tiguy99

http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/...&lp=1064852841

I'm currently using Audi TT DOT projectors in my 95 ES300. I've been thinking about switching to E39 ECE projectors with Bi xenon function. Although the factory setup of the lamps don't allow using the Chrome trim ring from the Bimmer, I can still make the larger projectors fit. The goal is to increase the light output and beam pattern on the ground. Right now my setup is nice but for some reason, when lined up with a newer Audi TT or BMW 3 series at the light, their beam patterns seem to out shadow mine in terms of brightness and color. Their forground lighting being more bluer/whiter than my yellowish looking 4100K OSRAM bulbs. I wrote about this before and cam to the conclusion that it may be my bulbs and am preparing to replace them with my new philips bulbs I'll be recieving tomorrow. BUT for the meantime if anyone has some suggestions, feel free to add otherwise, thanks for reading this far and enjoy your day.
Mike

mtsao

tiguy99, I was gonna look at the install, but you might want to check the url--it's not working.

squarehat

That is one clean looking install. Gotta love those E46 projectors!

tiguy99

Sure it is try it again.

or go here and you'll find it:

http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/216460

mtsao

Whoops, sorry, my side must have been down. Looks great!!

siniquezu

I have the same problem. There is a slight yellow in comparison with stock beamer lighting. My strongest intuition may be that the lens itself is too thick to allow the light to disperse as well. In addition, the thicker material changes the light properties. I may try this retrofit if it fits the SCs.

Jmai22

this is 100% correct. our lens are much much thicker and are NOT as clear as stock HID headlight housing lens. if you look at a car with HID you will notice that the headlight housing lens is really thin and super clear, and you can barely notice a clear plastic headlight lens when standing in front of the car. but with our lens its much thicker and light has a hard time shining through. i also notice that i will not see my cutoffline on the car infront until i'm within about 20 feet or so. but with a car with factory hid you can see a nice crisp cutoffline on the car in front from 30+ feet away. there is really nothing we can do to improve the lightout put unless you want to pay around 1000 dollar and get a mold made and produce new lens out of what ever material is best.

i think i have done the most to increase the light on my car. i sanded down about 1-3mm on my headlight and the light output increased a great deal but still not as great as OEM.

Jmai22

here is a picture of my lens.

tiguy99

Man its like you read my mind!!! I've been asking all over the hid forums for an answer man!!! Hey, here I thought the problem was my Osram 4100K bulbs not being as bright as OEM BMW or even Philips 4300K bulbs. I even went ahead and ordered a set of philips bulbs which should have arrived at my dorm in Urbana (I'm in Chicago now) and I'll be back there l8tr tonight to do a test. Either way, I have the same dilema. My light output (on the ground and cutoff from 20+ feet away) isn't as sharp as if I took the projector out and held it in my hand and pointed it toward the wall. As an alternative, I was gonna order the 93 old style ES300 headlamps that were clear and without the lines. The ones I've got have some kind of smoke style tint like 3-5% OEM. Jmai, what kind of projectors are you using right now?

Another problem I have is that my projectors sit far inside the headlamp. Its not like they're 1 inch from the plastic like the Audi A4 and I definately don't see the u's on the ground like in your pic. Who sells aftermarket lamps for our cars? Maybe these cheaper ones have the newer style clearer plastic lenses like on aftermarket Audi/ BMW clear lamps. This may be a start for us. I'd grab a set if I can get clear ones under $300.00.

I just bought these projectors.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2434724017

They're ECE. Maybe it'll help a bit. I plan on upgrading them this week and putting my Audi TT ones for sale once the job is done. (More irreversable cutting)

What do you guys think?

siniquezu

Hey Jmai, I haven't looked too much into it, but how do the Bixenons fit in the SCs?

siniquezu

tiguy99, I was going to order the 6000 K just to avoid all the issues of banana yellow lights. But for a little more, why not go all the way right? Doing the bi-xenon retrofit would be awesome. It gives the rest of us something to look forward to.
The cutoff and inverted I has been an aggrevating issue. I know Jmai had his retrofit done profressionally and it still wasn't as great as he wanted them. What chance is there for DIY guys? At any rate, I am trying to compensate for the inverted U missing by using good fogs and hoping that nobody will notice except me.

Jmai22

i have read a few good things about the ECE projector. they are suppose to have a much further cutoff line. i wouldn't waste too much money (if you are tight on money) on fog lights. all you need is a good set of low beam and it will ight up the road fine. the fog lights are too low to the ground to be able to light up a far distance.

if you sell your old projectors i may want them.

as for the distant of the projecter from the lens. well when mine was done it was pretty far back. i actually redid mine and moved it up against the lens. the projector is actually touching the lens. if i were to move it back even 1-2cm i would not get the upside down U because of the bumper.

as for new bulbs. i already tried buying 1 new HID bulb and it was just as bright as my old one. i could not even tell which ones are newer or older or brighter or dimmer. sorry to say but i think you may have just wasted money on bulbs.

Jmai22

well that all depends from what car. all bexenon is, is just a regular projector and instad of a permanent metal piece that makes the cutoff line its movable. when you hit the high beam the metal flap moves up and allows light to shine higher up and pretty much eliminates your cutoff line. the cutoffline now instead of being 2 foot off the ground its now at a 45 degree angel.

Jmai22

as i said to you before. good fogs will due minimal. from behind the wheel i could barely tell if my HID fogs are on or off. fog light only light up the immediate area right in front of the car bumper out to like 3 feet. but from behind the wheel you usually can't see anything right in front of the car. there is like a 4 feet area that is blocked because of the hood, bumper, steering wheel and engine. you get my point. what i'm trying to say is that the fog lights are way too low to the ground to get any distance. unless you have 300-400 dollars and a day to spare and you are more of a costmetic person sure 4 HID's would look very nice coming from behind.

tiguy99

That's what' I'm doing now onli I'm using ION Crystal yellow from PIAA to compensate. Its not the best, but it'll do