Be sure to follow up what you choose. I plan to keep the round lamps on my 240D so I am thinking on some round replacement I can install a bulb into.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

I just ordered a set of Hella e-codes from Rallylights.com. We'll see how they do.

Does anyone have suggestions for a driving light to use in the small "foglight" position in the 123 cars?

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

I just got a pair of the E-codes too. I can post some before and after pics, though Dave's are quite good.

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Andrew

1989 Volvo 745- 202K

The Hella units are OK, but I slightly prefer the Bosch H4's over them in terms of beam output (the cut off is not as sharp as those in the Bosch units) although the headlamp shape of the Hella fits better into the US DOT housing of the w123 than the Bosch units (that stick out slightly). Just my observations.

With regards to the additional driving lights would it be possible to install a set of 5.75 inch E-codes in place of those foglamps, and install H4's too? Don't know if that's possible without modifications to the housing/wiring?

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

If they would fit, that would be great. I can measure the current drawn by an H4 bulb and compare it to the current of the foglamp. If it isn't too much greater, the stock wiring and switch would work.

It shouldn't be too difficult to add a relay or two so that the light switch would only have to bear the load of the relay coil and the lights themselves would be connected directly to the battery with their own fuses via the relay. One option would be to have the "inside" lights come on with high beam in the outside lights.

One would have to make sure the combination did not overpower the alternator or overheat the housings. Otherwise, you could run four H4 bulbs in four reflectors and throw a lot of light that would still look stock enough to fool most onlookers.

I'll post the current draw tomorrow.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

I have 7” round Cibie H4 E-Code headlamps. They are better than the MB Euros and somewhat better than the Hella E-Codes. Probably the only thing better would be the Marchals.

I have 5.75" Cibie E-Code high beams in the fog lamp position wired into the high beam circuit thru a relay and it's own rocker switch.

I have aftermarket fogs under the bumper wired into the slightly modified fog lamp circuit. It has been rewired so the fogs can be used in either low beam mode or parking position, not just in low.

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Ron Schroeder
'85 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
'83 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
Some former WVO vehicles since ~1980:
'83 Mercedes 240D
'80 Audi 4000D
'83 ISUZU Pup
'70 SAAB 99 with Kubota diesel
'76 Honda Civic with Kubota diesel
'86 Golf
Several diesel generators
All with 2 tank WVO conversion
LI NY

I got the IPF's installed on my Jeep Cherokee. They are definitely an improvement, but they have a horizontal "Y" shaped beam that is a little bit annoying.

So I think I am going to go with the Hella E-code for the 300D. Question is, what are the chances of being taken to task for having "illegal" headlights? There is no safety inspection requirement where I live. And I don't plan on using bulbs that are more than the law permits.

I have Hella H4 7" high/low and Hella H1 5.75" high headlights in my '84 300td, and am running 55/100 and 100 watt bulbs respectively. I didn't need the fogs and wanted four high beams, so the Euro lights were out since the inner positions are still fogs. I got the lights from Classic Garage and have X-PEL protecting the lights.

The 7" lights are on the stock wiring and the 5.75" lights are on the stock fog light wiring between the light and what was the switch end. To wire the 5.75" high beams, I installed a relay and harness I had leftover from one of my BMWs. The relay is triggered by the stock high beam wiring as well as the horn; the former is a ring terminal attached at the stock high-beam "fuse in" side at the fuse block and the latter is a bare 1/4" end of wire sandwiched under the horn wire screw/clamp; I used diodes so the highs won't trigger the horn and vice-versa (yes, only the 5.75" highs flash when you honk). The power to the relay comes off a ring terminal attached at the cluster of always-positive red wires on the headlight switch; the power out of the relay attaches to the stock fog light wires with a ring terminal and a 6-32 screw/locknut/washers and covered with shrink wrap (obviously, the stock fog light wires were removed from the terminal on the headlight switch). No wiring modification was necessary, so all of this is reversible should a subsequent owner want to go back to fogs.

No need to do any current measurement -- the good ol I^2*R = V*I = watts will work for us. Thus, a 55W bulb at 12V draws 4.6 amps; a 100W bulb at 12V draws 8.3 amps (actual operating voltage will affect the current, but using 12V is close enough). Given that the stock wiring is just a bit thicker than 14AWG, IMO it has sufficient capacity for 100W bulbs to be used safely. Now, whether the voltage drop across the length of wire at that current is acceptable is something else.

Anyone else order the E-codes and have them totally backordered? I'm still waiting on mine!!!

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Andrew

1989 Volvo 745- 202K

At a Good-Guys car show about 5 yrs ago , I bought a pair of after mkt
headlights with the H4 100/90W bulbs. WOW! what a change. these even
looked like the original.

I always wanted the fog lights to come on with the headlights on high
beam. so found what wire went to the fog lights. cut it off at the plug and
wired in a seperate wire from ea light to a switch on the dash, then wired
to the head light switch. so now the fogs work high or low beam, and also
turn off with the headlight switch if I leave the fog switch on.

I have taken a few rock hits, so now have a set of the tri bar with the
diamond reflector. doesn`t seem to work as well as the first set, the light
doesn`t seem to project out as far.

haven`t had any trouble with the wiring, or fuses so far.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

I replaced mine with the Hella H-4's. That "Y" pattern you're referring to is on any headlamp produced in Europe, I think. They are serious about not blinding the oncoming driver with low beams. I like mine, yet have heard the PIAA's are even better. The bulbs I use, Plus 30 60/55 W, are fine with stock wiring.

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83 SD

84 CD

I was afraid of that. You can see the same pattern in dmorrison's photos. I guess I can get used to it.

Tangofox, you can place a sticker on the headlamps to make the light pattern just a straight horizontal beam. Look at the headlamps on this w201 and notice how the sticker is placed just so it covers the refractors for the diagonal part of the beam.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

Thanks, I might do that!!!

I am confused. Your fogs don't work with the headlights on high beam? The fog lights in my '85 come on when I pull out the headlight switch knob, if the headlights are on (won't work with parking lights only). The fogs stay on in both low beam and high beam. Is your car wired differently?

I plan to replace the fogs with some kind of high-beam driving light. Then I'll have either two or four high beams for the dark roads.

Jeremy

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970