Headlights finished curing last night and I finally put them on my car this morning :banana:. Couple quick pics from the parking garage at work (only place I could think of that was semi-dark).

http://static.flickr.com/136/325168139_7003315d6a.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/142/325167901_95f83e8a9b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/140/325167600_f3472e5a61.jpg

These next two pictures show the difference between one halogen light and one HID projector. I took these while I was test fitting everything. Camera was set on manual mode and all settings were the exact same between the two images. Position of the camera was pretty much the same as well. The halogen bulb is a Sylvania Silverstar with less than 30 hours on it. The HID bulb is a phillips 4300k that is essentially brand new.

http://static.flickr.com/106/313454723_9800e7e6ef.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/108/313454720_582553b486.jpg


Finally this is one of the pictures I took in a series trying to show the color of the lights at different angles. This is the most blue it gets and you can see the difference between the HID projector and the halogen. Since the blue is only at the cuttoff, I'm hoping it will flicker nicely while still providing the 4300K light for visibility.

http://static.flickr.com/110/313468536_cf7fc2ffee.jpg

NICE! :eek:

Very nice ! Any pics of the actual build?

Bi-xenon correct? How did it fit in your housing? enough room?

There's the rub (and the reason I didn't take any pics of the housings.) I was insistent on keeping the bixenon functionality, so to make it fit there wasn't room for any sort of bezel. I pretty much took the projectors, painted the front half in a high heat flat black, and then stuck it in the headlight housing. I had to lose the entire low beam reflector assembly as the TL shell pretty much makes it impossible to fit while keeping any significant part of the original reflector. Doesn't look pretty, but I was able to retain the xenon highs and I didn't have to modify the projectors in any way.

On the whole, the projector with bixenon solenoids fits fine, but I don't see a way of making it fit while including a bezel or keeping the original reflector. With my setup the projector is probably half a cm at most away from the plastic front of the headlight shell.

hmm.. maybe give a TSX projector a shot.. you'd be quite satisfied =)

great job none the less.. output looks awesome!

Holy COW! I cant believe you made it fit!!!!!

TL projectors are the ONLY projectors id want on my car!! PM me once you get this all finished and worked out!!!

NICE! :eek:

Thanks, I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

hmm.. maybe give a TSX projector a shot.. you'd be quite satisfied =)

great job none the less.. output looks awesome!

I'm actually very happy with the TLs. I waffled between the two when I was researching, but I really wanted to get xenon high beams as well as lows, and the TLs fit the bill perfectly. If I had been able to get both form and function that would have been great, but I'm perfectly happy with the way it ended up. I definitely prefer this option to TSXs, even if I could get the TSXs to look perfectly OEM. My only real concern is that if someone wants to hassle me its pretty easy to tell my setup isn't OEM, but everything I did is plug and play so I could very easily swap back to the stockers. I've done it so many times now I could probably swap everything out in less than 3 or 4 minutes. :rolleyes:

Holy COW! I cant believe you made it fit!!!!!

TL projectors are the ONLY projectors id want on my car!! PM me once you get this all finished and worked out!!!

I started out with the same sentiment of wanting TLs more than any other projector. Now that I've got them installed, I still feel the same way =).

I'm pretty much done as far as the lights go. The only thing left is to properly wire the high beams. I read on HIDPlanet that wiring them in series would work, but even though the voltages check out it doesn't seem to be enough to trigger the solenoids. As such I'm going to wire them in parallel and use resistors to get down to 9V. I'm confident this will work since I've been testing the solenoids with 9V batteries. Its just a matter of finding another free weekend to wire up the new harness.

As far as things I learned, here's a quick list:

Don't underestimate how much the shell compresses when you screw it back together. I had everything done one time before only to discover that the front of the shell was touching one projector and it was moving it down enough to totally throw off the aim.

No matter how much you want to save the low beam reflector, its probably not going to happen.

When you aim them be sure to drive forward and backwards a few feet and watch the light against the wall. If it moves up and down a lot, then you're parked in a divot (or on a hill) and you want to go find somewhere else to aim the lights.

Also, the 04 lights have a decently visible cutoff line and kink so you might be able to use that to mark where want to aim the lowbeams. It might save you trying to find a perfectly level surface with a perfectly vertical wall. I went with the wall approach.

Be sure the bulbs are seated fully in the housing. I almost had a heart attack when I tested them after taking the projectors apart to paint. I thought I had completely ruined the optics, but in fact it was just that the bulb wasn't fully seated.

