Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

kenntona

Well-Known Member
Legendary 10 Years
Just to share my experience in retrofitting my projector lens with xenon bulbs. I spent 6 hours or more at BVO 2 Saturdays ago retrofitting the cluster and colour-coordinate the xenons, the Angels' Eyes, and the fogs. A painful process but worth it.

Please note the specific characteristics of such aftermarket parts when you contemplate to buy one...... might help you to prepare yourself...... Perhaps Prof Steven Wu can shed some lights in this subject......

The headlight cluster is branded Depo (made in Taiwan). The bulbs and ballasts are made by Techone. Colour temperature are like 8,000 K because they emit a bluish tint. Some of the percularities that you must take note:

(1) The light cluster might come in clips instead of screws in the adjoining section to the side indicator. The older E46 rides were using clips. Hence owners of newer E46 rides have to be aware of this. Nonetheless, this could be overcame by simple modification in replacing the clips with a screw socket.

(2) The light cluster comes with the lens housing, projector lens, the xenon bulbs, relay cables and ballast. However, the projector lens have in-built angel eyes - a circular slot and grooved lens-tube covering the slot. Here comes the problem. The built-in angel eyes run on the older bulb system, emitting yellowish light. They looked like those fitted on E39s. With a bluish might emitting from the xenon bulbs, the yellowish rings became quite an eyesore. No, you cannot retrofit an aftermarket CCFL (flourescent-based) onto the cluster, given that the built-in lens-tube stands in the way. The only solution is to remove the 3 bulbs in each slot, and retrofit the flourescent tube within the new generation CCFL (stripped off the grooved housing tube) into the circular slot. However, the tube is extremely fragile (Ah Wee broke 2 tubes in the installation process). Plus, you have to used the CCFLs meant for E39 to untake this process. The circumference / diameter of the Depo cluster and the CCFLs do not fit. This is a long process as well, but could be overcome.

P46.jpg


(3) Autolevelling : your autolevelling function will not be working anymore, if you install such aftermarket kit.

(4) Titanium Trimming: you can transfer your titanium trimming (if you have one) underlying the light clusters. In fact, you could transfer the entire Borsch plexiglass headlight housing......

(5) Projector Lens: The Depo projector lens are smaller than the German brand by at least 1 cm in diameter.

Also found some tutorial links that could be useful......

http://www.umnitza.com/tutorials.php
http://faqlight.carpassion.info/hl-general.htm
http://faqlight.carpassion.info/projector-unit.htm
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

Hey,

Glad you got things worked out. I went thru similar process getting mine done. BTW the Projector46 lights you get from JLevi and Modbargains.com etc are all by Depo.

Cheers
J
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

bro,can this install on the E36 model?
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

Not too sure on the retrofitment of xenons on E36 light clusters. Better check with the experts. Cheers.
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

Hey Kenn! What fog blubs did u use?

My setup:

BMW Xenons = 6000k
Angel Eyes = 8000k
Fogs = ???
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

My xenons 8,000k, CCFL 5,000k, Fogs 4,500k.

CCFL and fogs blend, but xenons look damn bluish.
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

Some Taiwanese brands that I bought from Autobacs to coordinate with the CCFLs. Guess I have to change the xenon's bulbs to 6,000 to match the CCFLs and the fogs.
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

That's expensive route
If u can get higher K for the fogs (which is quite difficult) , that will be cheaper but you will feel very blue at night
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

TripleM said:
That's expensive route
If u can get higher K for the fogs (which is quite difficult) , that will be cheaper but you will feel very blue at night

Not so much difference between 4300k and 6000k.... its only when u hit 8000k and above, then everything will look blue!
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

Precisely my point. With the 8,000k xenons, the CCFLs looks a tad like E39's, as with the fogs. But the 8,000k sibey swee leh. The CCFL cannot be upgraded. Max I'd think is 6,000 - white. The fogs can look for some PIAA up to 9,000 for 9006 I'd think.

BTW, Sam, the brand has been discussed before somewhat in the forum. My memory serves me well enough to remember BMWSilver (Ben) has bought it too.
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

Think its some Jap brand that I bought but removed after a day.... let me go to Autobacs and see what i can dig up!
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

how much are xenons with angel eyes and fog?
can i get these installed frm autobacs?

thanks=)
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

colrc said:
was it really worth all the time and effort?
It all depends how badly infected is the owner with the mod virus. Some brothers here have gone one step further by modding the interior lights, or even LED'ed the license plate bulb. To each his own......
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

Hi kenntona,

Looks like you're an expert in xenons here. Can you advise me if it is possible to fit in a bi-xenon adaptive headlights for my E90? I've been eyeing at a set of used ones from ebay but not sure if it's gonna work here? Thanks in advance.

jaymz
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

jaymz said:
Hi kenntona,

Looks like you're an expert in xenons here. Can you advise me if it is possible to fit in a bi-xenon adaptive headlights for my E90? I've been eyeing at a set of used ones from ebay but not sure if it's gonna work here? Thanks in advance.

jaymz
I am no expert here, jaymz. Just to share my experience in the retrofitting process.

My take - dun buy first - better to check with the E90 owners here. Any sharing?
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

jaymz said:
Hi kenntona,

Looks like you're an expert in xenons here. Can you advise me if it is possible to fit in a bi-xenon adaptive headlights for my E90? I've been eyeing at a set of used ones from ebay but not sure if it's gonna work here? Thanks in advance.

jaymz


Hi Jaymz,

U can check with Mike from Sin Wee Chuan
Blk 3021A Ubi Road 1 #01-40
Tel: 91074888

Cheers
 
Re: Retrofitting Aftermarket Xenons

jaymz said:
Hi kenntona,

Looks like you're an expert in xenons here. Can you advise me if it is possible to fit in a bi-xenon adaptive headlights for my E90? I've been eyeing at a set of used ones from ebay but not sure if it's gonna work here? Thanks in advance.

jaymz


Just one more note on getting headlight from the US, make sure they are meant for RHD else ur light will be pointing towards the right instead of left and blind every single car in the opposite lane hurhurhur......
 

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