anybody interested in a writeup for a proper xenon conversion?

[UW95GST]

i just completed mine.

 

[TechT]

Sure why not.

 

[JoeZ]

definately

 

[GPTourer]

Yes.

 

[UW95GST]

Here's my write up on a proper xenon conversion. If you're looking into a xenon conversion, why not do it correctly? this write up will give you a general idea how to convert your vehicle so it has OEM xenon lighting. I will be using premade projector headlamps, other writeups tell you how to use your existing headlamps.

parts required:
-t-9 & t-10 screwdrivers (star drivers)
-philips & flat head
-two tubes RTV gasket maker (black, clear, doesn't matter..all personal preferance)
-oven
-two OEM projectors (i believe it is a 60mm in diameter, approx 2.5")
-two xenon D2S ballasts
-two 9006 plugs
-tin shears
-wire crimpers, butt plugs, electrical tape
-projector headlamps

first off, you'll need to source a set of projector headlamps, they're about $200 new or $130 used. i choose a set of black projector headlamps. once you have the headlights, you'll have to remove the front in order to work on the lamps. to do this first pop off the metal retaining clips around the headlights with the flathead. keep these, you'll need them later. then i wrapped the lights in a damp towel and placed them in the oven. the oven was set to 400F, and the lamps were baked for 5-10 minutes. keep checking on them. you dont want to melt them.

once the lamps are heated, you'll take a flat head and slowly pry the front off by seperating it from the rear of the housing. be patient. i ended up having to heat and reheat two or three times. once the headlights are off, you will want to remove the existing projectors. one the projectors are removed, you'll need to attach the OEM projectors. i choose A6 proejctors because of their exceptional light output and availblity.

take the the torx screwdriver and remove the two screws holding the light shield on the new projector. use these screws again to mount the projector into the headlamp in the existing projectors location. the light shiled should be on the BOTTOM. i could explain, but i don't want to

once the projector is mounted, yuo'll see some parts of the projector get in the way of the brackets that held the existing projector in place. take the tin shears and nip away until it fits. now, take the front of the headlamp cover and test fit everything lines up. once everything is lined up put the headlamp back in the oven (covered /w damp towels) and heat it up for a few minutes. this softens the existing sealing material. now, take your RTV and fill in the headlight. you want to make sure the light is sealed correctly or it'll leak. once this is done, put on the metal clips, and rebake.

that's the hard part.

to wire up the ballasts, you'll need to cut off the existing low beam plugs and attach attach the new plugs you have purchased. make sure you tape the new connections so nothing arcs. once you've done this, plug the plug into the xenon ballast. then plug the xenon ballsast into your new projector housing.

turn on your lights, and make sure everything works! get the lights aligned...and now you've got light superior to any HID retrofit kit!

i'll add pics, and more info in time...

hope it was helpful

 

[Six97GST]

Nice writeup So you didn't have to do any custom drilling/JB welding to mount the Audi projectors?

 

[UW95GST]

Nice writeup So you didn't have to do any custom drilling/JB welding to mount the Audi projectors?

there's some more details, but i was in a rush. they're pretty common sense if yuo're doing custom work anyhow.

i only had to clip a little of the mounting bracket, other than that. it bolts right in. you will notice though, the projector is a little recessed because it's smaller than the projector that came with the unit. a longer projector (bmw x5) may fit better.

the lights i'm using are 4100k, and put the most visible light on the ground. the projectors give me the cool audi color shift without the sacrifice of light.

 

[A. Van]

Should put it on VFAQ

 

[GPTourer]

Thanks. Nice work.

 

[avaien]

what projectors are those and where did you get them from?

 

[UW95GST]

what projectors are those and where did you get them from?

they are a6 projectors. i got them when i worked at audi.

 

[rjdavis21]

Im just joining this thread so I can use it...but while im typing...Im using the BMW hella projectors that are also used in some audis...are they the same? Thanx! Good writeup....im working on this now

 

[WombatTSi]

Audi TT projectors are the same as most of the BMW ones. the A6/A4/S4 projectors are very similar, but not identical.

If anyone is interested, heres a writeup of My HID retrofit (1gb):

Parts:
Lots of sand paper OR see step 1
Flat and philips head screwdrivers
Grinding wheel
Dremel w cut off disks and sanding drums.
particle mask/goggles
drill
6 machine screws
1 12x24 sheet of 20ga sheet metal
Black RTV
2.5" hole saw for metal
2 BMW/Audi TT projectors
2 D2S bulbs
2 Ballasts
2 Ignitors (if not integrated into the ballast)

1) Just about 5 min. ago, I stumbled accross something that will make this process about 1000x easier: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7937019345&category=33710

The way I did it involved sanding the headlights down, from the inside, going from 60 grit, all the way to 2000wet, then various polishing compounds. I HIGHLY reccomend you just spend the 175, and gank the lenses from those.

2)Seperate the lense from the housing. If your sanding, this would be step 0, but Im just gonna assume you spent the $175 on those clear ones (it takes about 25hrs/side to polish them to clear, and even then there are optical distortions due to different thicknesses in the plastic) This is fairly easy. Get your oven warmed up to about 250. While its preheating pop off the 7 metal bands on the lense. Slide the headlight in, on a baking tray, only one at a time, and let "cook" for 2-3 min. keep an eye on it, you don't want it to melt. pull it out and get a flat head screwdriver and gently pry the lense away from the housing. There will be god aweful stickey gray stuff, try to keep most of it in tact, because I have yet to find anything as a subsistute; that and its a royal PITA to clean off skin (it laughs at goo gone, acetone, and paint thinner, scrubbing is the only way to get rid of it) Don't try to get the lense off in only 1 cooking, it won't happen. Chances are you'll only barley make the gap a mm or 2 bigger each time. As soon as it starts to cool, cook it some more. It will eventially come off.

