Front headlight unit question

[NotAnotherHill]

My 00 FZS 600 has just failed its MOT. The metal cylinder piece that sits around the main bulb has come away from the reflector housing at the top. It looks like the heat from the bulb (possibly non-standard) has caused the point where it joins to the reflector to become brittle and break.


A new unit costs a fortune and I can only find an 01 model unit second hand so far and even that's £95.


2 questions:


Is the 01 model headlight unit compatible with my 00 model?


If I bodge the current unit by trying to fix the detached cylinder piece by possibly gluing it in place, will the headlight unit still be able to adjust using the adjustment screws?


Any solutions welcomed.

[alexanderfitu]

Not sure about the compatibily question, but if its a boxeye , which it should be at 2001, then its compatible.

If you do bodge the cylinder piece on then adjustment is fine, as the adjuster moves the whole reflector and socket.

[Dead Eye]

Mine had this EXACT issue until today. I just removed the stupid metal bit... others have done it as well and its passed the MOT without it in there

Hot Poop section details it a bit more; http://foc-u.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Curing_rattling_%27bit%27_in_LH_%28H1%29_light_-_pre-02_models

It came up in darrsi's vibe thread

[darrsi]

Oh dear, what have i started........ 

[NotAnotherHill]

What is the metal bit meant to do? Does it play a part in direction of the beam or as some kind of heat shield for the headlight lens?

[NotAnotherHill]

I've just read the topic link....mmm...a mystery. Maybe it's to signal to aliens in the far galaxies. This could explain why the beam is so poor on a Fazer if all it's light power is being directed to the far reaching outer reaches of the galaxy rather than the road ahead.

[Gnasher]

= 

What is the metal bit meant to do? Does it play a part in direction of the beam or as some kind of heat shield for the headlight lens?

The reflector is behind the bulb not as they used to be in the glass so the CONE stops light being pushed straight out the front of H1 blub crating a dazzle spot.  It also improves the light pattern on low beam by forcing as much light as possible back at the reflector.  H1 blubs don't have a blacked out nose like H4 on the other side and the light pattern for main beam isn't so critical, most MOT stations don't and haven't bothered looking at the light pattern so they pass without the bulb cone. 

Most modern light units have them even cars but they are normally much smaller and use H7 blubs in these applications they are just to improve the light pattern.

[darrsi]

I read what Padraig was saying about undoing 2 clips to release something, in my other post about headlight vibration, and wasn't totally sure what he meant, and now i've read this post a few times, scratching my head, and realised that i have no idea what anyone is talking about???   


I'm starting to think this metal cylinder thingy you're on about has already been removed on mine.


When i look through the front lens all i see is the bare bulb, and the 2 locating pins.


Are you saying there is meant to be something else there, around the bulb? 

[red98]

sits in front of the bulb,if you look into the light and you can see the bulb,yours has been removed......mine rattles and i was going to fix it back into position,but i think now i`ll just remove it 

[Dead Eye]

darrsi - yes, there is a metal thingy which sits in-front of the bulb.

I found this image on Google, handily from our forum! You can see the metal bit in front of the bulb (as the camera isn't being blinded)

[darrsi]

Well that's certainly complicated things, 'cos my light unit is still buzzing and my thingamajig isn't even there 

[Gnasher]

cos my light unit is still buzzing and my thingamajig isn't even there 

Check the front indicators where they go through the firing the biggest cause of buzzing.   
 
The other is the cone and H1 blub.  Heat from the bulb turns the back of the reflector into chalk disintegrating the back of the lens which isn't made of metal.  This is the cause of the cone coming loose and the blub will start to oscillates in it's mounting = buzzing, eventually the entire back of the reflector collapses.   Daytime use of low beam accelerates the damage and there is no practical/easy way of stopping it that I know of, tell tale sign is dust in the light unit.   
   

