RangeRover 2000 HSE Headlight

[palehorse]

Greetings,
I am the pround owner of a 2000 4.6 HSE RR. She came with a few issues that I have pretty much sorted out..the last one is the dern LF headlight is broken, not the lens, but the supports behind it. I have found a used headlight to fit.....now how in the devil do you get the headlight unit out??

Appol. in advance if this is a repost.but I couldn't find anything using the search.

Thanks,

Pale Horse

[hermanpj]

Removing the headlamp assembly is kind of involved on a P38 and it sucks not to have pictures - sorry but i'm on the road today and do not have ability to take photos. Do you by any chance have the RAVE CD? Below is a quick summary basically form the CD with some additional reference points to make up not having pictures. Unfortunately RAVE is a PDF so I cant print pics for you, and its too big to send you.

1. remove the turn signal indicator lamp - theres a tab you press to release the lamp. with the hood open you can see this tab coming up throgh the front of the truck (called the "bonnet platform" this is the horizontal plane running across the front of the car to which the lamps, grill, etc are attached) where the lights mount, just behind the headlight assembly, just to the inside of where the the indicator lamp is.

2. remove the grill - 4 screws on top and two screws near the bottom (one on each side)

3. rotate the headlamp washer arm nut cover away from the washer arm, remove the washer arm securing nut and remove the headlamp washer suppy tube from the washer arm. remove the washer arm.

4. remove bolt securing the lamp to the bonnet platform - on top of the lamp, toward the front, coming up through the bonnet platform. Remove the bolt securing the lamp to the inner wing platform - this bolt is straight back from the first bolt, like 5-6 inches in... next to the right-most multiplug for the headlamp, and since you are working on the left hand lamp, assuming meaning the driver side, another point of reference is this bolt is between bonnet platform and the air filter box

5. there are now two nuts to remove which secure the lamp housing to the front panel, the vertical plane running runs down from the bonnet platform toward the ground. these are in a vertical line and you access them from the back side of the lamp

6. disconnect the multiplugs - one for the lamp, the other for the wiper motor

7. remove the whole lamp assembly

8. remove two screws that attach the headlamp trim to the headlamp

9. to remove the headlamp washer motor, remove the rubber boot from the shaft, then remove the retaining nut, the motor will then pull out the back of the lamp assembly, leaving you with just the lamp assembly.

[palehorse]

Thanks Pat!!! what a great site!!

[palehorse]

Wife has liked the RR for years..........so when the ford exploder passed 165000, we picked up an about perfect, black 2000 4.6 for 9500. I figured that I could almost put in a new mill if I had to and still be OK. Had some nickel and dime stuff to fix to get her 100% Motor runs great but wet on the bottom, seems like the PS pump is leaking at a fitting or two, understand RR all leak something from somewhere?? Love the thing so far........Milage is kinda lame......14-15 but that shouldn't kill us driving from the farm to the feed store. I am fearful of all the electronics in this thing......it is NASA worthy, but so far so good.

Thanks Again
Don Scott

[hermanpj]

sure thing, no worries.

You probably should buy the Land Rover RAVE CD though. Mine has seen me through the last couple years of 'exciting' Land Rover ownership.

Not sure if its still the case, but at one point this was the CD that dealers used to look up step by step intructions for most repairs. Look up Land Rover RAVE and you'll probably find a number of places to find it. I'd be surprised if it isn't posted for free somewhere if you looked hard enough.

Let me know if my transcription of the headlight removal procedure is confusing and I will look at the RAVE CD.

[palehorse]

Thanks,
I shall tear into tonight......CD sounds like a good idea.......I am looking for it now. Say...one last question on this.....I being a cheap Scotsman......got a used headlight from a "wrecker"...and darn if there aint moisture inside the lens and reflector. Is the lens designed to come of so I may clean it up, or let it ride?? Thanks,

Don Scott

[hermanpj]

Some modifications to the instructions I provided you. Now that I am home and can actually see the screws and bolts and whatnot, and not just going on what the Rave CD looks like... :-) Changes to steps 1 and 4.

1. remove the turn signal indicator lamp - theres a tab you press to release the lamp. the tab does not actually come up through the bonnet platform, but rather if you peer at the back side of the turn indicator lamp you'll see itIts the grey plastic tab toward the right side in the picture.

4. remove bolt securing the lamp to the bonnet platform - on top of the lamp, toward the front, coming up through the bonnet platform. Remove the bolt securing the lamp to the inner wing platform - this bolt is straight back from the first bolt, like 5-6 inches in... and is actually about 8 inches down toward the ground. You can see this bolt in the attached photo. To the left of the tab referenced in step 1, and next to the wiring connector in the photo.

As to drying moisture out of the headlamp housing, have not done this, and actually i do not know to what degree you can dis-assemble the headlight housing itself. I wouldnt do it unless nothing else works. Beware.... parts here could be glued together and you could do more harm than good. If you remove both bulbs - the dipped beam and the inline beam - it would seem that these two open sockets would allow good airflow through the housing so that you could lay the assembly next to a heat register in your house for a couple days (not too close to a radiant heater or it could melt). Assuming you don't have a humidifier in-line with your heater, the dry air could help. Other idea is if you have an air compressor you could try shooting air in through each hole. Also you can get silica gel packets. These are those "DO NOT EAT" packets that come with new shoes and new electronics, but you can also get them at some hardware stores. Depending on where the moisture is it might make sense to put a silica gel packet into the housing - not way into a corner though bc you have to get it out. Or you could seal the headlamp housing and a few silica gel packets in a plastic kitchen trashbag for a couple days and see if that helps absorb the moisture. Good luck.

[palehorse]

Pat...you da Man!!!

Thanks again. PS asked the wrecker about the moisture.he advised pouring about 1/2 bottle of Rubbing Alcohol in the holes after bulbs removed.swash the hell out of it and let it evaporate out. BRILLIANT!!!!!

DS

[hermanpj]

thats a great idea!

[palehorse]

NUTS!!!
Got the old light out, new old light in. The "extraction was smooth except the two nuts were locked up on the bolt. Since the old light was broke, I was able to pull it back enough to see what the deal was. Now that clearly a bolt that goes through to the nut........I have know idea how the expect you to get at that damn thing with out yanking the lamp out first.

Oh well.........put the Galden new old lamp in, stil had some condenstae in it so I swiped the missud mini hir drier and blew hot air in it for about five minute. cured.

BUT..when I turn the lights on the dip beam is..well...dull. Call the good light on the other side a 10...these be about a 6 or 7. Swapped bulbs from side to side...same result. I am guessing the refelctive part of the lense is poor.

Ready to shoot something. Note to self......never try to save 50 bucks by buying a "good as new, used part from some yahoo on the net.

Unless somebody has a brilliant idea on what I am dealing with............I guess I will order a brand new headlight tommorrow and get on with it. That was a 200 dollar lesson.

Don Scott

[hermanpj]

if it was a range rover classic i'd say try seeing if the headlight aim needed to be corrected. not sure you can change the aim on these units. do you think the moisture maybe corroded the reflector?

[palehorse]

Pat, Thats my guess, also there is a deflector affair supported by wire from the base of the bulb that is heat fouled. This is the second light I got from these folks..........the first one arrived smashed up....this one doesnt work.

Your directions were of great help, good news is when the new assembly arrives, I can get it in lickity split. I don't know if or how the Company that sold me this makes it right. seems to me used or not it should function in an acceptable fashion. Live and learn me thinks.

Happy New Yeqr.

Don

[hermanpj]

alls well that ends well... happy new year