Headlight Question
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 194
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From: Stafford Springs,Ct
Headlight Question
We have had our 01 E350 around three years now.The van has been great and we really like it. The one thing that my wife and I both agree on is that the headlights don't seem to be bright enough. Last year Ieven bought some xeone bulbs. What a pain in the you know what!!!! They didn't help. There does't seem to be much of a differents between high&low beam. In fact alot of times I foget to turn down the high beams and I never get flashed to turn them down 
. Has anybody experenced this?
. Has anybody experenced this?
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,140
Likes: 4
From: Oak Harbor, OH
That sounds like a bad ground either at the switch or the bulb. Get a good multimeter, and see if you have resistance between the ground wire and the body. You may need to run a ground wire from the battery to the core support.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 194
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From: Stafford Springs,Ct
If it was a bad ground would the light look normal if your standing back looking at them? When your driving they don't seemto light far enough a head of you. My 86 F150 lights up the road better. One courious thing though, one night mywas flowing me I noticed that it looked like there was a big dark spot right in the center of the lens. Like all the light was being defused to the side.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 194
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From: Stafford Springs,Ct
When we bought the van it was the first thing we noticed . It went back to the dealer to have them aligned an a couple of other things. Really didn't make a big difference they haven't been done since then. The lenses are not yellowed, scratched, pitted or anthing. Maybe i'll bring it some place and have them realign them.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 996
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From: Albany, Good Ol' USA
I had a similar problem with my '81 Econoline. I turned out the the gauge of wire was insufficient to power up my 130/90 Hella Vision Plus H4's fully. So I re-wired from the switch to heavier gauge wire and wah-la brighter than ever before. Apparently this was an underengineering problem with a lot of Ford vehicles. 
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 996
Likes: 5
From: Albany, Good Ol' USA
I had a similar problem with my '81 Econoline. It turned out the the gauge of wire was insufficient to power up my 130/90 Hella Vision Plus H4's fully. So I re-wired from the switch to heavier gauge wire and wah-la brighter than ever before. Apparently this was an underengineering problem with a lot of Ford vehicles.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,140
Likes: 4
From: Oak Harbor, OH
Gus, the easy way to do that is to wire a relay into the system. Just use the stock wiring to actuate the relay, and feed the realy with 10 gauge wire, then 10 gauge to the lights. Don't forget to put a 30 amp fuse inline before the relay.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 996
Likes: 5
From: Albany, Good Ol' USA
Don't mean to be argumentative, but on mine I had already installed the relays one for left and another for right with fuses. What I was referring to was post relay install. Perhaps Ford used better than 18 gauge wire in later models but I did indeed notice a marked difference AFTER relay installation I rewired with heavier wire for the entire headlight circuit right up to the headlight sockets.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 129
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From: Augusta, Maine
Consider checking the Alternator Voltage. We often think of our vehicles as being 12Volt systems. But the alternator of a running vehicle puts out 14 or more volts. Lights are actually designed to work at the higher voltage. An old alternator/bad battery can reduce the available voltage to the lights. Notice the difference between the intensity of the lights with the engine off and the engine running. It should be substantial. The tips above are all valid, I just wanted to add this to the list of things to be considered. Consider checking the ground from the engine to the frame while your looking at it. Also consider upgrading the ground wire and connection from the lamps. If you want to see wether larger wires will make a difference you can easily just run jumpers right from the battery to the lamp on one side with a #10 wire and visually observe if there is a difference in intensity fron one side to the other. Last but not least check the coating inside of the headlight housings. It should be super flashy silver mirror like finish. This is critical to getting the light out of the housing and onto the road.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 194
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From: Stafford Springs,Ct
I'll check all the grounds I don't think its the battery or the alternator my voltage with everything on (both blowers on high lights on ect. ect. ect.) at idle I have 14.2v on my meter . The lights don't change with the load or electrical demand even with my 34ft TT hooked up. I guess it could be the reflectors in the lights