[darrsi]

cos my light unit is still buzzing and my thingamajig isn't even there 

 Check the front indicators where they go through the firing the biggest cause of buzzing.    The other is the cone and H1 blub.  Heat from the bulb turns the back of the reflector into chalk disintegrating the back of the lens which isn't made of metal.  This is the cause of the cone coming loose and the blub will start to oscillates in it's mounting = buzzing, eventually the entire back of the reflector collapses.   Daytime use of low beam accelerates the damage and there is no practical/easy way of stopping it that I know of, tell tale sign is dust in the light unit.   
   

You've probably seen my post, i've put self amalgamating tape on the bulb holder, i think that'll help a little, although i'm still confused as to why it's still buzzing?
It's definitely the left bulb area, when i'm riding if i put my finger on the bulb wiring socket it stops, plus i can feel it really vibrating.
I may put some more tape on it tomorrow and build it up a bit and see if that helps.

[Gnasher]

cos my light unit is still buzzing and my thingamajig isn't even there 

 Check the front indicators where they go through the firing the biggest cause of buzzing.    The other is the cone and H1 blub.  Heat from the bulb turns the back of the reflector into chalk disintegrating the back of the lens which isn't made of metal.  This is the cause of the cone coming loose and the blub will start to oscillates in it's mounting = buzzing, eventually the entire back of the reflector collapses.   Daytime use of low beam accelerates the damage and there is no practical/easy way of stopping it that I know of, tell tale sign is dust in the light unit.   
   

You've probably seen my post, i've put self amalgamating tape on the bulb holder, i think that'll help a little, although i'm still confused as to why it's still buzzing?
It's definitely the left bulb area, when i'm riding if i put my finger on the bulb wiring socket it stops, plus i can feel it really vibrating.
I may put some more tape on it tomorrow and build it up a bit and see if that helps.

The blub plate has two off set dimples these line up with two holes in the back of the reflector, the bulb and it's holder are held in place with a spring clip.  As the reflector disintegrates due to heat normal vibration wears the blub location holes eventually the bulb can move enough to causing the buzzing you can hear.   
 
If your reflector cover rubber isn't a good fit that wont help, does to a point secure the bulb via it's holder, it's also possible your reflector is about to go west at it's adjustment mounting points again due to heat!     
 
The head lights fitted to the Mk1 Fazer are the bikes biggest weakness just like the shock/forks!   
   

[darrsi]

The tape i put on has slighted moved the bulb back, so the locating pins aren't pressed so hard against the housing.
I'll add some more tomorrow to see if it helps.

[NotAnotherHill]

cos my light unit is still buzzing and my thingamajig isn't even there 

Check the front indicators where they go through the firing the biggest cause of buzzing.   
 
The other is the cone and H1 blub.  Heat from the bulb turns the back of the reflector into chalk disintegrating the back of the lens which isn't made of metal.  This is the cause of the cone coming loose and the blub will start to oscillates in it's mounting = buzzing, eventually the entire back of the reflector collapses.   Daytime use of low beam accelerates the damage and there is no practical/easy way of stopping it that I know of, tell tale sign is dust in the light unit.   
   

My reflector is starting to melt behind the bulb. Will removing the cone exacerbate the problem of the damage caused by the heat from the bulb on reflector? The MOT station I had the bike tested at had what I think was a light testing unit (a red box type device at about headlight height with a circular glass surface on the front). If this is the case, will it fail on the spread of the beam without the cone?

[darrsi]

I've obviously never had the cone in question, and never failed an MOT yet!

[Dead Eye]

cos my light unit is still buzzing and my thingamajig isn't even there 

Check the front indicators where they go through the firing the biggest cause of buzzing.   
 
The other is the cone and H1 blub.  Heat from the bulb turns the back of the reflector into chalk disintegrating the back of the lens which isn't made of metal.  This is the cause of the cone coming loose and the blub will start to oscillates in it's mounting = buzzing, eventually the entire back of the reflector collapses.   Daytime use of low beam accelerates the damage and there is no practical/easy way of stopping it that I know of, tell tale sign is dust in the light unit.   
   

