suggestions.

I have tried a replacement bulb so not the filament if that's what you meant?

BTW high beam warning dash light is definitely red....I will share a picture of it.

[AngeloEvs]

Early vans used a yellow LED. As with most LED’s, there is a series resistor so it needs to be replaced with an LED. The colour doesn’t matter except for originality. However, modern LED’s are significantly brighter than the ones found in older vehicles. You can fit a standard low voltage 3mm White LED’s with a Blue Cap in place of the original 5mm Yellow Led for early Vans or a 12v 3mm White LED on later vans that have a miniature filament bulb with Blue Cap - fit once and forget, just ensure the polarity is correct when replacing.