ScoobyNet.com - Subaru Enthusiast Forum - Projector retrofit, the simpler way.

OK, got my projectors delivered this week and have spent some time getting the kit fitted, and taking some pics as I went along.

So, to start: remove the grille:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/09...etrofit017.jpg

Using a suitable screwdriver, press down on the tang of the clip and pull the grille slightly forward to release the clip. Do this at both sides, then LIFT the grille out of the bottom retainers.
Place to one side in a safe place so as not to fall over it/tread on it:D

Now, undo the small screws at the top outer edges of the headlights. These hold the top of the sidelight in place:

Attachment 67226

Pull the sidelight forwards. It is held in by a ball and socket arrangement, so pull STRAIGHT forwards. Don't worry too much if you DO snap off one of the ball-bits, I did YEARS ago, and repaired it with something called Miliput Epoxy putty, it's been like that for years with no ill-effect:

Attachment 67227

The epoxy putty is the stuff that looks like plasticscene.

Now undo the two bolts that hold the outer edge of the light. These are hidden by the sidelight. The eagle eyed will note that those on mine have been replaced by stainless:

Attachment 67228

And the two on the inner edge, normally hidden by the grille, more stainless:

Attachment 67229

That's the lights out, then:

Attachment 67230

Now for the fun bit. First, prise up the four spring clips that hold each light together, put THOSE in a safe place too;) Place the lights, one at a time, in the oven, pre-heated to 150 degrees Celsius, for 5 minutes each one.

Using oven gloves etc to handle them, place face down on a towel, and use a large flat screwdriver to GENTLY prise up the rear away from the glass. Work carefully, and go around until you can pull the two bits apart.

Attachment 67231

Then, undo the single screw at the inner end and remove and put aside the shroud. Mine was silvered, it got sprayed satin black. This is what the light looks like now:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/09...etrofit005.jpg

Now, unscrew the MANUAL height adjuster if yours has them. If they are elctrically adjusted, leave that adjuster in place.
Unscrew the HORIZONTAL, (side to side), adjuster with a 10 mm spanner/socket until the threads are free of it's captive nut. Prise up the ball joint at the other end from INSIDE the light, on electrically adjusted models, prise IT'S ball joint up too, and the reflector will now be free of the back.
DO NOT TOUCH THE INSIDE OF THE REFLECTOR WITH YOUR BARE HANDS AS IT IS VERY HARD TO CLEAN OFF FINGERPRINTS WITHOUT DESTROYING THE SILVERING!

Put the parts of the light aside in a safe place.

Now let's look at what you get in the kit:

Attachment 67232

Top left to right: projector, shroud, wiring loom,
Bottom left to right: easy shroud fitting ring, D2S bulb, ballast.

Unscrew the two metal retaining rings from the rear of the projector. DO NOT LOSE the rubber and metal washers that drop out.
Prise off the black rubber collar and the H4 fitting ring, it is metal with 3 spigots sticking out.
These need to be modified to look like the one on the right, the one on the left is as they come:

Attachment 67233

This is because for some reason, the H4 bulb is tilted through about 15 degrees in it's housing on these lights, (one wonders if that is whay they are so CRAP?), and we need the projector to sit level.

Now, offer up the projector, still with it's white plastic crush washer, into the reflector, remembering NOT to touch the reflector surface, (I wore plastic gloves).
Mark the lower reflector surface with a waterproof felt, scriber etc, where the two lower projector bolts touch, remove projector and using a dremel, etc, remove some bits of the lower reflector until the projector will sit vertically. Remove bits at a time, doing most of the dremel work from OUTSIDE the reflector, do not worry, your shrouds will hide the holes. Brush any dust out of the reflector with much blowing and a VERY soft cloth, DO NOT rub hard!

Fit the projector in place, with it's spigot ring on the rear of the reflector, and tighten the FIRST metal ring. Keep checking all is level/vertical.
Once mine was satisfactory, I Araldited the lower bolt protrusions where they came through the reflector, leaving them standing that side down on a plastic bag. Once the Araldite had hardened, I cut the bag back and taped over it with black electrician's tape. You can see that on the next but one pic;)

Now offer up the new shrouds.
They too will need to be cut, top and bottom, to fit. Remove a bit at a time until you are satisfied, file down any sharp edges, push shroud fitting rings firmly into the rears, and push the whole lot firmly onto the projectors.