When you are pulling the old lights and putting in your housings to aim, make sure the yellow and white tabs on the backs of the lights are all present and accounted for. I went through a whole round of aiming only to discover that my donor lights had come with the white tabs on the bottom. My car also had the white tabs in the car, so the lights weren't sitting properly in the car when I was aiming them. I lost a few hours worth of work because of this one.

Don't try to save time and skip the white tab thing that holds the third screw for your headlights. It has to be seated in order to position the lights properly and consistently.

They all seem obvious in hindsight, but since this was my first time trying a retrofit I made each mistake at least once.

Wow, great information.

Ive been pondering a Projector retrofit for my WRX for quite a while now (Ive got STi headlights assemblies in right now) But there is still nothing quite as beautiful as HID projector lights. TSX, E55,S2000, Hella, they're all nice but they're still no TL. And out of all the cars that drive past (I always check them out no matter how busy) None even come close to the beauty of the TLs.

Ive gone and asked many members and vendors on the board (and off [hidplanet])to see if a TL retrofit is possible and they all say that it should be reconsidered. With many reasons. My biggest concern is that of quality.

The TL projectors are quite heavy and as you know, weight does matter, the heavier it is, the higher the chance there is to get stress cracks. Id like the retrofit to look as if it was OEM and came that way with the car, that means no screws or anything showing!

http://www.mikesuniverse.net/images/lightshow3.JPG

this retrofit was done by HIDtech and you can see screws even when viewing them directly from the front. Thats a no go! :(

when it should look more like this

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v91/stillwill/Myles%20pics/Projectors/ygpFBC0.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v91/stillwill/Myles%20pics/Projectors%202/ygp851B.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v91/stillwill/Myles%20pics/Projectors%202/ygp8518.jpg
E55 Projectors
(Myles car RaceCompEngineering done by Payam (psyber_0ptix)@nasioc ))

So anyways, Im looking for these 3 requirements and it doesnt seem like its possible so far.

1) Must look OEM (Like it does with the E55 projectors, looks perfect with shroud)



2) Must clear the lenses of "hazing." Like many headlights, the WRX has headlights that haze on the inside, and this is thought to be that of mold release agent used in the headlights. Cheap/badly formulated headlamps will contain something similar to calcium stearate which will leave a residue and create that fogging inside the headlamp. As the ambient temperature gets lower this problem will get worse. Once it heats up it subliminates and goes from solid-->gas. Then it will come back again when it gets cooler, generating a cycle

It is said that a variety of products can cure this, from meguier's plasticX, to CV (Cystal View), to Turtle Wax Clearcoat Polishing Compound, to Armor-All (for clear plastics), to motor oil :confused:

3) Have HID lowbeams as DRL.

4*) Impossible, but would be cool :: To have bi-xenons in and functional, and to install regular halogen bulbs where the the Hi-beams normally are. So that way when the DRLs come on, its halogen and looks like the TL does during the day, and at night the halogens go off and the hi-beams go on, then if you pulled back for hi-beams, the HID hi-beams would go off, that would be insainly amazing and id love it :) :) but unfortunatly its probably impossible.
So hopefully one day all those will be possible, but as for now it doesnt seem like it is, but it looks like as time goes on we're getting further and further along :) :) I cant wait to see what the future holds! Best of luck to you in your quest for a perfect TL retrofit!!

this retrofit was done by HIDtech and you can see screws even when viewing them directly from the front. Thats a no go! :(

I don't think I've ever read one good thing about HIDtech.com. I hear their customer service is pretty atrocious.

They actually do good work, they're pricey, but from what I hear they do a good job, Not sure what happend on those projectors though. Their customer service is fine as well, ive sent them many emails and they've always replied quickly and as informed as possible (Sean@hidtech is GREAAAT) but ive never actually had a retrofit done by them, nor had any problems with their products so I cant say first had how their customer service really is, at least they treat future customers quite well :)

^^^

Back when HIDplanet was HIDforum, not very many people on those internet forums had good experiences with HIDtech. I guess a lot of people put in orders with them, but they got backed up, and when people asked for their money back they never got a response from them. One guy posted a retrofit done by them, and the backside looked like it was super glued together. Again, just going on what I've read on that forum as I haven't dealt with them personally.



*Edited first sentence for more clarity.

You might be confusing HIDtech (www.hidtech.com) with HIDplanet (www.hidplanet.com) ? Or maybe I'm wrong?

Here is the thread...

