Porsche 986 & 996 Headlights - Bi-xenon HID conversion
The process of converting one headlight involves:
- Opening the headlight
- Paint application preparations and painting
- Installing/wiring the projector, bulb and ballast
- Testing (electronics) On-vehicle pre-adjustments (leveling the projectors)
- Lens and headlight parts cleaning, and sealing the headlight
Opening the headlight
There are various DIY written on the subject of opening a headlight unit. However, and to be on the safe side, I do recommend using the oven solution instead of a heat gun. Both options are equally effective however special skills are required when using the latest. Hotspots can easily be made with a heat gun therefore being consistent and distributing the heat well around the headlight is paramount. In my opinion, the best DIY "on the Internet" was written by member BLK986 and can be found here:
DIY HID Projector Install instructions
IMPORTANT NOTES: Cross reference to post below for "Opening Headlight and Installation".
HELP Opening Headlights
Patience is key; if the headlight's lens doesn't come off easy, STOP, and place it back in the oven for another heating session. Do NOT apply excessive force to pry off the lens. It does come off with medium to little efforts when properly heated. My personal experience; 10min@225F - I found out that it never works out on the first attempt. In my case one headlight opened after 2 (two) heating sessions and the other one opened after 3 (three) heating sessions. My first reaction when one came off was "that was way too easy". So do take your time and nothing will go wrong.
IMPORTANT: When removed, NEVER touch the inner side of your lens with your fingers (e.g. greasy). It will be very hard to remove without the use of soaps or chemicals and you don't want that. Wear rubber gloves to prevent mistakes. Once the lens is removed, keep it clean by storing it inside a NEW plastic bag.
Paint application preparations and painting
Shall you decide to paint the interior of your headlight then black is the way to go. Matte black is by far the best finish selection however beware, matte is non-reflective and therefore 'could' generate very high heat when in direct sunlight. If your vehicle if often placed in direct sunlight, I'd recommend using satin black finish which also offers an equally modern sporty looking finish. Do NOT paint your headlight in gloss black, why? because nobody did that before! At last, the headlight unit can, and will, become hot therefore only use quality Heat Resistant Paints from a reputable manufacturer (VHT, OMP, to name a few).
Preps are simple. Wet sand the internal polycarbonate lining and the reflector with a #600 abrasive paper. This will ensure that the paint will adhere properly to the surfaces and that no (potential) chemical reaction between the reflector's chrome finish and your paint will occurred. At last, clean the parts to be painted with a degreaser before applying the paint (if you aren't wearing rubber gloves in the process). Note that these preparations should be sufficient for a long lasting surface however the proper way would be to use a professional primer as based coat prior painting.
Installing/wiring the projector, bulb and ballast
Diagrams are provided with the kit in PDF format (sent by email). Those diagrams applies to both the Porsche 986 and Porsche 996 halogen headlight models. Those are:
- How to mount projector onto the reflector (including socket enlargement, methods and other basic preps).
- How to secure the bulb into the projector (spacer & spring mounting system).
- Wiring of the CANBUS ballast and projector's solenoid onto the headlight's low & high beam connectors.
The installation is all very straight forward. I believe there is sufficient material and visuals in this thread alone to give one a good idea how these mounts to the reflector. Regardless of this, I will try my best to make the installation as easy as possible with diagrams and additional visuals.
Testing (electronics) and Projector's level adjustments
Before sealing the headlight, it is recommended to test all features of the headlight on a workbench. Those can be tested using a 12v DC source with a minimum current capacity of 10amps (e.g car battery, motorcycle battery, or rectifier will do). You need to ensure that 1. your ballasts are lighting up the bulbs and that your solenoid is activated effectively. Both can be tested by connecting the respective +/- wires onto 12 volts. Once everything has been successfully tested and operational, you can move on to leveling the projectors.
Leveling the projector requires 1. your new bi-xenon projector to be installed and 2. the hid bulb to be operational. What you need to ensure is that the cutoff line/beam is horizontal with the world. Two methods are available for this adjustment. The first one is to place the headlights in the vehicle and the other method is indoor while having the headlight leveled on a table and facing a wall.
Indoor method: with the lens and polycarbonate lining removed, you will see a flat surface on the bottom of the headlight housing. This is your vehicle's horizontal reference. With your headlight placed onto a table, level that flat bottom surface with the world using a mini-spirit level. Once leveled, secure the headlight unit onto your table using tape. If you do not have a mini-spirit level, and only have the standard (long) model, simply place a perfectly square object on the headlight's flat bottom surface and take the level reading from the top of that object.
Once your headlight is leveled and secured in place on a table, slightly loosen the projector's socket screw, power-up the ballast, keep your eyes on the wall, and turn the projector with one hand until you are satisfied with the horizontal level of the cutoff line. When satisfied, tighten the socket screw with a pair of long nose pliers - and all done. I've applied Locktite (medium strength) to the socket screw but I don't see this as 'mandatory'. Also, I personally prefer the indoor method. There are less chances that the projector moves when removing the headlight from the vehicle however both methods are equally effective.
Lens and headlight parts cleaning, and sealing the headlight
Lens cleaning: You've never touched the lens with your fingers however when removing the old silicon sealant, some particles and other dust may have found their way onto the inner side of the lens. To clean it, simply blow compressed air on it or use a clean microfiber cloth and HOT distilled water ONLY. Do not use tap water as this will leave mineral residues on the lens. You'll want the water to evaporate quickly so do this in a warm and clean environment (heated bathroom for instance!). Once done, place the lens back inside a (surgically-cleaned) plastic bag until it is ready to be installed onto the headlight. I've used a plain and cheap black garbage bag (they are folded air-tight style by the manufacturer).
The next step is to remove the remaining old silicon from the headlight housing. I've used a flat head screw driver to get rid of most of it and finished the job with a stainless steel brush (get one that is the same size as a toothbrush). Next is to remove dust and particles from the headlight's housing, reflector and from the polycarbonate lining/insert. Assuming the paint had time to cure (2-3 days), use the same microfiber and distilled water to clean the headlight housing, insert, reflector and cablings (everything!). Use a long & slim plastic object to gently push the microfiber under the reflector and on its sides to get rid of any dust hiding there while being careful not to scratch the new paint job. When satisfied, again, hop everything in clean plastic bags to keep dust away until you are ready to seal all this back together.
Sealing back the headlight is the easiest job of all. Fill the sealant compartment around the headlight housing to
half-full with RTV silicon, and install the lens. Very simple. Check with your RTV silicon manufacturer RE curing time. 48 hrs at room temp should be more than sufficient.
Hardware Specifications
(to be continued soon)
[Draft: those are ongoing notes - I will update these regularly and publish installation diagrams when completed]
Hybrid Mode
