Citroen XM Forum

Hi all,i have to query Robert about the LHD headlight assy's.I got my Mk2 LHD lights from a scappy in Toulouse 5 years ago and agree they gave better performance, but having completely disassembled them, found they were exactly the same as the RHD units,even the individual component p/n's were the same.The shell,the reflectors,the inner + outer lens's.They both also had the bulb hood fitted.So to this day i can't understand why they were better.If you examine the shell there are 2 positions for the left/right pivot pin and depending on which application they are used for determines if the upper or lower position is used.Also the internal lens's are reverse fitted,for LHD the smooth side faces outward and for RHD the ridged fresnel graduated side faces out.I know these inner lens's did have a design material change to prevent the opacity due ageing.Perhaps these units were from an earlier Mk2 and the redesign took place in the last few years of the production run.
robertm

robertmnorton wrote: the internal lens's are reverse fitted,for LHD the smooth side faces outward and for RHD the ridged fresnel graduated side faces out.

I had seen that before, so If driving in EU you don't need different lamp units or deflectors..just swap the lenses over to reverse them.

Can you imagine doing that at the dockside...

Having looked at my lights I wonder if poor output is just down to dirty and/or worn reflectors. At present I'd rate my lights as 'Not bad'.

I believe the later LHD lights did away with the lens altogether.

Hi Robert,

The scrappy must have sold you series 1 headlamps. These series 2 LHD ones don't have a beam deflector in them at all.

The ones you bought in France might be better because the lens has yellowed less.

I'll take some pictures of the LHD headlights when I get home. I can't find any good ones to show the differences on the internet.

When I bought mine, the chap at the scrappy produced a series 1 and a series 2 lamp, and the differences were incredible.

It'll be interesting to see pics as I can compare the ones I have here.

Do yours have the beam deflectors covering the dipped beam part Phil, like on your RHD car?

Hi Robert,Mk1 headlights do not fit Mk2 due different position of the inner grill support lug.I am wondering if my car rp8612 may have had replacement lights at some point.I tried driving with the inner lens's removed, but due to the very controlled beam soon refitted them.This would indicate that if on later units the inner lens was deleted,then a complete redesign of the reflector assy and outer lens must have taken place to give adequate light coverage.The p/n's of the individual components would be more useful to rule out any ad-hoc modification.
robertm

Interesting Robert,

When I went to re-fit my grille to the car, I had to break off the securing tabs on the LHD headlamp to make the grille fit properly. These tabs were for the inner part of the grille as you describe. It causes no real problem only the grille can reverberate at times on idle.

Hi all,i've just been out the garage and dug out the LHD units,the R/H unit has the original Valeo stock label.This shows it was manufactured 04/11/2002 and stock number 88202-34.p/n on the shell 6091498-OD, the "D" standing for DROIT (RIGHT).The L/H shell p/n 6091497-OG (GAUCHE).Both RHD units currently fitted has the same shell p/n.The outer lens has 2 numbers 0488005 & 0488006 the same on both LHD & RHD units.This and the cit document for the inner lens is what led me to believe that changing over this inner lens (and adjustment to the alignment) is the fundermental difference.With the stock label on the LHD unit dated 2002,just when did this redesign take place?And what?Will have to wait until Robert can throw some "light" on the subject from his LHD units.
robertm

robert_e_smart wrote:Do yours have the beam deflectors covering the dipped beam part Phil, like on your RHD car?

I'll have a look this weekend.

Interesting this.
I have a copy of Roberts document issued in Sept 1997 ref 15 XM 541-1/1
It states that it is a GB document but also that the application is prior to RPO No. 5897.
That means Mk1 XM only. As Robert says the difference between Mk1 RH & LH headlamps is simply the way thw plastic lense is positioned.
Why in a 1997 document is there no mention of Mk2 headlamps.
Also I have used swapped grilles and headlamps between Mk1's and Mk2's but never had any trouble using all the fixings.

John