39 P8 LED headlights

[Racerstev]

Hi all, I see there is a 6 volt positive ground LED headlight on E Bay, seems to have the right mounting base and 2 pin configuration . Would seem to be the trick for the dim lights on my

old girl. I have used aftermarket LED's before on a MR2 Spyder with horrible results. The light was scattered and way out of focus, totally useless. 

 

Has anyone tried a set of these out yet? I find it hard to believe they could be any worse then stock bulbs.

 

While on the subject of lighting, any idea why there are 2 bulbs in the headlight housing, the large 2 filament and a small bulb.  The small bulb doesn't seem to get power. Maybe could be used for a turn signal bulb if I can find a yellow bulb?? 

 

Steve   

[Racerstev]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165621582434?hash=item268fd0ca62:g:owgAAOSwceBi9ANl&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAABAOSdSiAXIF%2FwBV0o5VjjFSUj7g34vBYfAigfPrE3iw1PQtkhA4j7tYwC%2FrCENquhQxsI2uLE%2B0ig6ZJokE1D2y9yJJPDv2xxbu86nPBuLeKsSDcIRPZqE7aeJHg%2BwI2wWgYbWIagOw0cE6dRvMATzCRD6%2FPq9%2BU6DFfH6ytY2nV5Lb0Mn0r83qU%2FssxmQR9NrgnB5aSAA8JfG6JNEIZCBMQfAtDK5F3vP2ItFnSMkNxHJyYf2d70soj3YGUVva1%2ByFJLreF8WVpY8yMm%2F191Zi3S72S%2B7Yjx%2BkBMZ5Y%2F1Wv9rR1x3936%2BbQ6r0fVdu7n8S2BHtD7csl%2F%2BFJf62Rd3p4%3D|tkp%3ABFBM6PPFzrxh

[keithb7]

My experience is the 6V led light bulbs are absolute junk.  Maybe the ones you found are better. I’m skeptical.  “USA Seller” is trickery and means nothing. 
 

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by keithb7

[38plymouth]

I tried led tail light bulbs from ebay and they are junk. They definitely don't work and the lead contacts are made really weird. The company refused to refund them without me paying shipping to return them, the shipping was more than the bulbs. I think it might be that company. They knew they wouldn't work in my application but lied and told me they were a direct fit.

[Racerstev]

Just a thought, suppose you use some high temp epoxy to mechanically hold the ring in place before the crappy mechanical bond fails. It should still ground though the ring.

I agree this is more then likely junk but the advantages could be huge, much lower amp draw as well as much brighter and whiter. I really wonder what the light pattern would be though. Like I said, my last test was a fail as well with the pattern. 

 

Steve 

[38DeSoto]

The two small bulbs in the headlights are your Park Lights.  There is a 'detent' on your headlight switch  when you pull it 1/2 way out.  The old mechanical switches can wear -you can take them apart clean & reassemble.  Usually this will fix issue - switches are still available online if new one is required.

[Racerstev]

6 minutes ago, 38DeSoto said:

The two small bulbs in the headlights are your Park Lights.  There is a 'detent' on your headlight switch  when you pull it 1/2 way out.  The old mechanical switches can wear -you can take them apart clean & reassemble.  Usually this will fix issue - switches are still available online if new one is required.

The 1st detent on mine turns on the yellow fog lights, never noticed the park lights coming on. Suspect they are burned out. 

 

Think I will pull the trigger on the LED's, for the money it's a worthy test. I really doubt they will work, seems they though the light to the side rather 

then to the front like the stock bulbs. 

 

Steve 

[Cannuck]

Thanks Kieth .

I have LED brake / taillights and the reason I went with them was for brightness but really I don't find them any brighter.

Edited January 26, 2023 by Cannuck

[Racerstev]

Ordered them up last night, I'll do an update when I get them in. 

 

Played with the car last night, the parking lights do work after all... 

 

Steve 

[JohnTeee]

How about something like this?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403940412255

 

I too am looking to upgrade my 6V light bulbs.

 

John

[OUTFXD]

27 minutes ago, JohnTeee said:

How about something like this?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403940412255

 

I too am looking to upgrade my 6V light bulbs.

Looks like it requires a 12v system.  Definately wont work on a 6v positive ground system.

[JohnTeee]

24 minutes ago, OUTFXD said:

Looks like it requires a 12v system.  Definately wont work on a 6v positive ground system.

