| FAQ #19 | |
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Convert My C4 Headlights to Xenon |
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Please Note: this FAQ is provided for information only and is not endorsed or supported by C4owners as the conversion of the headlights may not meet UK regulations. Xenon Conversion KitFitting Time: 2 Hours Tools: Couple of Screwdrivers and a Drill, nothing more. Difficulty: Relatively painless, although having small hands & fingers is a bonus Overview: First thing was to inspect the kit – I was impressed with the quality – everything that was required to fit the kit was included, and all parts were solid and well built. All connections had waterproofing as well, although we were aiming to fit the kit in an area where water could not reach it. [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/2.jpg| Tutorial 2||]  [/shadowbox] It was decided the front bumper needed to be removed, along with the lights, in order to fit the ballasts and install the bulbs easily. This turned out to be a good decision – this would not have been an easy job if the lights had not been removed. The front bumper is “held” onto the car by literally a few pop-clips and one or two screws. A quick look under the bumper was all that was needed to find the pop-clips – these came away easily with a little force. The screws were slightly more difficult, as they are hidden away behind the front of each wheel arch. With some force the arch will bend, allowing access to each screw. [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/3.jpg| Tutorial 3||]  [/shadowbox] [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/4.jpg| Tutorial 4||] [/shadowbox] The bumper was then removed, and the lights could be inspected. [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/5.jpg| Tutorial 5||]  [/shadowbox] There are 2 or 3 screws holding each light cluster onto the car – each screw is easily visible, and once removed, the lights were removed. No problems here, although it’s a good idea to have somebody hold the lights while the screws are being removed, as they could fall out of their holes and break/scratch. The wires into the lights are simply unclipped – a flat head screwdriver comes in handy here. [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/6.jpg| Tutorial 6||]  [/shadowbox] [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/7.jpg| Tutorial 7||] [/shadowbox] Once the front bumper and lights were removed, it was onto the bulbs… [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/8.jpg| Tutorial 8||]  [/shadowbox] [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/9.jpg| Tutorial 9||] [/shadowbox] The light clusters were inspected, and an annoying feature found. The bulb holders are recessed quite a bit into the cluster, and the “access” point is a round hole that is slightly offset to the holders – this makes it quite fiddly to remove and replace the bulb correctly, particularly if you’ve got large fingers! [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/10.jpg| Tutorial 10||]  [/shadowbox] The waterproof casing was removed, and the bulb holder clip was moved to one side. The old bulb was simply pulled out between finger and thumb, and placed to one side. The new bulb was then placed into the holder, and the holding clip moved back into place. This was quite fiddly, and took several attempts. The clip had a tendency to fall out of place, and needed to be moved past the new thicker wires of the new bulbs. A hole then needed to be cut in the waterproof casing to allow the wires to pass through. A hole slightly bigger than a 10p piece was cut, and the casing was slid over the wires into place. The kit comes with a “seal” on the wires that plugs the hole (allowing the wires through at the same time) and makes for a neat look, along with ensuring no water can enter the light casings. [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/11.jpg| Tutorial 11||]  [/shadowbox] [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/12.jpg| Tutorial 12||] [/shadowbox] [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/13.jpg| Tutorial 13||] [/shadowbox] Once both bulbs were installed, it was onto installing the ballasts needed for the initial surge of electricity required to power up the lights. One ballast was provided for each bulb, along with a mounting bracket, and sticky backed foam pads to go between the bracket and ballast to ensure no rattling takes place. The idea location for the ballasts was decided as the front chassis, and the brackets were lined up and holes drilled. I was impressed with the strength and thickness of the metal – it took a bit of muscle and two drill bits to get the holes that were required. The brackets had the foam pads attached, and the ballasts fitted, and then were screwed into position. The brackets come with three attaching points, so they were very securely fitted. [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/14.jpg| Tutorial 14||]  [/shadowbox] [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/15.jpg| Tutorial 15||] [/shadowbox] [shadowbox=images/c4/Xenon/16.jpg| Tutorial 16||] [/shadowbox] Once each ballast was fitted, it was time to plug the lights back in. A small problem encountered here was that the kit provided had red colour plugs for both positive and negative connections, and thus a multimeter was required to figure which was which. The new bulb connections were plugged into the ballasts, which were plugged into the standard connections, and the screws replaced in the lights. The front bumper was then re-installed, although this was slightly fiddly, and definitely a job for two people. The result? Overall I was extremely impressed with the lights, and no problems have been encountered after installation. The “Guide me Home” function still works perfectly, and the lights power up in milliseconds. They start off with a blue tint, but gradually get whiter as they warm up. Visibility is excellent, and I have noticed people love to stare at the lights now! ------------------------------------ Thinking of converting to Xenon then Autobulbs Direct do a full range of |
| Views | 25507 (Unique 17639) |
| Member Rating : |   8.6 - 10 votes |
| FAQ Posted by | Welshguy |
| Info | Created: 18 July 2008 Last Updated: 27 November 2011 |
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