headlight upgrade 280i

Time to replace my headlights, is there any up grades?

Hella makes a good halogen upgrade. They come with H4 halogen bulbs with 55W low and 60W high, which then can be upgraded again with the new IPF 55W/100W HD light that has the same 55W output without messing or upgrading your wiring.

I got my “85” 280i about 2 years ago and the headlights have never moved electrically, they always have mechanically. Once removed and hooked up to a +/- they spin fine. My assumption is that ½ of a revolution is up and ½ a revolution is down.


On the LEFT side:
(2) White and Purple in a single plug that give a + when lights are ON
(2) White and Yellows in a single plug that give a + when lights are OFF

Triple Plug:
Black (QUESTIONAL GROUND)
Purple and Blue (NOTHING)
Purple and Red that give a + when lights are ON BRIGHT

On the RIGHT side:
(1) White and Purple in a single plug that give a + when lights are ON
(1) White and Yellows in a single plug that give a + when lights are OFF

Triple Plug:
Black (QUESTIONAL GROUND)
Blue and White (NOTHING)
Blue and Red that give a + when lights are ON BRIGHT

Any ideas on what’s wrong?

I replaced all my relays (again)... Now I can get them to turn 1/2 a revolution when the switch is turned on. But nothing when the dash switch is turned off. The motors are doing the same thing no matter what side I connect it to. Thoughts?

I don't know this as fact and do not have a wiring diagram to hand to confirm, but I seem to recall that there is a diode in the motor circuit that controls some of the actions. If so, the kind of issue you describe could be explained by a bad diode. I'd ask over over on the Triumph board to see if a TR7/8 guru has any ideas.