Dagnabit. Ain't anything ever easy!

 

John

[OUTFXD]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255182006198?hash=item3b6a0867b6:g:NS0AAOSwiZRhayts&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoHt1Er%2BlYMOHAh%2BtLKtQRbBDSPxXcOuORSZyfBFIDzzfiBdz5LOkz8GBWfAOl6ZMqFA%2Bl2OMeIkplT%2Fc%2Bgd6HwRZyIxafq3VhJ8cZLI4WHA3XFNBKxXn9ssWRw3nG41%2FfxnjSEWx7kWCCGY77qiqGDSGob%2BC6zlIGxiOrXzko7%2BlvUKGlCMH%2BxZ8cJzatf1XIh%2FksVWecNdovb52MDRpyTs%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR6DGsee-YQ

 

This set looks promissing!

[nonstop]

I recently tried LED headlights in Hella housings and they were certainly bright as RPM was increased.  I read one comment that said they flickered a lot.  In my experience, they were right.  The lights were very dim at idle and flickered like crazy.  I finally took them out and am using Octane brand h4 halogens 55/60w.  I am very happy with that set up.

[Marcel Backs]

Are the halogens wired directly or through a headlight relay of some sort?

[desoto1939]

I have a 39 Desoto that is still stock 6 volts.  The 1939 Mopar cars all used the Mazda bulb 2331.  You need to be very careful becasue they also sell as 2330 bulb that looks identical. But here is the issue. The 2331 bulbs are setup with the appropriate contacts in the headlight socket so that the Low beam comes on with the contact at the 9 oc clock position inthe socket and the high beam comes on with the contact at the 3 oclcok contact. So our lights move when looking at the light from  a left to right  pattern.

 

The 2330 bulbs have the two contact at the 12/6 oclock position so you can not interchange the two bulbs.

 

You might just ant to put on a set of 6 volt driving lights that mount on the bumper or good driving for light combination.

 

Rich Hartung

[LeRoy]

I recently put Phillips 1129 bulbs in my marker lights and brake light. As part of the project I removed and cleaned the lenses and painted the inside of the housing white (the rears I was actually painting the fender as there is no actual taillight bucket). The improvement is remarkable. I'd still like to have brighter lights but this is much better than the correct bulbs, dirty lenses and buckets.

Edited February 2, 2023 by LeRoy

[Pete]

I tried LED headlight bulbs in my P8. They were very bright, but also very unfocused. They did not play well with the reflector shape at all. They were useless and dangerous for night driving. I'm currently running halogen bulbs with the original reflectors which work much better than either the tungsten or LED bulbs. Also running an alternator to handle the increased current load.

Pete

 

[Sniper]

I believe Kieth has a video on this very subject.  I do like his style of presentation.

 

 

[Racerstev]

Update. i got the bulbs and found them to look right out of the box, the mounting flange was tight and fit the housing correctly. I had a spare set

of reflectors so I did a bench test before installing them. Well, this didn't go so well. 1st they are not bright, at all, seems they are more of a 1157 

bulb with a ring attached to them.  I checked for currant draw and found .09 and .05 amps, that's not a typo .09 amps on high beam!. I checked the 

factory bulbs and got more like 3.5 on low and 5.5 on high. I did have a aftermarket LED bulb laying around, this tested 1.5 amps (on 12 volts).

 

So yeah this was a failed test. Sent them back, free return shipping and speedy return of my money.  I guess if used as brake-parking bulbs they 

would be just fine.

 

Steve 

[Sniper]

If you want the best in headlights talk to this guy

 

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/

 

It's been his passion for about 30 years now.  He will know what will work.

[Plymouthy Adams]

try a Mazda brand....32/32 candlepower  part number 2331  

[Sniper]

11 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

try a Mazda brand....32/32 candlepower  part number 2331  

 

That would be the factory bulb, not what the OP was wondering about.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I suppose...if these were not available and economically priced, I could see a need to change/upgrade...whereas this upgrade was done many years ago to address the one year design of the rectangular lens....the bulb however continued forward....until sealed beam.  

[Sniper]

the OP stated he wasn't happy with the stock setup, too dim.

 

He also found out the crap aftermarket LED bulbs were worse.

 

I pointed him to a guy that can, if it is possible, set him up with better than stock lighting and I don't mean just brighter.