Re-Seal my sealed beam light

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

I am just getting around to putting in my light harness (see this post) and I am removing the lights to do the job, and I have discovered my headlamp is no longer sealed!  I don't see any cracks, it just looks like the glue that was holding the front on failed (it came out in several pieced looking a bit like a worn out gasket).  But it all looks fine other than it being 2 pieces instead of 1.

 

Anyway, I realize the obvious response will be just buy new bulbs.  And I'll put that on the list, but I kinda want to see how much improvement I get from the harness alone first.  I plan to just re-glue this light and put it back in until I get new ones a bit later.  I don't really see any issue doing this, anyone want to chime in on why I shouldn't do this, I'm listening!! 

 

[Pete M]

normally they have a vacuum or an inert gas inside.  I'm not sure how the bulb will react with regular air/moisture content.   

[eaglescout526]

I had one lamp do this to me. Glued it back with no issues but something with the glass orientation changed the lamp to aim up instead of down which was weird. I still have that lamp. 

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

Turns out both sides have the same problem, so I have 2 to glue.  Don't really know what the best glue will be, seems like something with a little give might be best, like silicone caulk.  Again this is temporary anyway just to see what the harness improvement is.  And given both lamps were already compromised, not sure how much I'll be able to tell anyway, but we'll see.

[pizzaman09]

I would skip glueing it and just put it back together unglued for your test so that there isn't anything different with respect to the seal.  The I'd go spend $30 at the auto store for two new bulbs.

 

I had one that has about an 1/8" diameter hole in it, must have been from a rock.  That one was very weak and when I took it apart the glass fell off.  Replaced it with a cheap Sylvania replacement and was much impressed with the greater light output.  I really should do the relay mod or get some LEDs for it.

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

I took your suggestion and just put it back together.  Lights do look brighter, not sure I could put a number on it but some amount brighter.  Will probably improve another notch with I put in new headlamps.

 

Of course no good deed goes unpunished!  I have an issue with one of my front turn signals now .  The side fronts blink, but the RF blinker up front isn't blinking, so my turn arrow is constant on on the dash telling me it is not happy with something.  Arrrgg.

[75sv1]

I'd get some H4 Autopals as a replacement. Not sure on the cost presently. In my guestimation, the wiring harness doubles the light output. H4 headlights double that. If you want higher quality H4 headlights, Hella, Bosch and Daneil Sterns carries some from Japan. 

[Pete M]

9 hours ago, AnotherOldJeepGuy said:

I took your suggestion and just put it back together.  Lights do look brighter, not sure I could put a number on it but some amount brighter.  Will probably improve another notch with I put in new headlamps.

 

Of course no good deed goes unpunished!  I have an issue with one of my front turn signals now .  The side fronts blink, but the RF blinker up front isn't blinking, so my turn arrow is constant on on the dash telling me it is not happy with something.  Arrrgg.

 

check inside the bulb sockets.  corrosion can creep in, or sometimes the little tab at the bottom can collapse and no longer make contact.  

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

Will do.  I am suspecting something that I touched since this problem was not there before.  So something like the wiring to the bulb, but I'll just look it all over and hope I find something to fix!

[Eagle_SX4]

The turn signal sockets like to corrode. The best fix is to cut them off and wire in new ones. I had a similar issue on my truck and new sockets fixed the issue.

[AnotherOldJeepGuy]

OK I went back out to the Jeep to investigate the lights and the mostly work.  When I said "mostly work", what I meant by that was 1 time out of many, the FR Bottom did not blink, it remained constant on instead.  But all times but once all the expected to blink lights did blink.  And I don't have the stuck light on my dash right now.  So technically I don't really have anything to fix, so I won't!

 

This seems like a good time to add in this bizarre operation just to see if what I see is "normal".  I don't know that it is new, seems like I noticed it before, but still while I have a light conversation going....

 

If the headlights are on, the turn signals alternate SIDE-FRONT-SIDE-FRONT.  But with the headlights off the SIDE AND FRONT bulbs blink on/off at the same time.  So bizarre!  BTW this same bizarre operation of simultaneous or alternating on/off depending on if the headlights are on/off is the same at both sides, and it is also the same if I engage the hazard switch instead.

 

Since blink is blink, I don't really have anything to fix here, but it sure makes me scratch my head!  Anyone else have this same scenario, or do I just have a haunted Jeep?