I have a 1989 240 DL Volvo Stationwagon, and the headlights suck. I'm using 12 volt bulbs. Can I move up to bulbs with a higher voltage?

 

i've read on here where people clean or polish the lenses and it improves them dramatically although it has to be repeated

 

Our good friend Swiftjustice44 turned me on to these.. somewhat pricey, but definitely the next thing on my wish list.

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exe...ht+Headlights+

(Be sure to read the whole description, with testimonials etc.

 

VolvoQ's, you mention you've read somewhere where people clean or polish the headlamp lenses and it improves them dramatically. Can you steer me in the right direction for what products are used and where these might be obtained. Thanks.

 

https://volvoforums.com/forum/showth...ght=headlights

 

if your 240 has the big square headlights and they have yellowed significantly, there's really only one choice, and thats replacement.

btw, my engineer soul must get pedantic on you... a higher voltage bulb would be DIMMER since the operating voltage is determined by the power supply, and in this application is fixed at about 13.5V (with the engine running) or 12V (engine off, fully charged battery). a higher WATTAGE may be brighter, but they also can overheat the reflector assembly, and the wiring.

there's a lot of snake-oil light bulbs sold that are supposed to be brighter, but mostly they have blue filters so they *look* whiter, but are in fact dimmer. PIAA etc are guilty of this. high Xenon bulbs are a little brighter than the standard halogens, these include the Osram/Sylvania Silverstar sold in europe (but not the sylvania silverstar sold in the US), the Sylvania XV, and some others. These bulbs are only slightly brighter than standard halogens, but generally a lot more expensive, in direct proportion to the hyperbole printed on the packaging.

 

Thanks for the link VolvoQ.

Pierce, I have to agree with you there's a lot of snake-oil light bulbs sold that are supposed to be brighter. I've tried both Xenon and Sylvania Silverstar sold in Canada (that's where I am) bulbs and only found them to be a little brighter than the standard halogens. I am still running Silverstars. The kit for lens restoring is not for my Volvo, but for my 98 Dodge Ram. I will try the kit first to see the results before looking for used replacement. Thanks for your comments.

 

No one in the world got the TV screen headlights except the US. Years ago, when I bought my 245, I thought middle age had robbed my night vision! Come to find out the US variety is just plain horrible. The reflector design is bad, the Fresnel lens are bad...for being so huge, they really suck. I ended up buying European spec lights a/k/a e-codes. Best money I've ever spent! A few years later I went w/ 6000k HID lights off of eBay. The combination is incredible! Headlights run way down the road and still don't blind oncoming traffic...AND you get glass lenses that won't turn yellow!

 

So where do you get the Euro-spec headlights?

 

click the blue link in post #3. It will take you right to FCPGroton's listing.