Post by genie47 on Oct 23, 2005 5:33:40 GMT -5
OK before I start, here is the funny thing about GMDAT cars (which includes the Optra/Lacetti/Forenzas).
The rear parking lights use dual filament 1157 bulbs. The brake lights also use dual filament 1157 bulbs.
When you turn on the parking lights, the rear parking lights only fire up the first filament. When the brakes are activated, the brake lights fire up both the filaments. This makes the brake lights brighter than the rear parking lights.
Now here is the stupidity of it all. Why use 1157 bulbs for the rear parking lights when only the first filament fires up?
I mean, a 1156 bulb could have done the job but no, GMDAT uses 1157 bulbs for this.
So here is the mod that makes the entire parking light and brake light work together as both parking and brake lights.
1. Remove the tail light housing. Remove all the bulb bulb holders from the housing.
2. Remove the parking light's 1157 bulb and you will see the following:
Sorry for the image quality but take note of that grey stopper on the left. This is where we are going to bring in the power to fire up the 2nd filament for the parking light to behave like the brake lights. Using a suitable tool (a small bent stiff wire), push this stopper out from the inside. This is how it should look like:
Do not lose this thing. It actually prevents water from going into the setup.
3. Using a drill tool drill through the stopper. A Dremel will do just nicely but we used a screw instead, forgot the size.
4. After that is done, take some wire and stuff it through the new hole you made on the stopper. Strip the insulation at the end your just pushed through. Around 1-2cm will do.
5. Next, you need some foam adhesive strips. This makes the "spring" contact. Cut it to about the size it should fit into the hole that is vacated by stopper. Push it through but don't make it stick on the hole. Make sure it sticks onto the empty space in the bulb holder. See pic below:
Again sorry for the image quality. The foam pad is inserted on the left.
6. Now stuff the wire with the stopper on it into the hole making sure the stopper plugs it up completely. The exposed wire length should be trimmed to make contact with one of the 1157 bulb's contacts (they have 2 contacts as opposed to 1 from 1156 bulbs). As usual a picture is worth a thousand words, see below:
7. Expose a bit of wire from the red wire from the brake light. Make sure it is nearer to the back so that there is more room to play with instead of getting a tight bunched up wires in this assembly. If you can make out the pic below, there is a small bit of gold/copper exposed wire near the gray wire.
Approximate the length of this wire you want to splice to the red wire and cut it.
8. Strip the end you just cut and splice it onto the red wire.
It is not complete until you tape this splice up for insulation. Add some cable ties to make things a little neat if you must.
9. Finally with the help of a buddy, check how the lights function. Put back the parking light bulb. Then do the following:
Firstly, turn on the lights, they all should light up.
Secondly, with the lights on, depress the brake pedal, the second filament should fire and both the parking lights and brake lights should light up really bright.
Thirdly, turn off the lights and both should be off.
Finally, depress the brake pedal and both should burn really bright.
Parking lights on.
Brake pedal activated.
10. Put the bulbs back into the housing and put back the tail light assembly. Repeat the test again as in step 9 to make sure everything is in fine working order.
Credit for this mod goes to Godfinger from www.mycarforum.com and www.teamchevysg.com
The rear parking lights use dual filament 1157 bulbs. The brake lights also use dual filament 1157 bulbs.
When you turn on the parking lights, the rear parking lights only fire up the first filament. When the brakes are activated, the brake lights fire up both the filaments. This makes the brake lights brighter than the rear parking lights.
Now here is the stupidity of it all. Why use 1157 bulbs for the rear parking lights when only the first filament fires up?
I mean, a 1156 bulb could have done the job but no, GMDAT uses 1157 bulbs for this.So here is the mod that makes the entire parking light and brake light work together as both parking and brake lights.
1. Remove the tail light housing. Remove all the bulb bulb holders from the housing.
2. Remove the parking light's 1157 bulb and you will see the following:
Sorry for the image quality but take note of that grey stopper on the left. This is where we are going to bring in the power to fire up the 2nd filament for the parking light to behave like the brake lights. Using a suitable tool (a small bent stiff wire), push this stopper out from the inside. This is how it should look like:
Do not lose this thing. It actually prevents water from going into the setup.
3. Using a drill tool drill through the stopper. A Dremel will do just nicely but we used a screw instead, forgot the size.
4. After that is done, take some wire and stuff it through the new hole you made on the stopper. Strip the insulation at the end your just pushed through. Around 1-2cm will do.
5. Next, you need some foam adhesive strips. This makes the "spring" contact. Cut it to about the size it should fit into the hole that is vacated by stopper. Push it through but don't make it stick on the hole. Make sure it sticks onto the empty space in the bulb holder. See pic below:
Again sorry for the image quality. The foam pad is inserted on the left.
6. Now stuff the wire with the stopper on it into the hole making sure the stopper plugs it up completely. The exposed wire length should be trimmed to make contact with one of the 1157 bulb's contacts (they have 2 contacts as opposed to 1 from 1156 bulbs). As usual a picture is worth a thousand words, see below:
7. Expose a bit of wire from the red wire from the brake light. Make sure it is nearer to the back so that there is more room to play with instead of getting a tight bunched up wires in this assembly. If you can make out the pic below, there is a small bit of gold/copper exposed wire near the gray wire.
Approximate the length of this wire you want to splice to the red wire and cut it.
8. Strip the end you just cut and splice it onto the red wire.
It is not complete until you tape this splice up for insulation. Add some cable ties to make things a little neat if you must.
9. Finally with the help of a buddy, check how the lights function. Put back the parking light bulb. Then do the following:
Firstly, turn on the lights, they all should light up.
Secondly, with the lights on, depress the brake pedal, the second filament should fire and both the parking lights and brake lights should light up really bright.
Thirdly, turn off the lights and both should be off.
Finally, depress the brake pedal and both should burn really bright.
Parking lights on.
Brake pedal activated.
10. Put the bulbs back into the housing and put back the tail light assembly. Repeat the test again as in step 9 to make sure everything is in fine working order.
Credit for this mod goes to Godfinger from www.mycarforum.com and www.teamchevysg.com
