broken bit on headlight

[paps78]

Hi all ,I went was doing a service on my car this morning and i saw this plastic bit on my right hand side light broken. the other side is okay. what does it do?

[Sanchez]

Part of the headlight aim hydraulics.

[paps78]

thanks. what do i need to do? do i try and get a replacement housing, because the pipe falls out. ?

[Sanchez]

never seen a working one. more commonly broken than working.

[paps78]

so its not a problem then right? because im taking it in for MOT soon.

[Brianmoooore]

It could be a problem if by some (unlikely) chance the unit has failed since the car's last MOT test, or previous testers have been less than fussy about headlamp aim than they should be.
The outer barrel of the broken cylinder rotates to provide a fine adjustment of your headlamp aim, but even with it set as high as it will go it's usually slightly too low to get the correct beam pattern if the hydraulic system has failed and has defaulted to its lowest position.
If you look at the front end of the barrel, you will see a steel threaded rod that runs from it to a plastic cup on the edge of the headlamp bowl. This is the coarse headlamp adjustment, and needs to be screwed out a couple of full turns or so, to bring the correct aim back into the range of the fine adjuster.

[paps78]

brian can i get a replacement housing? second hand or new?

[Brianmoooore]

The whole assembly, consisting of both cylinders, all the pipes, and the control cylinder (by the driver's right knee) is (or was until recently, at least) available new from BMW. It comes as a sealed system and can't be dismantled.
Those of us who insist on having working remotely adjustable headlamp aim usually use the electric adjusters from an E34 which are a fairly easy replacement for the hydraulics.

[paps78]

Thanks Brian,
Can I pick your brain regarding my fuel flap cover. Its not opening now. the pin is not retracting. How do i get it open without damaging something?