Old Lucas or new LED?

Poros2000TC

Poros2000TC

New Member
We are moving ahead with our Greek 2000 TC Mk II and have now been driving it for a week or two and all is good. We are now on to the electrics and would like to change all globes to LED but not sure whether the original Lucas lamps numbers are available in LED. The owners manual on pages 181 and 182 lists all the globes but not sure if there are replacements in LED. These are mainly side lamps, indicators, brake, reversing etc. What sort of cost difference is there between original Lucas globes and new LED ones? Grateful for any assistance. Thank you
 
Globes (I’m guessing you mean bulbs?) are fairly common types on P6’s tail/brake lights are 1157 dual filament bulbs. Indicator and, I think, reversing lights are 1154. Be aware that not all LEDs are created equal. I fitted LED tail light bulbs a few years back to Beryl. My wife was following me and said that the taillights were so bright at night that the brake lights hardly looked any different. I reverted to incandescent bulbs for that reason.
 
Caution! I bought LED conversion bulbs' from well known supplier, advertised in the motoring pres. (can't remember who it was.)
The headlight LED's supplied did not fit in the existing holders, nor could I see any way they would, without significant butchery of the holders/ backing dishes.
Same firm very helpful with changing all other bulbs to LED and supplied a complete set, fitted and working with no problems.
LEDs for indicators and rear stop/tail lights need to be the correct colout for the glass. White led's will not work behind red glass
 
Thanks to everyone for their comments all info gratefully received and stored away! Have bought two small LEDs for front sidelights to test fitting and brightness. LEDs quite expensive in Greece so a team member currently in UK is checking prices and a visitor coming here from Oz in September could also bring some if cheaper there. Rover going in tomorrow to begin sorting the electrics so will await the sparkie's comment before making any rash decisions. Rally starts on October 1st so time is of the essence.
 
Hi all, Team Poros member here, Thanks for the great feedback, but do please note, we're not aiming to change the headlights at this stage (if at all). The main problem we are trying to solve is the dimming of all lights and indicator 'temporary failure' on tickover (junctions, traffic lights, etc).
Reducing current draw and maximising engine power would all help our ambitions to successfully finish a week-long, and challenging rally.
The LED conversion for auxiliary lights (non-headlamp) would be a good idea, and may provide some headroom on our old alternator/new battery load to fit some extra driving lights and maybe an electric fan (our standard fan is a little beaten up, and the additional 4-5hp we hope for might help on the 9% gradients we'll find in the Peloponnese.
Any help with alternative LED suppliers would be <great>as we are starting with our owner's manual list of original lucas bulbs.

As mentioned, we're having a local auto-sparkie run his ruler over the car in the next couple of days, so he can test and fettle obvious issues and provide a survey (the survey). For instance, we have an ignition switch that seems to fail intermittently, although we don't yet know if the problem lies with the key and lock, or the 'electrical switch' behind it. This is a vehicle-stopping failure.
We are also ready to change some steering wheel stalks and switching, after our survey results. I think i know where to get export, LHD, handed, alternatives, so that works here in the UK before I head back to Greece.
Health and smoooooth motoring to all.
 
Hi, Right this is a bit clearer, I think you need a bigger alternator. If you're adding auxiliary lights and electric fan then I would say that your original one is struggling to keep up. Changing smaller bulbs for LEDs is costly and not going to make much difference. It's the 'big ticket' items that you need to cover so a bigger alt is the answer, don't forget to beef up the wiring as well, don't rely on the existing, either fit heavier cable or double up what's there.

Good luck.

Colin
 
check to see if you have an 18ACR alternator or the smaller 16ACR. Sometimes sparkies replacing the alternator can swap out to the smaller unit which belonged to Land Rovers...
 
Hi Mike and Col, Grateful thanks - We're running at fast idle with a drain showing on the ammeter and rock solid drain with increasing revs . . . so we'll need to take action. No markings in the unit so we'll have the output tested. If the o/p doesn't reach the 45amp stock for a 18ACR, perhaps 50 odd years is enough? Do alternators get old and tied (like me) & need changing? Is there an easy fit upgrade to 50amps or more - so that we can dream of a pair of Cibie 7" chrome rimmed driving lights for those remote Peloponnese hills?? Would a suitable upgrade match the belt pullies/bracket for a Sept'71 LHD export 2000TC, with alternator slung on LHS of car (RHS facing from the front - bottom right of attached photo) . . Engine.jpeg
 
Thanks Cobraboy, Thats a good link for our cherry picking! Grateful thanks. We have coloured indicator lenses, should we select coloured indicator LEDs or stick to the cheaper white?
 
I am using some red coloured LED bulbs behind a red lens and they are superb.
I would go for coloured behind a coloured lens, as sometimes white LED are so powerful they give a washy faded light through an old coloured lens'
 
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