What's this with picture

[theclash]

Does anyone know what this does drivers side under bonnet near headlight/ mine got so hot I couldn't touch it ...is this normal

[George k]

Headlamp resistor

[clipperjay]

I smell Fire 
Take it out, but make sure you take it out from the fuse box connectors aswell
Its a Dip beam resister coil.
They eventually break and earth out causing small fires 
AKA pack of polo's! 

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=210926.msg1954289#msg1954289

There are on differences at all between the headlights in big and small bumper cars. Inner spots on quad light set ups are all the same too.

The only difference was dim-dip that was introduced towards the end of 1986. If you are not aware of this, when you have parking lights on, it sends 6 volts to dip beam when you turn the ignition on. It was to stop people from driving round with just parking lights on. The resistors for this set up could be troublesome, so many have been disconnected.

1. swap the 2 spade wires round that plug into the headlight plug
2. disconnect and bin the dim-dip resistor, its near driver side headlight, size n shape of a pack o polos with a yellow wire out of each end. follow the loom back and you'll find it plugs into a 2 pin connector
3. possibly casued by 2, if not check the plugs are all ok
4. disconnect the plug behind bumper and check the pins arnt all crudded up
5. take the wheel off and check the metal earth contact hasn't bent and contacted something metal, check all 3 screws holding stalks on are tight, check plugs are all in ok, check wires for damage behind there

there are also some yellow wires behind the fusebox for it, 2 a 2 pin or 2 single pin plugs.  the resistor wires can rub thru and short out on the chassis leg, if that happens it sets fire to the headlight loom. i always remove them for this reason as it doesn't really perform any useful task. who needs an extra light level setting between sidelights and dipped beams anyway 

[JC]

top advice from my car buying advisor

[theclash]

Haaaaaaaa I see ! Ok I have disconnected it anyway because it was red hot to touch, I had fitted a new radiator and had the front grill off so once refitted I tried the headlights on dip and then main beam to make sure everything was working that's when I noticed how hot it was