156 parking lights

[colcol]

My 156 JTS seems to suffer a lot from blown parker globes, its seems every 12 months or so i have to replace one, and they are difficult to change, as there is limited amount of room for people with fat hands and short fingers.
The latest episode, the light blew out first thing in the morning when i switched it on, so it had to be parked in the 'sin bin', and the trusty 33 used, its just that if the police see a blown globe, then its a yellow canary for an unroadworthy car, so a dud headlight can cause a lot more problems than i need.
The globes required for parkers are H6 type globe, 12 volts, 6 watt, now here is the important part, OFFSET PINS, instead of the pins being 180 degrees, they are about 160 degrees, hard to spot, unless you are looking for them.
So did the rounds, Repco no stock, Supercheap run out as well, Bursons had 5 at $9.50 each so i purchased 2, so i could have a spare one.
The replacement is quite difficult, thats why some Alfa owners take it to a professional, but you take the cover off the back of the headlight, and there is like a 'wing' for grabbing onto and you pull the globe straight back, whenever you replace any headlight globe, make sure you don't touch the globe with your fingers, as any oil or grease on your fingers will get on the globe and with the intense heat, the grease will burn and shorten the life of your globe, if you accidently touch the globe, wipe it clean with Metholated spirits or thinners.
The globe holders in mine seemed a loose fit in light aperture, and it seemed to be rattling around a bit more than it should be, so i put some heat shrink around the globe holder, but then it wouldn't go in, so i tried a single layer of electrical tape around it, and that seemed to make it a more snug fit without the rattling around.
When installing the globe holder into the aperture, its hard to see where you are going from the engine bay side, so i turned on the parking lights, and looked at it from the front, and the shining bulb made it easier to push into the aperture.
Remember to replace the cover on the back of the headlight assembly, has anyone else had this problem with blown globes and loose globe holders in the aperture?
I have heard that if you have a GTA, then the whole bumper assembly has to be removed, to replace a globe in the headlight, Colin.

[Garibaldi]

Col, as discussed I have replaced one of my parker globes in the 147. I, like yourself did the rounds locally with no luck so I got my replacement globes off Ebay from the UK. They were Osram H6W. I paid $18 delivered for 2. You're right they are hard to access. Once I took the cover off the back I used a shaving mirror to see where they fit in. It's lucky I've got long thin fingers because there is not much room to work with. I only just managed to grab the wing to pull it out. Replacing the globe was easy but trying to get the holder back into the light unit wasn't. The main problem is that you cannot see what you are doing. You have to do it all by feel. Like yourself I turned the lights on which makes locating it a little easier. The globe holders are tight in the apertures in my car. I have only had the one globe blow in the 6 months I have had the car so I don't know if it is going to be an ongoing problem.

[poohbah]

At the risk of putting the mockers on, it hasn't been parking lights going on my 156, its been reversing and brake lights. But at least they're easy to get to!

On light related matters, just used one of those headlight lens refurb kits to fix cloudy headlights. I'm amazed how well it worked. Headlights look like brand-new.

[Brad M]

... its just that if the police see a blown globe, then its a yellow canary for an unroadworthy car, so a dud headlight can cause a lot more problems than i need...

You are certainly are very cautious there Col.
If only all road users were, pretty much every time I'm on the road these days I see at least one person on their mobile.
I know I'd rather see those cars with a blown parking light, as I expect would the police.


Back on topic: the one time I have changed globes on the GTA, the bumper came off. I think I'll leave it to Bruno, in future.

[Cool Jesus]

Yep, I'm shopping for the 147 H6W parkers at the mo to...

Col, I wonder if the globe bouncing around (being loose) may be a major cause for your regular globe replacements? The filaments are sturdy, but to a point and with the added loose fitment would give the filament further stresses when bouncing around inside their cozy glass home than normal.

Have you given any thought to LEDs? They're starting to get compatible in brightness these days to halogen, particularly the SMD LEDs (I stand to be corrected  ) They're also including resistance in them to fool the vehicle's electrics and not set off 'globe failure' warnings.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/111109187390?lpid=44&item_id=111109187390

Oh yeah, the parkers in the 147 are also a dog to get out  particualry with my man hands. I used my mobile phone's camera function on the selfy photo mode so you can see the screen as you have it facing back towards yourself.

