Date: Sat, 18 May 2002 19:03:42 -0400
Reply-To: Ed L Lloyd <elloyd10@JUNO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ed L Lloyd <elloyd10@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Brake Light bulb
Content-Type: text/plain
What is the correct Brake Light bulb? So far I have invested $108.99, 26
miles, and several hours in a search for the right bulb. 87 Vanagon.
It starts out easy enough. unscrew the plastic housing, take out the
bulb, and put in a new one. Once I opened it up, I found the original
German bulb (I am the orig owner), with a strange series of numbers and
symbols that made no sense, and did not match either the VW part number
or the US standard bulb number listed in the owners glove box manual.
(The old bulb says 12498 21 w 37R G6 P25-1 )
The book calls for a 1034 bulb.
My first FLAPS had lots of bulbs, but were OUT of the 1034. 26 miles and
FLAPS #2 later I found the 1034, and also spent $105.00 on neat things I
just had to have.
With 1034 in hand, I noticed a problem. The old bulb was a single
element, single bottom contact. The 1034 was a dual element, dual
bottom contact.
Checking 2 lighting catalogs at the store still confirmed I needed the
1034.
Looking over some other bulbs, I found a 1073 and a 1156 and a 93 that
were single element, single contact, and looked right, so I bought these
as well.
Sat morning was spent taking out the housing, cleaning it up, sanding
contacts, and trying out the various bulbs.
There are 4 bulbs in each tailight. 3 of them were all the same.
Backup, turn signal and Brake were all identical single element, single
contact bulbs, but the manual called for a 1073 for two and a 1034 for
the 3rd?? Bentley called each of them a 21 watt bulb. I took a chance
and put a 1073 in for the brake light in spite of the manul. Besides,
the double bottom contact would not make contact.
So far it works fine. (Both old and new are 5 ohm)
Problem #2 came up when I noticed the filiment in the regular red tail
light had broken during the takeout. Same problem, strange German
markings and a manual that does NOT give much info. It just said
"Stop/tail lights" use 1034. Again the dreaded 1034. Not possible,
since the old bulb is a single element, and much SMALLER bulb.
Bentley told me that it was also ONLY a 5 watt bulb. Not a 21 watt like
the 1034.
I saw that the 93 bulb was a 12 watt bulb, and fit the slot, and worked
fine. (It is 5 ohm, the orig is 8 ohm) I even liked the noticeably
brighter light.
Then I had to replicate my work on the other side so they would match.
Do you think this will work? Would hate to drive to work and find the
lenses melted, alternator fried and battery dead.
Anyone else come across this type of thing?
Ed in Md
87 Vanagon
