Fitting Genuine Xenons, what's involved? Options

[analbeard]

Ok, so further to my questions about fitting aftermarket xenons, i've found a pair of OEM xenons for what i think is a very reasonable price (which i'd then fit angel eyes to at a later date). I've got a couple of questions for anyone who's retrofitted OEMs (Craig etc):

are they just plug and play? is it a case of removing the current units, sticking the xenons in and then plugging back in? (obviously there's the LCM reflash too). Or are there ballasts involved etc?

secondly, do the projectors serve as the main/full beams? i presume the sidelights are just normal bulbs in the second bowl?

lastly, how much did people pay for their OEM xenons?

cheers in advance.


edit: i'm assuming that facelift headlights can't be fitted to pre-facelift cars? i'm waiting on the seller getting back to me with the year of the car. part numbers (off the stickers) are: 6904295 / LE97C630 / 0301 157 675 <- do they mean anything to anyone? can't find a decent answer on realoem etc.

[Dicky]

Here you go mate (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Heres one I prepared earlier (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

http://www.e46zone.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1586

[analbeard]

Here you go mate (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Heres one I prepared earlier (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

http://www.e46zone.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1586

cheers Dicky, me love you long time! I've looked through all the diys at some point, managed to miss that one though! if it's a new bulb, where did you get yours from? i'll get a pair of 6000ks while i'm at it.

[Dicky]

Just got them from good old eBay (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Cost about £10-12 for a pair

[analbeard]

GAH! I'm such a heavy-handed f**kwit! I was changing the bulbs over and managed to snap the long thin bit that returns from top of the bulb to the base! It was on the one that wasn't working too so i don't know whether that's the problem or not, couldn't be arsed swapping the working one into the other side as it was way too dark, i'm way too tired and i'm way too p**sed off. ah well, means i'll have to buy the 6000ks anyway! also, i can't seem to get the plastic ring that holds the bulb in to go back on either side, is there a knack to it? i know it says 'top' on the ring, but putting that at the top didn't help!

cheers Dicky, am i right in thinking they're d2s bulbs?

[Dicky]

Yep D2S mate (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

PITA about the other bit but I am sure you can sort easily enough (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[analbeard]

ja, just an annoyance really! i was gonna put 6000k bulbs in anyway so it's probably best that i put them in before i put the unit in the car.

[analbeard]

ok, so i've done a bit of elimination, swapped the working bulb into the side that wasn't working, and the light still fails to illuminate. it's brighter when it flickers, but it still doesn't illuminate. i've also plugged it into both sides of the car, so i'm guessing this means it's a ballast issue?

can anyone link me up with a replacement? p/n is 1307329023

if there are any others that work then that's fine, but i want them so they fit in the original mountings on the unit, i don't want to have to bodge it to get it to work. i'll email him and see what he wants to do (that's provided you guys reckon it is a ballast issue)


edit: is it worth me going the whole hog and removing the working ballast and testing it in the dodgy side?

further edit: right, i've tried every possible combination of unit/ballast/side (of the car) and the result is still exactly the same: flickering but no full illumination. it's exactly like when a ballast fails in a fluorescent light.

[Clubsport-Chris]

Dot he genuine headlights have separate igniters?

[Dicky]

Yep there is still the igniter inside to consider,so it sounds like either ballast or igniter, the seller should give you money off to rectify or supply a working replacement.

[analbeard]

Yep there is still the igniter inside to consider,so it sounds like either ballast or igniter, the seller should give you money off to rectify or supply a working replacement.

yeah, he certainly will be. i'm almost 100% sure it's the ballast as the light works perfectly on the duff side when i swap in the ballast from the good side. does this sound logical? the exact same problem is replicated identically when i alternate ballasts in the side that worked first time (and still does).

that may not be overly clear. basically, if it were the igniter then the issue would be confined to the (originally faulty) passenger's side unit, but the problem moves to the (originally good) driver's side unit when i change the ballasts round (don't worry, i've got them labelled as good/duff so i don't get them confused (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) )

[Dicky]

Yeah I get you in that case it does sound like a duff ballast (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Dicky]

What's the part number on your ballasts is it 8387114 ?

[analbeard]

isn't that too short to be a p/n? mine are 1307329023 which you can interchange with a smaller bosch ballast beginning with a 6 (so i read), but i can't find where i read it now.

[analbeard]

Ok, so this story very nearly has a happy ending. This was the faulty side:

(IMG:http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs126.ash2/39661_423242679639_502179639_4661384_1174346_n.jpg)

I say nearly, because the lights worked fine, until I fired them up with the engine running just now and found out that instead of xenons, I'd actually fitted strobes! Guess I'm going to need a capacitor harness for the moment, until I can afford to get the LCM flashed anyway.

[Trickster]

Ok, so this story very nearly has a happy ending. This was the faulty side:

(IMG:http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs126.ash2/39661_423242679639_502179639_4661384_1174346_n.jpg)

I say nearly, because the lights worked fine, until I fired them up with the engine running just now and found out that instead of xenons, I'd actually fitted strobes! Guess I'm going to need a capacitor harness for the moment, until I can afford to get the LCM flashed anyway.

@strobes LOL

dude so close (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[ROB1986]

Whats happened to your mirror dude?

[analbeard]

@strobes LOL

dude so close (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

they were very flickery! on the upside, i'm there! the harnesses turned up today so they're all fitted and working, at long last! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Whats happened to your mirror dude?

aha, i washed the car just before i took the photo and i turned the mirror down to drain the water out!