Well I noticed that when my low beams were on only one headlight (the left) was on. I know that its common for Hondas to only have a single low beam light at a time...F4i, 600rr,5th-6th gen VFR. But i could have sworn when i got my 4th gen a couple months back that both headlights came on when the low beam was on. Is it just me?
stangrr66, Jan 24 2007, 10:01 PMWell I noticed that when my low beams were on only one headlight (the left) was on. I know that its common for Hondas to only have a single low beam light at a time...F4i, 600rr,5th-6th gen VFR. But i could have sworn when i got my 4th gen a couple months back that both headlights came on when the low beam was on. Is it just me?
Both should work all the time, bulb is probably shot.
stangrr66, Jan 24 2007, 10:01 PMBut i could have sworn when i got my 4th gen a couple months back that both headlights came on when the low beam was on. Is it just me?
You've got a bad bulb. Both should be on, low or high. Be aware the headlight bulbs on 4th gen VFR are Honda-specific; If you are going to buy standard H4 replacement bulbs they must be modified to fit.
While you are at it, check out your charging system. Excessive charging system voltage can promote bulb burn-out; and 4th gen voltage regulators have a nasty reputation...
Thanks guys, I thought i was going crazy when I saw that only one was on. I don't know much about the electrical but right next to my voltage regulator i have a computer Fan cooling the regulator. The guy who owned it prior to me made the modification and he said it hasn't failed him yet. But as soon as i turn the key to the "ON" position the fan is rigged to the light and it turns on automatically. I thought it was pretty cool. But about the headlights....am i going to have to take the dash off too?and will i have to get the new headlight from Honda?
I've been riding with the highbeams on since i found out only one was coming on.....hope this doesn't piss off too many people. tongue.gif
If you have small enough hands (or a kid) you can reach in behind the dash and take the headlight out and replace it without removing the dash (or the kid can do it). Odds are you will have to remove the side fairing to get back in there, and or remove the top fuse cover (I would do this part even if I was having the kid remove the light and replace it). It will be tough, and it will make you angry (at least the replacement of it) but it can be done, stay calm and it goes faster, and remember, no matter how frustrated you get, don't throw the new light (you'll have to go get another if you do).
dirtydizzogg, Jan 25 2007, 10:02 AMIf you have small enough hands (or a kid) you can reach in behind the dash and take the headlight out and replace it without removing the dash (or the kid can do it). Odds are you will have to remove the side fairing to get back in there, and or remove the top fuse cover (I would do this part even if I was having the kid remove the light and replace it). It will be tough, and it will make you angry (at least the replacement of it) but it can be done, stay calm and it goes faster, and remember, no matter how frustrated you get, don't throw the new light (you'll have to go get another if you do).
Dirtydizzogg
hahaha god i hope i dont have kids....but i appreciate the advice. I've been itching to take my fairings off, i just never had a reason to. Guess we'll see what happens lurk.gif
This is your chance to upgrade to Sylvania Silverstar bulbs. Get some H4 dual-filiments (high/low) and bend the two lower tabs back to make them fit. Price the Honda OEM bulbs and the Silverstars will seem like a bargin. The light is way mobetta.
You don't have to remove any plastics because the bulbs are accessible from the rear, covered by a rubber "boot". Pull the boot off the rear of the connector and remove bulb. The only tricky part is figureing out the connector. You have to squeeze (pinch) to release it from the bulb. Pinch horizontally (side to side). Then the bulb is left in the fixture secured by a gold wire loop spring. This loop will pivot out of the way and totally release the bulb from the bike. Don't remove the loop it is very difficult to reinstall.
The first time you do this proceedure you will become frustrated. Hang in there it is way doable.
I have a 4th gen and replaced the Honda bulbs with an H4 type. Philips XtraVision I think; I don't care for the tinted coatings on some "peformance" bulbs. I found the best way to modify the H4 was to bend the two lower tabs forward *toward* the glass. This way the tabs become "legs" that rest against the inner ring of the hole in the reflector. Next I gradually trimmed the height of the tabs/legs until the bulb sat square and level in the hole, just like the originals.
I looked at my bike yesterday as I was sitting at a stop light, and i couldn't believe that I could see the headlights under my dash just sitting there, and that I hadn't even noticed them before, THEY WERE IN PLAIN VIEW!! So I know exactly what y'all were talking about and it should be really easy to swap out the headlights this weekend. I'm actually sort of excited to see what kind of difference it'll create.
stangrr66, Jan 25 2007, 07:52 AMThanks guys, I thought i was going crazy when I saw that only one was on. I don't know much about the electrical but right next to my voltage regulator i have a computer Fan cooling the regulator. The guy who owned it prior to me made the modification and he said it hasn't failed him yet. But as soon as i turn the key to the "ON" position the fan is rigged to the light and it turns on automatically. I thought it was pretty cool. But about the headlights....am i going to have to take the dash off too?and will i have to get the new headlight from Honda?
Regarding the fan mod to the R/R: do you know how this is done? I am on my fourth R/R now, and am open to all options in order to prevent having to install a fifth. Maybe a pic of the setup next time you have the rear plastics off?
For the headlights, I recently bough these little adapter rings off eBay for $10 that make any H4 bulb fit wthout having to bend/break tabs. They work great, and in hindsight I would probably have made them myself...
stangrr66, Jan 25 2007, 07:52 AMThanks guys, I thought i was going crazy when I saw that only one was on. I don't know much about the electrical but right next to my voltage regulator i have a computer Fan cooling the regulator. The guy who owned it prior to me made the modification and he said it hasn't failed him yet. But as soon as i turn the key to the "ON" position the fan is rigged to the light and it turns on automatically. I thought it was pretty cool. But about the headlights....am i going to have to take the dash off too?and will i have to get the new headlight from Honda?
