but the solenoid should be the same in the left and in the right, isn't it?
thinking about cannibalizing it off a damaged headlight
F.
29th Feb 2012 7:19 pm
J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
Yeh it's the same. Are the reflectors and everything the same too?
Gonna try it again tomorrow I think and see what I can figure out. I made sure the armature was free on the arm too as I noticed they were a little stiff and thought that might be what was causing it to stick, but it made no difference really. It seems to move fine when the reflector is off, but when it is back on it seems to stick which makes me think that the reflector isn't seated correctly, but surely 1 out of the 5 times I would have got it right.
Might try filing the armature down a bit more too, and possibly some white high temp grease in there (just a sliver mind) to help keep things moving.
If that doesn't do it, I'll take up Geoffs offer as the MOT is due soon and I'm sure it will fail on this. 2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
mine doesn't re-stick yet but i'll drop a jump at the stealer looking for a headlight for scrap... just in case
F.
29th Feb 2012 7:46 pm
J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
About to take mine apart again and use some silicone high temp lubricant on the armature to see if it stops it sticking.
expert at getting the lamps apart now!2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
9th Mar 2012 2:58 pm
J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
No change, gonna try skimming the armature once more but if that doesn't do it, it's probably gonna have to be another headlight, or guts at a minimum!
Edit: Bit more info
I've connected up a power supply and bridged out the diode on the -ve leg of the solenoid and found the armature is sticking when the supply to the main beam bulb is removed.
I guess the shutter system works by taking a feed from the main beam lamp in order to hold it open, and when the main beam lamp is shut off the armature is supposed to spring back out of the solenoid and put the shutter down, but it doesn't.
So, it's either the spring has become weak and it's not got enough to lift the armature out of the solenoid anymore, or the armature is still sticking in the solenoid and won't come out. If I operate the armature manually (with no power) it springs back fine, every time.
So I can only assume that the armature needs even more taking off it and possibly more lubricant. Although I'm not sure if more lube and more room is gonna cause the armature to sit at an angle and bind.
Hmm. 2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
9th Mar 2012 5:38 pm
sharpei
Member Since: 07 May 2012
Location: Moscow
Posts: 1
Hi all!
The problem is finaly solved. (At least for me). Tested within a month, the high and low beam changes correctly.
You need to disassemble the lamp to the level described by respected Filippo. - remove the reflector, but it’s not necessarily remove the solenoid. Inside you will see the body of the headlamp of an aluminum alloy. From this body are sticking out two pins, I have them marked on the photo. When the curtain is opened, it touches and sticks, exactly in this place, because the curtain is made of harder material than the body, it leaves a notch. You need to remove this notch with a small rasp (needle file), and make the surface smooth again.
Click image to enlarge
6th Jul 2012 1:57 pm
whitedisco
Member Since: 19 Aug 2013
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 6
Great work Filo and Sharpei!.
I also did not take the solenoid out as my problem was the little cast in lugs that Sharpei found. I just filed them down so that they did not touch the blade at all.
Perhaps the lugs were designed to be limit stops for the blade but that function is now done by little feet on the blade assembly. All the cast in lugs do is jam the blade fully open.
Thanks Filo for the great pictures and explanation on how to disassemble the light. It is amazing that the reflector does actually come out of the bottom hole.
It is early days but i think it is fixed.
Peter
D3 2.7 SE.
21st Oct 2013 4:59 am
johnnychainsaw
Member Since: 24 Nov 2009
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1222
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