Vertical Headlight Aim Control

Post Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:37 pm

Despite searching this forum and the internet generally, I am unale to find any definitive information about the system that adjusts headlights from inside the car. Seems to be one of the great un-solved mysteries of the universe!

My M3 has one actually working. Getting the other to join in may well be over optimistic but I'd be interested to at least know how the system is supposed to work. On the non-working side, one of the pipes seems to have fluid in it, the other looks empty.

Does anyone actually know all about this system. Clearly it wasn't a grea success as it got replaced in the E36 by motors.

Thanks

Post Sat Mar 31, 2012 3:19 pm

mate, i posed the same question earlier this week...

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=217376

the thread has some useful advice.

cheers

Gary

Post Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:49 pm

FEP wrote:one of the pipes seems to have fluid in it,

Its meant to, its a Hydraulic system.

The rotary knob under the dash acts like a piston, pushing the fluid into another piston behind the headlight, causing the up/down adjustment as the fluid moves back and forth...

Post Sat Mar 31, 2012 7:30 pm

OK - thanks. My search didn't find that!

To be honest, I don't have any particular reason to adjust the vertical aim from inside the car, but as its a pretty original M3, I would be interested to fix what I have.

I'm guessing that that is nigh on impossible but assuming I pull it all apart and clean up etc, can I recharge with fluid? What fluid would I use? Anyone got any detailed info about the working of the OEM system?

Thanks

Post Sat Mar 31, 2012 8:39 pm

its a "Sealed for life/Non repairable" System.

Post Sun Apr 01, 2012 11:50 am

kam-325i wrote:its a "Sealed for life/Non repairable" System.

But evidently not sealed for the life of the system!