Regarding the fan mod to the R/R: do you know how this is done? I am on my fourth R/R now, and am open to all options in order to prevent having to install a fifth. Maybe a pic of the setup next time you have the rear plastics off?
For the headlights, I recently bough these little adapter rings off eBay for $10 that make any H4 bulb fit without having to bend/break tabs. They work great, and in hindsight I would probably have made them myself...
As Far as the headlights and the H4 rings, Ive seen that a couple times on Ebay also but i don't justify paying $10 per ring when i can easily make it work for free, but its a good idea. Now the fan by the voltage regulator is an easy one......in theory. Basically when you turn your bike on it should automatically start running and it shouldn't turn off until you turn your bike off. Which means you need to connect the fan to the lights, which turn on automatically....The owner previous used straight aluminum brackets to hold the fan in place by connecting them to the side tail faring bolts (same bolts used to attach the seat cowl)it works really well and keeps the voltage regulator cool. So far he said he had the bike for a year and a half and I've had it for a couple months and i haven't had a single issue with it. If you need me to, I can take pictures of it and see if that will help you. It seems like a really easy modification, but one thing i think you might have to make sure about is the fan power, and whether or not the fan requires a certain amount of voltage to turn it, and a certain amount to maintain it. So i wouldn't put a huge fan on it, but also too small could wear it out faster. The on i have is relatively small for a computer fan so if you can do some research on whether that matters or not then I would look into it. And anyone else who has done this mod hime in now and correct me if I'm wrong, because i was not the one who completed the mod, but this is what i gathered from looking at it.
stangrr66, Jan 25 2007, 07:52 AMThanks guys, I thought i was going crazy when I saw that only one was on. I don't know much about the electrical but right next to my voltage regulator i have a computer Fan cooling the regulator. The guy who owned it prior to me made the modification and he said it hasn't failed him yet. But as soon as i turn the key to the "ON" position the fan is rigged to the light and it turns on automatically. I thought it was pretty cool. But about the headlights....am i going to have to take the dash off too?and will i have to get the new headlight from Honda?
Regarding the fan mod to the R/R: do you know how this is done? I am on my fourth R/R now, and am open to all options in order to prevent having to install a fifth. Maybe a pic of the setup next time you have the rear plastics off?
For the headlights, I recently bough these little adapter rings off eBay for $10 that make any H4 bulb fit without having to bend/break tabs. They work great, and in hindsight I would probably have made them myself...
As Far as the headlights and the H4 rings, Ive seen that a couple times on Ebay also but i don't justify paying $10 per ring when i can easily make it work for free, but its a good idea. Now the fan by the voltage regulator is an easy one......in theory. Basically when you turn your bike on it should automatically start running and it shouldn't turn off until you turn your bike off. Which means you need to connect the fan to the lights, which turn on automatically....The owner previous used straight aluminum brackets to hold the fan in place by connecting them to the side tail faring bolts (same bolts used to attach the seat cowl)it works really well and keeps the voltage regulator cool. So far he said he had the bike for a year and a half and I've had it for a couple months and i haven't had a single issue with it. If you need me to, I can take pictures of it and see if that will help you. It seems like a really easy modification, but one thing i think you might have to make sure about is the fan power, and whether or not the fan requires a certain amount of voltage to turn it, and a certain amount to maintain it. So i wouldn't put a huge fan on it, but also too small could wear it out faster. The on i have is relatively small for a computer fan so if you can do some research on whether that matters or not then I would look into it. And anyone else who has done this mod hime in now and correct me if I'm wrong, because i was not the one who completed the mod, but this is what i gathered from looking at it.
I have performed the computer fan mod on all three of my VFR's, 90, 96 & 01. Remove the R/R unit and use nylon tie wraps to fasten the computer fan directly to the R/R unit, making sure the airflow is blowing on the unit, not away from it. Remount the R/R unit and tap into the licence plate light circuit for volage. The power is on whenever the ignition key is turned on. The computer fans are 12 volts and only draw about .4 amps. This is an easy mod and does not need to be made any more difficult with using brackets etc. The R/R unit is covered by the rear fairing so it needs to be functional, not necessarily pretty. I have had the same fans on my bikes for the past three or four years now without any problems. Good advice on the Silverstars, they are awesome, and btw, you should allways be riding with your brights on in the daytime. Changing headlamp bulbs are a PIA, especially with big hands like mine. The first time is the hardest, especially re-positioning the gold spring wire holder so be patient. Good Luck!
making sure the airflow is blowing on the unit, not away from it
I was curious as to why this matters.
Well the fan will only cool the R/R when it is directed towards it. Otherwise, having the fan there but facing the opposite direction makes it useless. It wont draw the heat away from the R/R. Which is the main reason why it tends to go out on the vfrs.
stangrr66, Jan 25 2007, 12:06 PMwell it looks like y'all convinced me. I'm going to get the H4s and try to get that done this weekend. Until then, the High beams will work fine.
Yep, the Sylvania H4ST's are pretty nice. I just installed them in my '95 with the H4 adapter rings. The adapters are quality items and do lend stability to the installation.
End of thread · 23 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 26 Mar 2007