[shiny_car]

I have LEDs in my GT, and are CANBUS compatible (important, to avoid the 'light globe error'). Strangely, after a few years, I have started intermittently getting the 'blown globe error' despite it still working! It's either a bad connection or blown CANBUS-related diode inside the LED. Anyway, don't let that deter you. The LEDs look nicer (IMO) with a white light, and last longer.

[Brad M]

Strangely, after a few years, I have started intermittently getting the 'blown globe error' despite it still working!

I get the same occasionally with normal globes, I suspect its an initialisation issue because it disappears pretty quickly.

[Cool Jesus]

Well that's not a bad life span considering the alternative.  Although we'd like a lifetime they will fail at some stage. Were they ebay items or store bought shiny? I'm always doubtful as to the quality of items one gets from eBay. It certainly gives credence to the adege of you get what you pay for.

[colcol]

If you buy globes off ebay, go for a brand name like Bosch, Lumen, Narva, Hella, etc, the only problem is the offset pins on the H6, i purchased some and the pins were opposite, not offset, hard to see or know about when looking online.
The shortened life of the globes i reckon is due to 2 factors, 1. the globe holders being a loose fit in the headlight aperture, now fixed with electrical tape, 2. the large amount of volts the high output alternators put out, they are always supplying maximum juice, so the globes are always white hot, and then you drive up a bumpy road with the globe wobbling about and the filimant breaks.
In the 33, the alternator puts out 1/3 amps the 156 puts out, the electrics in the 33 operate slow and the globes are not as bright as the 156, but you replace a globe every 15 years or so, Colin.

[Cool Jesus]

Good 'o Col. Just replaced the parkers and headlights on the 147, yeah lost one of those along with a rear tail light. Seem to be chasing bulbs all over the car at the moment. I think the parkers are in right, they seem to just slide in with the fabricated holder for the bulbs. Col I noticed you found issues with the type of parker bulbs available for your 156. The 147 uses a H6W parker bulb (as opposed to the H6 you mentioned) which has the offset pins as you mention. I had no issue finding it, we'll Bursons had to get it in from another store on the day, but I managed to get it on my first enquiry. May have been lucky though the package looked like it was on the shelf for some time. They're bloody pricey too, $38 twin pack, might give the LED versions off eBay a go next time round.

[colcol]

I use the H6WU with offset pins, hard to get, but found them at Bursons for $9.50 each, they actually had 5, wanted to buy them in person so i could check for the offset pins, purchased H6 with straight pins and spend ages trying to fit them, its not like there is much room down there to see.
Using magnifying glass, my parker globe for the 156 reads, H6WU 12volt 6 watt, you need to take magnifying glass or use magnifying app on your smart phone, very hard to see, mine were Phillips brand, Colin.

[Cool Jesus]

damn, mine were a twin pack of Hella H6W globes for $38. I guess the 'premium' labelling doubles the cost somehow 

[shiny_car]

I bought mine off ebay. At the time, there weren't so many cheap ones flooding the market, so they weren't overly cheap; about A$40 a pair.

Do a search on ebay for 'h6w led canbus'. I see you can buy a pair for as little as $2!! I can't tell from ads whether they are good or low quality; the more expensive ones may or may not be better. However, I think if you spend $10~15 a pair, probably going to get a decent set.

Regarding the pins, the version required is the BAX9S. You can't go wrong if they have this base. I find this a good reference site: http://www.donsbulbs.com/cgi-bin/r/b.pl/64132|6w|12v|bax9s.html

[Citroënbender]

5 years later, H6W globes are still dear as poison and I'm leery of "CANbus safe" LED units.

Greens (UK) are doing Bosch ones for £3.18 a pop plus capped P&P, now considering a handful as prophylaxis:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/361841684332

I drive with dipped beams on, always, so it's not really that the parklights need to work - just if they blow it's yet another annoying beep and fault message.

[Citroënbender]

Ordered a half dozen, arrived today, my cost $35.75 or basically $5.96 each. 

Willing to spare a couple if anyone is caught short.