Ok, now If you bought those ebay Diamond cut headlights (which, for the 3rd time, I highly suggest) take the lenses off those, and make sure they fit on your stock housings (I don't see why they wouldn't, but if they don't, you'll have to use the ebay housings.)

3) Remove all the inner reflective baffelling from the stock headlight housings. its 3 peices, 1 for the low beam, one for the high, and a little one for the turnsignal. If so inclined, and agian, I suggest it, swap the Ebay highbeam baffel for your stocker, that way the highbeam won't just be a square of light, but actually have a beam pattern. you'll have to buy a new headlight bulb for the highbeam if you do this though

3a)(optional) I sprayed the turnsignal and highbeam housing with spray on window tint. Give it a nice "black housing" look but still reflects light well. Use a REALLY light coat, and if you get any drips, let them pool, then soak it up with a papertowel. this stiff runs REALLY easy too, so stand far away, and do VERY light coats untill desired color is achived. You don't need to do the Lowbeam baffle(more later)

4) Ok, get out the particle mask, goggles, dremel and that low beam baffle, its cuttin time! The mounting plate on the Audi TT Projectors will not fit. you COULD take it appart, then put it all together, but there is an easier way. Take the whole projector and try to slide it in, centerd to the lowbeam housing, mark it where it hits. Move the projector to another room, these things scratch really easily, and 1 scratch will ruin them. Dremel out the areas that interfere with the projector. Sounds easy, but will take a while, because after every cut, you gotta go back and get the projector, test, then go and cut again. The headlight hole in the rear will also need to be enlarged (use the sanding drum) Im not sure what these baffles are made of, but its nasty shit, so ALWAYS WEAR EYE AND RESPITORY PROTECTION! after its sits nice and flush, take a minute to look at you hacked up headlight baffle. a work of modern art!

5) get the drill. Line up your projector how you want it, and mark the 3 spots that the mounting tabs will be. Again, move the projector to another room. drill the 3 spots, be careful! the baffle can crack fairly easily, so take your time. after you have your 3 piliot holes, grab your machine screws and the projector if you have ANYHTING else to do that involves the housing or projector do it now, because after thsese screws are in, you can't take them out and reuse the same holes. screw them in by hand, not using a drill, because as I said, the baffles can crack.

6) reinstall all the baffles back into the housing.

7) congratulations, you have a functional headlight. but it looks like shit. thats where the sheet metal comes into play. you want to make a cover that slides around the projector, and covers everything behind it. this is not only aestetic, but it prevents weird reflections from coming out of behind the projector. Cut a rectangle of the sheet metal out, big enough to go 3" over the baffle in every direction. Use the hole saw to cut a whole in the metal about where the projector is (its NOT dead center, its shifted a bit to the outside). The 2.5" will be small, but 3" is way to big. so use either the dremel (not reccomended) or a griding wheel to enlarge the hole. If its not perfect thats fine, just no gaps bigger than 1/8th inch. After you can slide it around the projector, bend it to the counture of the baffle (will be a "s" kind of shape. Actually a more accurate shape would be the intigration symbol, if your at all familiar with calculus), use the dremel to cut off excess and the grinding wheel to fine tuen the shape. After you are happy with it, try to slide the lense on. if it hits anywhere, cut that part off. once you can get the lense back on its time for the last step.

8) (optional) go take your new sheetmetal baffle and get it powdercoated. black works nicley, but a black chrome will match the rest of your headlight (if you spray tinted it)

9) take your baffle and slide it in place. RTV all around the projector, to fill any gap, and to permenantly attach the baffle. RTV around the outside as well, any small gaps that light can get through must be sealed, but don't worry about the top. smooth the RTV out, and let it cure for at least 24 hours.

10) cook the headlights at 300, for 2-3 min at a time, about 10 times. let cool completley inbetween cookings. This lets any chemical you used, (RTV specifically) outgas, and not fog your lense up later.

11) ALMOST DONE!! ok now look at your lense. the stock one has a small ridge that runs all around it. Im not sure if the ebay one does or not. mask off everything infront of this line, as well as the inside of the headlight. scuff it up with some 220 grit, and spray wit with some black spray paint. this will keep any light from escaping up and out of the headlight when its done.

12) Heat the lense and housing up, and then smoosh back together. tada! done. now just go wire up the balast (easy, no rewiring neccicary, stock wire size is MORE than enough, as HIDs pull about 50% less amperage than a 55w 9005) Just remember, that its only 1 positive going into the headlight! they switch the negatives. so, don't hook it up backwards. and also get out of the habbit of flashing you highbeams with the headlights off, because it turns the HIDs on too, and thats not very good for them.

yes, I have, pics, yes I'll upload them, when? Im not sure, my laptop (the only thing with a firewire port I have) is currently dead, so I gotta wait untill I fix it.

 

[rjdavis21]

awesome...can you post up some photos? is this about the same for the 2g? im working on mine at work right now.