dip beam /main beam question

[type53b]

A couple of questions for the guru's. First one, I only noticed this last night, (the car has the 4 quad north American style headlights) when the dips are on and I switch on main beam , the dip lights magically revert to parking lights/sidelights!???? When i knock the main beam off, the dip lights come back on straight away. Is this supposed to be like this? I have the funny feeling it is, but the headlight loom has had a bit of soldering repairs done to it to fix up the previous owner bodged attempts at relaying the headlights and to sort out a boo-boo I made myself, when I left the headlight loom detached from its fixings under the rad and it fell against the alternator belt, which promptly cut thru half of it like a band saw!!! There was a few choice words uttered that day . anyway, another thing I noticed is when I switch the main beam on, the main beam warning light on the clocks lights up yellow not blue as I thought it should. But I am prepared to live with that, just odd I thought. Any advice gratefully accepted, thank you.

[type53b]

Anyone got a clue ?

[mr.brown]

What year/model is you car? If it's an early GTI then the lights were a factory fit. Also, I'm pretty sure the yellow dash light for main beams was normal then too.

The headlights are supposed to work like that. I assume it's designed this way because the full current runs through the headlight switch and it would probably melt if all 4 dip/main lights were on at once.

[type53b]

The car is a 82 mk2 gt 1.6 carb'd engine. What you said about melting the headlight switch with all 4lights on makes sense now that I think about it. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[mr.brown]

Definitely sounds like an unofficial import - possibly a "Forces" car ordered direct from the factory then brought back. The GT model didn't officially appear until 1985/86.

[essextom]

I have an 82 gti with square lights, mine does the same, main beams cut out once high beams are on. I'm also glad my high beam instrument bulb is meant to be yellow, thought someone had been buggering about with it.

[type53b]

Definitely sounds like an unofficial import - possibly a "Forces" car ordered direct from the factory then brought back. The GT model didn't officially appear until 1985/86.

I don't think it was, it is an original Irish registered car, bought from a vw dealer in Tralee, co kerry,from what I can figure out. It is identical to an 82 gti, same seats,north american headlights,scirocco script across the back window and single oil temp gauge fitted, except the badge on the back says gt. I was talking to an old guy at a car show and he reckoned that because of the eye watering insurance premiums being bandied about in Ireland back then, that it might have been a ploy by vw to tone down the gti version with a similar specced car but with a more insurance friendly , lower HP (75) carb'ed engine to generate sales. But I don't know that for sure.

[type53b]

I have an 82 gti with square lights, mine does the same, main beams cut out once high beams are on. I'm also glad my high beam instrument bulb is meant to be yellow, thought someone had been buggering about with it.

it must be the way they left the factory , if yours is the same as mine.

[mr.brown]

I don't think it was, it is an original Irish registered car, bought from a vw dealer in Tralee, co kerry,from what I can figure out. .

Unless Ireland had it's own range of Scirocco models, It's probable that Irish VW dealers were able to buy German spec direct from Germany. Your car is 100% standard 1982 German GT spec - the GTI mentioned above was standard UK spec for that year and there was never a UK spec GT in 1982.

Check your engine number too - if it starts with FR you have an 85 bhp model

[type53b]

I don't think it was, it is an original Irish registered car, bought from a vw dealer in Tralee, co kerry,from what I can figure out. .

Unless Ireland had it's own range of Scirocco models, It's probable that Irish VW dealers were able to buy German spec direct from Germany. Your car is 100% standard 1982 German GT spec - the GTI mentioned above was standard UK spec for that year and there was never a UK spec GT in 1982.

Check your engine number too - if it starts with FR you have an 85 bhp model

yeah it had an FR engine but the last guy the owned it blew that engine and he fitted an RF code 1.6 engine from a mk2 golf , which is 75bhp as far as I know. I will somehow have to make another 10 HP out of this engine to make up the difference !