Seal's Bi-xenon headlight revirgination project

[Seal1968]

I received my package from The Retrofit Source!

And so the project begins...headlights out, seals off (they are toast) now baking in the sun.

Here we go!

[Seal1968]

Stay tuned for updates folks. Baking in the sun, then will get to cracking these open.

[Stl-986]

Doubt the sun is going to help. If it did then these would all fall apart sitting in the driveway.

Look though Help Me DIY's youtube videos. He did a complete 2 part video on how to do this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXotn-sdyLo&t=55s

[PLP]

What did you exactly get from TRS?

I did the full retro fit using FX-R a while ago... a long project, but effects were awesome.

[Seal1968]

Well, pre-warming them actually. I was waiting for my wife to finish baking, but I got into some beers so that is it for the day.

I got the mini Morimoto bi-xenons that it seems everyone gets.

Then I added some black "Apollo" design shrouds with led halos to hook up the daytime running lights. The halos will shine through the shroud's open slots surrounding the headlight.

Should look pretty cool.

I'll probably crack them open tomorrow when my wife is out.

[JBauer]

What shrouds are you using? Did they offer a centering bracket? If not its gonna be a tight fit in there.

[Seal1968]

OK. I watched quite a few videos on cracking these things open, and decided to follow Particlewave's guidance.

I baked them at 225 for 15 minutes in the over, resting on some pieces of pine.

[Seal1968]

Then I followed the advice to use a putty knife as a backer, then a small flat blade screwdriver to get under the lip...left it there to hold the gap, then moved about 3 inches away and did the same.

You can literally hear the silicone tearing as you go.

Then I went straight for my small flat pry bar, used the putty knife to protect the edge and twisted it until the seam opened to the top.

Then I used my hands only.

5 minutes, tops.

[Radman]

Thanks for the PM and the thread. Very helpful. Hopefully I take the plunge soon.

I'm assuming high beams go away with these right?

[Jgkram]

What do you plan on using to reattach the lens to the headlight?

[Seal1968]

OK, an update.

I test fired, and success...low beams work on the first try! Very pleased I didn't screw up. So far so good.

Next I want to use the bi-xenons as high and low beam, given that's what they're made for. I am not a fan of having things not work like a "factory" setup.

So, I got a Canbus to plug in which should allow the high/low beam function to work.

I believe this tells the system to allow both low and high beam firing in the projector solenoid. Just sorting this out now - if I understand the rep from Retrofit Source correctly, I think it goes in between the ballast and the projector.

Will be testing on the weekend.

And JBauer...you asked about the shrouds and fitment...the shrouds and halos I ordered are too big as it turns out after all. Good eye sir!

Since I'm using the reflector bowl like the early kits done by particlewave and Nine8Six, they won't work as the projector is not centered in the housing. If I bought one of those kits from the Retrofit lab that reuses the sockets from the reflector, they would be fine.

It was a good thought - no worries though, they will take them back as a return.

As such, I also decided on a different solution for the DRLs...maybe the fog light hack, or simply replace the small bulb with a LED. That way, its an easy replacement versus re-opening the housing to replace a failed halo at some point.

I will be testing out the canbus over the weekend.

If it works I'll disassemble, spray the reflector, and I will hardwire some of the wires versus all the garbled connectors to ensure a tidy fit.

Once that's all done, I will use black Permatex sealant for automotive and polish the lens.

Stay tuned folks.

[PLP]

The high beam low beam may not be so easy to accomplish....

Low beam turns off when high beam is activated, am I right?

Low beam supplies power to the ballast. When you pull high beam, the power from high beam light bulb should remain on the high beam light bulb, but also should power the solenoid opening the shield on the projector.

If the low beam gets deactivated, the projector light supply goes dark. To keep it going you can setup a small relay or a circuit that would provide current in either situation.

Unless the low beam stays on with high beam... I am not sure and too lazy to check myself.


However, a few years ago when I did full retrofit in 2009 Elantra, I left the high beam operational along with the projector.
Since then I loved driving this car at night on twisty roads. Man, it was like a daylight.

[Seal1968]

You are correct sir. Flick high beams, projector out, "shield/flap" opens...but not much good without the proper juice.

The standalone H7 Canbus does not work like I thought it would.

I dug deeper into the threads here and it turns out that there needs to be some additional relays and more wiring done. I found a diagram someone made up for the high beam flash and DRL dimming. It's just not a road I want to go down.

So, I've made my decision - xenon low beam, "factory" high beam and DRL. Nice and simple. Basically acts like the factory litronics this way (except the self levelling of course).

From what I've read, most that have done the early swaps were not concerned about the high beam function, as the projector is so much better anyway. I've read that the halos have had some failures due to being on all the time and/or heat as well.

I think if I need to simply swap bulbs now and then, that's much better than having to crack open the housing and replace a burnt LED halo.

After more searching (thanks to a fellow Canuck NewArt's post a few years back) I found LED H7 replacements, and LEDs for the daytime running lights. Ordered.

I also remeasured and think the Mini-Gatling gun shrouds will fit just nice...ordered those.

Progress, not perfection.

I think one thing I'm learning from this project is that it's a friggin 20 year old car...it can't have all the same toys as my daily driven A4.

Stay tuned...I now wait for parts.

[JBauer]

Before you order anything else you ought to look into LED projectors. You can have high and low beam without all the extra wiring. A LED projector will fit just like your xenox projector does. I changed mine over to LEDs and the output is better than my factory xenon or my retro fit projector xenons.

[Radman]

Originally Posted by JBauer

Before you order anything else you ought to look into LED projectors. You can have high and low beam without all the extra wiring. A LED projector will fit just like your xenox projector does. I changed mine over to LEDs and the output is better than my factory xenon or my retro fit projector xenons.

What are you using for the fogs?

[JBauer]

Originally Posted by Radman

What are you using for the fogs?

I never use the fogs but I converted the housing to accommodate a set of ebay motorcycle projectors.

[PLP]

Show me the cutoff.

[Seal1968]

Originally Posted by PLP

Show me the cutoff.

Excellent point sir!

I got so excited about them working, I forgot to make sure that the lights were aimed appropriately. This is actually very dangerous folks - MAKE SURE you don't miss this step prior to driving at night.

I discovered this the other night in a trial run from my friend's camp - the lights were pointing way too low - looked like about 25 feet outward was nicely lit, nothing past.

If I didn't know the road like the back of my hand...yikes - forget about a deer suddenly jumping out, not enough reaction time there for sure.

So, yesterday I reviewed the Porsche guide to aiming after a quick Google search. I parked in front of the garage door 25 feet away, and measured the height of the headlight at the fender. Then I marked with blue tape less 2 inches or so on the door. Must have been almost 6 inches too low with the top of the beam cutoff.

To adjust, all you do is pop open the side fabric cover in the frunk, and crank the lower adjuster behind the rubber plug -there's two right there- for vertical movement of the bowl until the beam "edge" meets the tape. Its a 5mm allen key - quite slick actually. You can adjust horizontally as well, in case one is cockeyed.

Sorry, I didn't post pics...there's a ton on the subject already.

Once I finish the final polish I'll post up the end result.

Happy 4th of July to my US friends!

[PLP]

Originally Posted by Seal1968

Excellent point sir!

Not the aim... I just wanted to see how clear it is.
Some projectors are very crisp cutoffs, while some more blurry, some are straight flat, some elevated (mimicking typical European H4 style).

so, show me the pics... I am looking into doing the retrofit as well.

[dsallean]

If you decide to go with fog projectors like JBauer, can you share which ones if you like them? About to start the same project here with parts from retrofitlab.