Main Beam Warning Lamp/LED ?

[farley381]

My main beam warning lamp has stopped working. The indicator one has been intermittent too, so (as that will fail the MOT) I have started to investigate.
Removed the instrument binnacle - no mean feat - sounds so easy easy in the Haynes manual!

Used contact cleaner on the white & black connectors. Indicator tell-tale (green)seems to work OK, as do the red oil pressure & ignition, but still no (blue) main beam indicator.
Checked & 12v is getting to the white (16 way connector) - blue/white wire.

But, is it an blue LED or a bulb in the binnacle? Blue LEDs weren't that common back in 1987 (& were expensive).
Googling it, it seems that in other VWs of the era it was a bulb behind blue plastic.

Either way, has anyone ever manged to change it?

I'm a bit worried that in dismantling the binnacle I'll jigger everything else up. How is the bulb held in, is there a holder?
The cheap & cheerful alternative is a separate tell-tale mounted on the dash somewhere (looks like they are cheap enough on eBay) - wouldn't look right though.

Advice please.

[Tim_R]

It's a very small bulb. You can swap it if you are willing to strip down the cluster a bit. You may be able to get away without having to take the flexi circuit board off the back, but it's been a while since I took one apart.

[Nate]

Just stick a blue 12v led in a small potting box and run a feed from one of the high beam bulbs. Will get you thru the test

[farley381]

Cheers chaps. While I have the binnacle out I'm tempted to have a go, hope I don't regret it.

[unknownmale]

I did this little write up last year which shows how to strip the clocks down to get to the bulbs if you need it - viewtopic.php?f=11&t=17624

[farley381]

So the cross head screws hold on the front! I was looking at it thinking that I needed to undo everything, then peel off the flexi-pcb, then try and get inside from the back.
Might give that a go then.

Mine does look different from the back though. It has the same gauges, but has some sort of a vacuum unit bolted on the back (but it doesn't have the mpg gauge like my previous GTX).

I'll see if I can upload a pickie.

[farley381]

Binnacle.JPG

[farley381]

Your write-up made me smile. On my last GTX, the bulb in the instrument light went. I got the binnacle out, but broke the bulb holder, so stuck it back in with bluetak. It worked fine for about 3 years 'til it must have vibrated free. I couldn't face getting the binnacle out again so left it looking just like yours (only the tacho lit).

That was another thing holding me back, I couldn't remember how to get the bulbs out & was scared I'd break the holder again.

[unknownmale]

So the cross head screws hold on the front! I was looking at it thinking that I needed to undo everything, then peel off the flexi-pcb, then try and get inside from the back.
Might give that a go then.

Mine does look different from the back though. It has the same gauges, but has some sort of a vacuum unit bolted on the back (but it doesn't have the mpg gauge like my previous GTX).

I'll see if I can upload a pickie.

Yeah, just those 8 screws and then the front will fold down. Looks like you have the MFA clocks.the PCB can stay in place!

[farley381]

As you said, pretty easy, once someone else has worked it out. Though I struggled a bit until I un-clipped the white & black edge connectors.

Bulb out.JPG

Definitely a bulb. I wondered whether to go the LED route, but in the end, after a bit of digging, found out that you can use the bulb out of a T3 Camper.
I know LEDS last forever, but the first bulb lasted 28 years! Got one off of eBay (genuine VW too).

bulb.JPG

[unknownmale]

Nice...You should fill that space up with lights...Get it looking like a christmas tree!