Replaced side marker light last week, took some pics of the nastiness. Eric, I hope you don’t find this under the boot.
One spade ok, one spade ugly.
Water in the lens assembly.
Tab on the right needs to be gently pried to the side to get the bulb holder out. Notice the plastic distorted? Some corrosion induced heat?
What the bulb holder should not look like.
WHat the bulb holder should look like.
shooftie 
#1 by oldfussbudget on July 8, 2013 - 3:38 pm
Pleh! And it wants me to be the first one to like it. Pleh.
#2 by oldfussbudget on July 8, 2013 - 3:48 pm
I just pulled mine apart so I could describe it for Eric. It’s dry and un-corroded, but the plastic barrel is somewhat distorted, makes it a trifle interesting to reassemble.
#3 by albell on July 8, 2013 - 4:36 pm
Barrel distorted on mine too. Bulbs too hot?
ab
#4 by Joel on July 8, 2013 - 4:40 pm
Are there LED replacement bulbs for these lights? And don’t most Canadian vans require running lights all the time?
#5 by albell on July 8, 2013 - 5:05 pm
I bet there are LEDs, you’d think I’d know 🙂
The Vanagon DRLs only light up (at a dimmed value) the low beams. I don’t hink the side markers are lit.
But I have mine on all the time.
ab
#6 by albell on July 8, 2013 - 5:12 pm
maybe one on this page will work?
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/ba9s-ba7s/
ab
#7 by Marius Strom on July 8, 2013 - 9:09 pm
http://www.vanagonwiki.net/wiki/LED_Lights
#8 by albell on July 8, 2013 - 10:15 pm
Marius, thanks for this.
ab
#9 by Peter Richardson on July 19, 2013 - 9:51 am
I am restoring mine right now. Ordered new plastic housings and since they are prone to melting with the stock bulb, I went all in for LED bulbs. # 8 3/4 in SS screws to replace factory rusty stuff. I took a hint from the gowesty site suggesting a rubber gasket between the reflector and the sheet metal so I just cut my own from inner tube rubber. I will pack the boot with grease when I reinstall.
#10 by albell on July 19, 2013 - 7:42 pm
Peter,
How does the led light look?
As for gasket, I was too lazy to make one. But now I think I should. What I have done in the past was to use a thin bead of latex caulk. I thought it would seal but not stick too firmly. On my syncro I used some “rope caulk”, a waxy twine I had that was supposed to be used on window seals etc.
cheers
alistair
#11 by Peter Richardson on July 22, 2013 - 7:40 pm
Bulbs are still enroute…..
#12 by Peter Richardson on July 25, 2013 - 7:05 pm
LED bulbs installed in the new rear side markers. 100 % better light because the bulbs only emit red light and are focused right at the dimple in the centre of the reflector. Cleaned and greased everything and the rubber boot fits on the new barrel on the back of the reflector like a glove. I ordered a kit of 12 exterior bulbs so I will be gradually cleaning and returning all the sockets on the van eventually……
#13 by albell on July 25, 2013 - 7:38 pm
Peter,
can you take a pic? And remind me of the bulb info/part number.
thanks
ab
#14 by Peter Richardson on July 25, 2013 - 8:31 pm
The bulb part # is BA9S-4 LED Red. I can take an image, can it be. Posted here in the replies?
#15 by albell on July 25, 2013 - 8:37 pm
If you like, send the image to me and I can post it.