Attachment 67234

This second pic shows the UNDERSIDE of the relector with the holes sealed with Araldite and tape:

Attachment 67235

Refit the refectors into the lights, remembering a bit of grease on ball joints/threads.

Replace the shrouds that came out of the light earlier, one screw holds them in place.

The lights can now be put back together. Place glass on top of rear, (after THOROUGHLY cleaning and polishing the INSIDE of the glass;)).
Back into the oven for five minutes, remove and press down firmly with it face down on a towel, then refit glass clips, (you did remember to put them somewhere safe, didn't you?), and leave to cool.

Attachment 67236

That's one of mine finished. The eagle eyed will again notice that the projector shrouds are now satin black too. This is because, in attempting to fit the "BIXENON" stckers that came with the kit to the outer edge of the shroud, the clear tape holding MINE fetched the silvering off the shroud :( and the letters didn't stick anyway, so I took them off and sprayed the lot black. If I don't like it, I'll take the lights apart later and get some more shrouds;)

At this point, fit the bulbs, the two bits that fell out earlier when you unscrewed the two metal rings, are used to help hold them in place. The rubber one goes against the bulb base, the metal spring goes on top of it and the SECOND metal ring you unscrewed earlier holds the whole lot together.

I then made a small slot in the lower edge of the rear of the lamp housing on the plastic part of the headlight, in order to accomodate the thin wires to the dipping mechanism. they should be led out of the rear of the light.

I slightly modified the rubber seals from the rear of the lights:

Attachment 67237

On the left: modified, on the right: as it came. I used a sharp craft knife, (actually a scalpel), to slice off the thick part of the rubber centre, the bit that normally fits over an H4 bulb base.

Ok, the wiring:

Here is a pic of the wiring loom: Attachment 67238

Fairly standard: Working clockwise from the larger box at the top centre with it's silver label, this is the relay.
Then we have: H4 connector, (plugs into your old bulb connector), long sub-wiring loom to offside light, positive lead with 20A fuse in holder, shorter sub-wiring loom to nearside light.

Each of the two sub-looms mentioned has three parts: a larger connector to go to the ballast, a smaller connector to go to the dipping mechanism within the projector, and an earth from the ballast connector with a ring terminal on the end. Don't worry, the push-fit connectors are made so you can't connect them wrong;)

I cut off the fuse and holder, and soldered on a spade connector and cover to go to my little fusebox for auxilliary stuff.

I then wired up and away it went. I left the lights just sitting in place while I tested everything, then, when I was satisfied, removed them and taped everything against water ingress if necessary, (like the H4 connector), and zip-tied wires out of the way, (you get three zip-ties with the kit).

Here's what one looks like fitted:

Attachment 67239

You can just see the positive wire going to the second nearest fuse from the camera.
Note also the white sealant all the way round the light. This is a non-setting mastic called Carafax, and I smeared it into the joint between glass and rear so as to be SURE it was waterproof. I didn't want any nasty surprises caused by poor sealing after they had been split.

Tonight, when it gets dark, I'll take the car out and set them for level. I'll also try and get some pics of the cutoff, which, in daylight, LOOKS spot-on.

Was it simple? Not really, but it wasn't beyond the wit of any competent DIY-er. It took me around 6 hours of ACTUAL work, not counting time for paint to go off, glue to set, etc.

Thoughts so far:

1. The wiring WAS plug and play!:):):) This is completely different from the kit I fitted for a mate, bought off a VERY well known trader, where we had to muck about removing connectors out of the H4 plug and doing trial and error until we got it right. This kit works out of the box!:luxhello:

2. Looking at the projectors, I can see that it would be DEAD EASY to undo the four self tappers holding them together, and change the dip from RHD to LHD. One screw inside and a bit of fiddling with spring wires, but definitley do-able. It WOULD mean taking the whole thing apart again, so I don't envisage doing it, but was thinking of that kit Joey turbo bought, and his was at an angle too.

If you're reading this, Joey, give it a go, and modify the spigot rings so your projectors sit level.

Hopefully cutoff pics later.

Alcazar