Headlamp Pods

[grahamec]

Morning all<br>1-The pods on my S2 seem a bit reluctant to lift fully at times, are there lubrication points that I can lube ?<br>2- If I am to replace rear light bulbs which ones should I fit to have brighter lights.<br>Cheers<br>Grahame

[Andy]

Don't bother w/ the lube.  Sounds like the motor drive needs rebuilding.  There is a writeup on this subject.  As for the rears, wouldn't recommend the higher wattage bulb.  They tend to over heat and deform/discolor the plastic lens.

[nitroman]

Grahame, here are some bright bulbs.  The running light of 8w makes a huge difference.  Bcuz it is a halogen it uses no more juice than a 5w incandescent!  The others truly light up the night.  I have used these bulbs going on 2 years now and couldn't be happier with them.  I suffered what Agent Smith talks about in my youth when I put always-on high-watt bulbs in vehicles.  But the reverse & brake lights just aren't on long enough to reach high-temps.  As to whether 8w can melt anything, I really doubt it.<br>Rear running/turn-signal:  <br>http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=324&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&storeId=10101<br>  <br>Backup #1156:  <br>http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=7837&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&storeId=10101

[grahamec]

Thanks for the replies< I'll do a search for the write up.<br>Grahame

[Sy V]

I have an intermittent (4 times since I bought the car) headlight pod deployment problem.<br>Headlights come on but pods don't even try to rise (same result via headlight switch or flasher stalk). Headlights failed to deploy when I set out for home last night, but (having hand cranked them up to begin journey) they operated normally on arrival home.<br><br>Suspect dodgy "pod delay module" relay or (worst case) "pod control module" itself...other ideas?

[grahamec]

Sy<br>Wish I could help, alas can't but it sounds very much like the problem I had, which has self fixed for now. Hope ypu get it sorted.

[Sy V]

Grahame<br><br>From your original post I got the impression that you could hear the motors trying to lift the pods...My motors, when the fault occurs, don't even fire up, the circuits dead. Then, after an, as yet unconfirmed time, the "system" rights itself.<br><br>Lotus Biorythms again...

[grahamec]

Sy<br>Do you sometimes wish you'd kept ones mouth shut  :-X well guess what, after reading your last post I went out to check and the passenger side pod's not working again and no sound from the motor :'(<br>But I do lerve this car ;D

[timmo]

Sy <br><br>I know you will already have done this but check all fuses and relays are secure and well pushed in place. My fuse that blew was the battery services one and it buggered all lift functions.

[ab2cv]

I'm going to bring this topic to the fore as I prepare to investigate a similar 'headlamp pod deployment' problem. My car started winking at me on the Saturday evening of Donington - drivers light pod comes up but the passenger one doesn't do a thing (no motor sounds or any funny noises). Then if I switch the lights off and back on again, both lamps come up as if nothing was wrong  ??? It did it again on the way back up the road on Sunday, except that time it took 3 attempts of switching the lights off and on to get the lazy passenger pod to rise. <br><br>Doesn't seem like a motor problem to me as when it works, it works fine. Maybe a loose wire or 'pod delay module' problem?<br><br>Alan

[Doug]

play with the wires and plug-in harnesses to the pod module and see if it miraculously fixes it--lots of Elan problems come from little electrical contact problems.

[Sy V]

Yep.<br><br>Just knock the centre of the module mounted on the bulhead.  I think you'll find it'll deploy.

[Doug]

[quote author=Sy link=board=electronics;num=1084963958;start=0#11 date=03/24/05 at 13:17:25]Yep.<br><br>Just knock the centre of the module mounted on the bulhead.  I think you'll find it'll deploy.[/quote]<br>funny line if you read it just right<br><br>don't forget your showercap or you might find some new Elans to care for  ;)

[Rudz]

Interestingly, I had a similar problem. Randomly, the headlamp pods would not lift up. No motor noises - not a headlamp motor problem cos I am familiar with headlamp motor problems having rebuilt them on a few occasions. This symptom only happens intermittently. The lights actually illuminate, its just that the pods dont lift. Sometimes, if I leave the light switch on & just drive away, it will lift up sometime during the drive - almost like an extended delay function - sometimes 10 seconds sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes more than that ! Anyone had similar problems ? I also realised that LOTUS has 2 similar replacement modules - headlamp pod delay module & headlamp lift module. Anybody knows the specific function of each module ?

Cheers ... Rudz

[Sy V]

No Rudz.

You have exactly the same problem. It's that bulkhead mounted unit and/or the wires going into it.
Change it and you'll not have the intermittent illumination but lack of erection problem.

[edhand]

Is there still a writeup on the headlamp motors? There is a line on the repairs page but it is not an active link. One of mine has started acting up lately. The usual symptoms, excessive whirring and clinking and the pod not making it all the way up on its own.

Cudos on the site redesign for whoever was in on it. I really don't get in here often enough any more.

Thanks,
Ed

[Doug]

Ed,

the new page isn't up yet, but here's the link to the old page.

http://www.lotuselancentral.com/lec/headlamp-motor.htm

-Doug

[edhand]

Doug,

Many thanks, I figured it was still around somewhere. Printed it all out and ordered a pair of the kits from Dickmans.

Ed

[desmondsee]

how about this problem: one lifts and the other only goes halfway and stays there! both lifts up at the same time though...hmmm....i have already switched out those plasticky parts since and then had no problems on grinding sound but not lifting ...sigh....

[nickb]

Sy did you ever cure your problem because it's happen to me today for the first time, the lights come on but dont rise??? anything obviouse I can check???

Thanks

Nick