My reflector is starting to melt behind the bulb. Will removing the cone exacerbate the problem of the damage caused by the heat from the bulb on reflector? The MOT station I had the bike tested at had what I think was a light testing unit (a red box type device at about headlight height with a circular glass surface on the front). If this is the case, will it fail on the spread of the beam without the cone?

As far as I can tell, removing the stupid metal thingy should actually help prevent excess heat buildup. At the moment, it's reflecting most of the light backwards on to the reflector panels, if you remove the metal piece that will no longer happen as much, the beam will be altered but so far not a single person has had any issues with this on the MOT tests whereas there are multiple confirmations where bike have passed. I'd suggest trying to remove it carefully and if you want to pop it back in then do so. Its far from a permanent mod

[NotAnotherHill]

cos my light unit is still buzzing and my thingamajig isn't even there 

Check the front indicators where they go through the firing the biggest cause of buzzing.   
 
The other is the cone and H1 blub.  Heat from the bulb turns the back of the reflector into chalk disintegrating the back of the lens which isn't made of metal.  This is the cause of the cone coming loose and the blub will start to oscillates in it's mounting = buzzing, eventually the entire back of the reflector collapses.   Daytime use of low beam accelerates the damage and there is no practical/easy way of stopping it that I know of, tell tale sign is dust in the light unit.   
   

My reflector is starting to melt behind the bulb. Will removing the cone exacerbate the problem of the damage caused by the heat from the bulb on reflector? The MOT station I had the bike tested at had what I think was a light testing unit (a red box type device at about headlight height with a circular glass surface on the front). If this is the case, will it fail on the spread of the beam without the cone?

As far as I can tell, removing the stupid metal thingy should actually help prevent excess heat buildup. At the moment, it's reflecting most of the light backwards on to the reflector panels, if you remove the metal piece that will no longer happen as much, the beam will be altered but so far not a single person has had any issues with this on the MOT tests whereas there are multiple confirmations where bike have passed. I'd suggest trying to remove it carefully and if you want to pop it back in then do so. Its far from a permanent mod

Right, I'll take it out and put it through the test again. Fingers crossed.

[Gnasher]

cos my light unit is still buzzing and my thingamajig isn't even there 

Check the front indicators where they go through the firing the biggest cause of buzzing.   
 
The other is the cone and H1 blub.  Heat from the bulb turns the back of the reflector into chalk disintegrating the back of the lens which isn't made of metal.  This is the cause of the cone coming loose and the blub will start to oscillates in it's mounting = buzzing, eventually the entire back of the reflector collapses.   Daytime use of low beam accelerates the damage and there is no practical/easy way of stopping it that I know of, tell tale sign is dust in the light unit.   
   

If this is the case, will it fail on the spread of the beam without the cone?

No it shouldn't as long as the beam height/level is correct if not it should only fail on that which is adjustable and most MOT stattons will adjust it for you.   

[NotAnotherHill]

I've got the headlight unit out but I'm struggling to separate the lens element from the main body to get behind to the cone. I assume these two bits come apart as there are clips. I've a feeling that the two parts have fused together at certain points so I'm trying to ease them apart with a flat bladed screw driver.


I'll attempt to upload the photos I've taken.

[NotAnotherHill]

[darrsi]

I tried that ages ago, it felt like a sealed unit to me, as if i was gonna have to muller it to get it apart, so i gave up.

[Dead Eye]

If you are trying to take the metal cone out, you don't have to abuse the headlights at all.

1. Remove left bulb and bend the cones legs to allow it to fall in to the headlight casing.

2. Remove right bulb

3. Use something to prod / pull the cone out through the gap on the right as it is large enough to get it out.

4. Refit bulbs, job done, have a brew


Took me literally 5 mins to do it yesterday. I have a handy torch which has a telescopic magnet in the centre which is damn useful for getting to bolts and things that I drop - this worked perfectly to grab hold of the metal cone and pull it out

[darrsi]

I have a horrible feeling he's not reading this and has a pneumatic drill or a pick axe on it by now