JDM Kouki HID retro fit

[rbpwrd240]

Hey guys,

Im looking for a little more help. I am in the process of trying to retro fit JDM Kouki head lights with some HID projectors, here is what I have learned.

The OEM projector is 3"
I should use TSX or E55 or S2k HID's
I need to retro fit so that there isnt a glare into on coming traffic since the head lights were for JDM driving.

Here is where I start to get confused. Ill display the info I know and you guys can all point out how little I know. It should be fun!

I need to heat the Headlights to open the housing? How long? at what heat, whats the best way to do this?

Once apart I take my New HID housing and custom fit it into the headlight housing.

I need a lens of some sort appearently I have no clue what this is.

Im assuming I would get ballasts with the new pojectors so I would re attach the wiring to the balast from the HID unit after I glue the housing back together.

Re-install the lights and adjust the factory setting so Im not blinding anyone.

Okay this all seams to simple guys, what am I missing? Why do I need to retrofit for LHD if I can just adjust the headlight?

Help guys, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks
Alex R.

[rbpwrd240]

Surely someone can help me. Please?

[merks]

What I do to open up head lights is to bake them for three to five mins at 350 degrees.
As for what projector to use that is all personal choice. You will more then likely need to buy ballast seeing as most projectors don't come with them. When doing a retro fit it is more important to have a oe bulb but If you want to save a little and have a decent set of bulbs and ballast with Life time warranty I would suggest ddm tuning.

[Okinawandrifter87]

Here I will only spoon feed you so much.. you can look up the rest on this site.

How-to: S2000 retrofit on 97-98 240SX (S14 Kouki) (http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?4224-How-to-S2000-retrofit-on-97-98-240SX-(S14-Kouki)&highlight=240sx)

[upsdude]

this one has the info you want
http://zilvia.net/f/chat/197663-need-sugestions-jdm-kouki-hid-retrofit-2.html

[rbpwrd240]

Thanks guys one last question, How do I correct for the RHD head light issue?

Thanks again.

[twistedsymphony]

simply using LHD projectors in your housings will solve your RHD issue. the only real difference between RHD and LHD PJs are the shields that produce the cut-off for the low-beams.

I'm looking at this swap myself and I'm leaning heavily toward the E55 projectors.

the JDM housing put the PJ way on the outside edge, and as a result they don't have much room horizontally, this makes TSX and S2K PJs a bad choice (not to mention neither of those are 3" so you'll be moving to a small, IMO uglier PJ).

The thread that upsdude linked to is the best thread I've ever found on the subject, but only because it has nice pics of the inside of the JDM headlights so you know what you're dealing with.

If you're looking for more info on what's involved in one of these swaps, but not necessarily kouki headlight specific info, check out the hidplanet forums... there is a ridiculous amount of information on the subject.

[upsdude]

if u use e55 let us know how it goes i was thinking of using porcshe

[twistedsymphony]

I personally wont be touching my headlights until I put it away next winter...

[rbpwrd240]

Well maybe I can be lucky number one. I guess im in the market fro some E55 projectors. I agree I really didnt like the idea of using S2K projectors since they are smaller then the opening.

So heres my parts list let me know what im missing.
E55 projectors
E55 bulbs
E55 harness and balast
JDM Kouki head light housing

I thank all of you. Im not trying to top off the A/C here I apreciate the help. Iv never cared much about things like HID's but then again my last car was a stripped civic type r swaped supercharged crx. No interior no a/c no power stearing or power brakes, who cares it flew like greased lightening but in my current situation things like A/C and JDM buisness card holders are usefull and cool at the same time. HID'S here I come.


Thanks again
Alex R.:2f2f:

[twistedsymphony]

E55 is the model of projector, there are no such thing as "E55 Bulbs" or "E55 balasts".

you need to buy bulbs that match the holder type on the projector (I believe there are E55 variations that use both D1S and D2S)

you need to buy a ballast that matches the bulb type.

I think you should do a bit more reading on how HIDs and Projectors work before you start spending money.
start here: HID Newb Crash Course (http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?1232-HID-Newb-Crash-Course)
and don't be afraid to poke around the other topics in that forum.

