R34 Xenon Lights - Delay?

[Lithius]

Hey guys, just having a bit of trouble with my R34 and getting it passed the blue slip here in NSW. It has the factory Xenon lights which were put back in after compliance. The place doesn't have a problem with this (they probably don't know what xenons are) but they have a problem because they can't turn the lights on, then off, then on again without the lights (usually only one) failing.

I was told that the Xenons have a delay timer so that you can't switch them on and off really fast etc and blow them.

If I turn the lights on, then off, then try turn them on again a few seconds later a buzzing noise can be heard under the bonnet from the lights, and either both won't come on, or just one won't come on. And it alternates between the two.. sometimes the right one comes on the and left doesn't, sometimes the left comes on and the right doesn't. I would've thought if they were on a delay thing it would affect them both equally?

I actually had a mobile auto electrician here to have a look at it but he didn't have any idea (fairly small town so imports and/or xenons are pretty rare here)

Everytime I turn them off and leave them for 30secs then try them again they seem to work.. I wonder if I can convince the workshop that it's a factory feature (if that's the case)

Thanks in advance.

[Busky2k]

Might be saftey mechanism. It is bad for the bulbs to turn HIDs off and on straight away...

[wrxhoon]

There is something wrong with your lights or the light switch, xenons shuld go on as soon as you turn them on but they take a few seconds to become bright the first time you swich them on.

[someonestolecc]

NOooo. Xenons are hurt by being turned on and off!

So yes funny things will happen - the xenon gas might even turn pink etc while it goes "ouuuch why are you charging me again!?!?". The buzzing is the ballasts charging them up to warm em up.

So .. the short of it is that it's a normal feature of HIDs and you shouldn't do it

[Lithius]

But when the buzzing sound occurs, the light it happens on won't even light up, no matter how long I wait. And if it was a normal feature wouldn't it prevent both lights from lighting up, not just one?

I know what you mean about the pink, when I first turn them on it takes like a second for them to become fully bright...

A place I took it to today said it had something to do with the Xenon module and that they'd have to take the front bar off to get to it etc etc... I think it's amounting to a rather expensive little expedition.

[Lithius]

Took it into another place today and they say the lights are totally stuffed. Something to do with the ignition module and i'll have to get new ones from japan. Anyone have any idea how much that'll cost me?

Or even a cheaper alternative just to get some working lights so I can pass blueslip. I know they are meant to take out the xenon lights when R34s get complianced so what do they put in instead?

Edited July 6, 2006 by Lithius

[wrxhoon]

New lights wont help mate if the switch is stuffed you need to fix that .

Are you in Sydney?

[Lithius]

Which part is the switch? The story is now that the ballasts on both sides are stuffed so I've ordered 2 replacement ones. They are fairly confident that that should fix it. Strange tho that both sides are f**ked and not just one.

[wrxhoon]

Which part is the switch? The story is now that the ballasts on both sides are stuffed so I've ordered 2 replacement ones. They are fairly confident that that should fix it. Strange tho that both sides are f**ked and not just one.

The combo switch on the side of the steering . The contacts inside could be stuffed or a little plastic broken so the contact is not always 100% so your lights are playing up.

[Beauie]

yeah they should turn on straight away.... One of my lights is xenon and the other isnt Sounds like u could be best off buying a HID kit from here for 250 and replaing them - Parts from japan will cost u at least an arm maybe a leg:P

[Lithius]

Yep that's the option i've gone for... the parts arrived today but couldn't get it into the auto electrician till monday so won't know until then if it's gonna work or not. Fingers crossed. Got the parts from importdriver.com.au they were pretty helpful.