MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGF Technical - Headlight

Hi

I've not been on here for ages as my F has been running perfectly and the more I read on here the more I want to spend!

Quick question though if anyone can answer for me. I have just dismantled both headlights and sprayed the reflectors to match my car, the drivers side came apart and went back together without any problems and looks great, the passenger side however is a different story. It came apart fine but when I put it back together it just doesn't look right and in my opinion looks like the lense is sitting to high up in the grey surround.

On the drivers side once back together all you can see through the glass lense in the painted reflector, on the passenger side the reflector is sitting higher up in the whole unit and you can see a gap at the bottom front between the reflector and the glass, this resulting in you being able to see the inside of the grey housing unit. This may actually be correct and I've never noticed it before because for one I don't usually stare at my headlights and two when the reflectors were silver it would not have been so noticeable.

Would really appreciate it anyone has any ideas on this or could actually look at their passenger headlight to tell me if its right or I'm going mad.

By the way the Drivers side looks great and upto now it has been a very cheap and easy mod.

Thanks in advance
Arron
A Burgess

Sounds like one of the ball and socket adjusters hasn't re-seated properly, which will throw the whole unit askew within the outer casing. The beam aim adjustments move the whole assembly of reflector bowl/dipped beam lens/insert section. Afraid you may have to dismantle it again to check.
Mike Hankin

Hi Arron,

I presume you mean that there is a gap between the now-coloured lamp surround and the bottom of the glass, so you can see the grey lamp surround below?

This seems quite common on reassembled lamp units - I've seen it a few times. Probably has something to do with the adjustment of the lamps (adjuster screws wound in too far?)
Rob Bell

Beat me to it Mike - but hopefully adjusting the screws should resolve the problem without having to strip the lamps down again :o)

Rob Bell

Working on the assumption that the adjusters weren't moved in the disassembly, I'd suspect one hasn't snapped back into position. Agreed it's possible it might snap back in with a full cycle of each adjuster, but I'd be worried about breakage, that plastic is pretty fragile. Worth getting the headlamp nice and warm first, methinks...
Mike Hankin

Thanks Guys

Rob, yes the gap is exactly as you describe it, initially I thought it was to to with the adjusters but I did not touch them at all, I guess that the lense may not have been connected to the adjusters before and when I refitted it, clicked it in correctly thus altering the level (if that makes sense).

I'll have to have another look tonigh, however I think I may have broke an adjuster last night so will have to fix that first.

Thanks Again
Arron
A Burgess

Fingers crossed Arron! :o)
Rob Bell

This thread was discussed on 18/11/2005

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.