[upsdude]

e55 as in a bmw chassis code though right? cant surf much a
tm im at work

[rbpwrd240]

I thought e55 was the model car I needed to source aprts from sorry. I do realize there are different bulbs and balasts etc but I hadnt gotten far enough to realize that was a bulb not a car.

Thanks
Alex R.

[twistedsymphony]

no, AFAIK there is no such thing as a BMW E55 chassis.

the closest model "E55" you'll find is a special Merc AMG model... but you'd be hard pressed to find projectors specific to one of those (I'm not even sure that they actually use "E55" projectors).

E55 is a model of projector made by Hella, they do come in BMWs but they're also in Mercs, Lambos, Audis etc.

Bi-xenon: Hella E55 - HID Projectors from The Retrofit Source Inc (http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=92)

[rbpwrd240]

Awesome guys thanks so much.

Alex R.

[silviaks2nr]

I have done several kouki retrofits (rx330, custom one off bixenon rx330, minih1, tsx, quad rx/mini)... I know that space is very limited in the jdm units because the projector sits further out. to get the most out of your retrofit it is imperative that you swap on clear plastic headlamp lenses from the vertex (dual reflector) style headlamps. they are a direct swap to the usdm (and I assume jdm) housings and will greatly improve the cutoff pattern and not adversely affect the light distribution and cause glare like the original glass units. As far as projectors, everyone has their preferences... I'm a fan of s2k/modded rx330 for their width and distance intensity. I will echo twisted and say to visit hidplanet for more information on retrofits and to see what projector options you have. There is an educational section of the forum that has dimensions of each projector which can help you determine what will fit. Good luck.

[twistedsymphony]

^I should note that JDM koukis don't have any fluting in the lens over the PJs like the USDM koukis do, also since the projector is further toward the outside the "ridge" on the lens doesn't actually cross the lower portion of the beam...

I'll admit I have no evidence one way or another as to weather or not the OEM glass on JDM koukis causes glare in the beam pattern however every indication I've gleamed from looking at the factory output and construction of the headlight suggest that it wont be effected or that the effect would be negligible.

Personally, when I do the swap I plan on running the original JDM glass until I have a chance to see the beam pattern with the E55s and deciding from there whether it's worth the time, money, and added ugliness of the plastic headlight covers.

http://solid-orange.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/jdm_kouki.jpg
you can see above there is no fluting over the PJ and the ridge starts slightly above the center of the PJ on the inside edge and goes up from there... that might cause some minor glaring but either way it will be significantly less than USDM glass, and it could potentially not cause any glaring at all.

[silviaks2nr]

It's more so the thick glass and the diagonal ridge than the "fluting" that has an impact on the beam. You will see what I'm saying when you do your retrofit. It really robs you of a lot of performance by de-intensifying distance lighting and making the foreground seem really "hot", and of course you get a blurred cut off line too.

[twistedsymphony]

it's a shame because I think the glass gives the kouki headlights a lot of their appeal...

I think I'd rather shield mod the OEM projectors and continue running halogens with OEM glass than swap to plastic covers to improve the cutoff with HID PJs.

My major motivation is getting the cut-off right so I don't blind other driver's and so I can read road-signs/see pedestrians... swapping to HID PJs is just a "while I'm in there I might as well". Retaining the outward appearance of completely OEM headlights is very important to me which is why I'm considering E55s over something like TSXs.

For now I've got them angled down slightly and avoid night driving the S14 when I can, the beam pattern doesn't hit above the belt-line of on-coming traffic though my visibility to the right, especially road-signs, is horrible.

[silviaks2nr]

with a modified shield and a quality drop in h1 hid kit the oem kouki projectors perform fairly well. I don't know how the jdm projectors differ but I imagine it's mainly the cutoff shield and possibly the projector bowl... If you ever want some modified shields or oem kouki shields to swap in let me know. If you're going to go through that trouble you might as well do a retro while you're inside the lights though. BTW this is "greenkouki" if you didn't already figure that out LOL.