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7281&highlight=hidtech

HIDforum.com became HIDplanet.com This guy reposted on HIDplanet what he originally posted on HIDforum since it was deleted in the forum transfer.

once again, I think you're confusing HIDtech for HIDplanet. I havent said a think about HIDforum in any of my posts :confused:

You mentioned in one of your posts, a retro fit done by HIDtech was not so good. I was just stating that a review about HIDtech I read some time ago on an internet forum called HIDforum.com (which is now called HIDplanet) were not very good reviews.

HIDtech = retrofitter
HIDfourm = HIDplanet = internet forum

I don't see what you think is confusing about my post? I can tell the difference between an internet forum and a website. :huh:

ah. Gotcha.

Ive been toying with the idea of Acura TL projectors in the 04/05 housings, but now I am determined to do it. Fully functional with a shroud :)

Stay tuned guys..

-Caesar

Ive been toying with the idea of Acura TL projectors in the 04/05 housings, but now I am determined to do it. Fully functional with a shroud :)

Stay tuned guys..

-Caesar

if you can do it and make it look OEM with the shroud used above, and keep it fully functional, i got money for you right now. But then again, its a big IF you can do it. Till now no one has done a TL retrofit, and no one has done one that is 100% clean and looks OEM..... at least not yet ;)

Not yet is for sure. I just ordered them up today. Like I said look out for a thread around January since I am leaving for vacation..

alright, let me know. TL projectors are the ONLY projectors id want on my car. :) I honestly admit I cant wait!

Alright wait.. how does the bi-xenon work then? Im assuming that you can no longer use the stock projectors? Cause just by changing the projector, doesnt suddely make it high beam or low beam? Also wouldnt a differnt type of bulb like the H4 but for HIDs?

a bi-xenon is basically a normal lowbeam xenon projector but the 'cutoff' baffle lifts up out of the way via a solenoid that triggers when the highbeams come on. this means the cutoff in your pattern goes away and all the light is being projected forward in a high-beam-like pattern.

I thought some bi-xenon systems use a magnetic field to move the arc end to a different location thus changing the reflecting pattern and the beam output?

huh? magnetic field?? not from what I've seen so far.. I'm sure Caesar can tell us =)

There's a electronically enabled solenoid that moves the sheid out of the way for hi-beam use.. thats the way they all work.. correct me if I"m wrong of course..

The TL's definitely use a solenoid to move the cutoff shield out of the way. I've also never heard of a magnetic control to move the arc, but it does sound cool =).

I'd be surprised if its used though as I would expect a solenoid to be a much cheaper way of getting the same effect. Also, the solenoid is on/off so you don't need to worry about accurately controlling the voltage on the line. If you're moving the arc by using a magnet I would think you would need to very accurately control the strength of the field, meaning a lot more electronics.

well, a magnetic field would have the advantage of lasting a lot longer :)

Ahhhh, to live in a world where manufacturers chose longer lasting over cheaper. That would be a utopia indeed ;)

I think it was a prototype I had read about that they were having problems controlling the field accurately.

These next two pictures show the difference between one halogen light and one HID projector. I took these while I was test fitting everything. Camera was set on manual mode and all settings were the exact same between the two images. Position of the camera was pretty much the same as well. The halogen bulb is a Sylvania Silverstar with less than 30 hours on it. The HID bulb is a phillips 4300k that is essentially brand new.

http://static.flickr.com/106/313454723_9800e7e6ef.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/108/313454720_582553b486.jpg

This bit of info might have merrit if you had used a less-crappy bulb. Sylvania Silverstars are crap. Sock Halogens put out more usable light.

Also, you would have had to bring the rpm's up to atleast 2000rpm to get your alternator spinning and get the voltage at the bulb up to operating voltage from idle.

Then it would have been a more-fair comparison.

HID's are stepped waaaayyy up in the voltage arena to get that spark. They aren't as bothered by 11.5V idle vs 13v at normal rolling voltage.

Either way, the HID's will still be focused better and will have a wider beam pattern.

This is a more-fair comparison: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1153111

-- Dave

Anybody take a look at the size of the bi-xenon setup on say 03 SVT Focus? My wifes SVT has bi-xenon & they rival TL's IMHO but not sure on the size comparison with TL's.BTW only Focus SVT's with either winter package or Euro package I think came with them factory.So not to confuse anyone they also have a halogen hi bulb that comes on along with the bi-xenon,crazy bright on highs.

http://i24.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/7f/9c/1614_1.JPG