Fitting a HID Projector in a Honda Blackbird.

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

Thought you guys might be interested in this little project.
I had a HID kit fitted to the low beam, but I wasn't happy with the light scatter you get after fitting a HID bulb. The intensity of the light simply overwhelms normal headlights intended for Halogen bulbs, and dazzles oncoming drivers (people will argue that it doesn't...but IMO it does..please guys, let's not discuss this here). The cut-off was actually quite sharp before, but there was still a lot of scatter.
The answer is a HID Projector. These are designed for HID bulbs and produce a razor sharp cut-off and no scatter.

This guide is for informational purposes only and not intended for road use.
(Hopefully this disclaimer will silence the mongs who always crawl out of the woodwork to bless us with their spurious legal bks whenever HIDs are discussed, but I doubt it )

Not my pic, but an example of the light output we all yearn (and what you get with a projector)...


Shopping list:
HID Projector unit £14.99. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281363810546?_trksid=p20...

55w HID Bulb (pack of two, only need one) £16.99. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281511474938?_trksid=p20...

55w HID Ballast £9.33. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131284845682?_trksid=p20...

Blackbird specific, & HID projector information:
The BB has a headlight where the top reflector is low beam, and the bottom (larger) reflector is high beam. In this modification, the HID projector will be fitted into the high beam reflector bowl, and will serve as high and low beam in one. The old top low beam reflector will be redundant after this mod. However, I will make this come on with the high beam only just to give a little extra light and also serve as a backup for the HID unit.
The HID projector has a high/low beam solenoid which must be wired to the high beam loom. Descriptions of how these work can be found on YouTube for more info.

Fitting:
The headlight unit must be split in two. The two halves are glued together and must be heated to soften the glue.
First, heat the clips with a hair dryer and hold them apart with small panel pins:


Now all the clips are held apart, preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Switch the oven off, and place the whole headlight ass'y in the oven for no more than 5 minutes.
Take the headlight out, and pull the two halves apart. They should unstick quite easily. Tidy up the glue whilst still warm (i.e. carefully mould it back into the gap).


Fit the H7 adapter plate (an H4 adapter plate is also included), and drill a small 2.5mm hole for the high beam solenoid.


Fit the shroud to the HID unit. Fit the supplied silicone washer over the threaded part of the HID projector. I also fitted a heatproof sleeve over the cable, but this is optional, & Then secure the HID projector in the headlight bowl. Fit the bulb and check everything fits ok...






I then fitted a sleeve over the high beam solenoid cables, and fitted (Yamaha!!) banana plugs...


Now test everything works, and then test it again.
If you're 100% happy - simply stick the unit back in the oven at 200o for 5 minutes, and press the to halves back together again.

Does the projector look level in the housing? Even a tiny 0.5mm tilt will equal an annoying beam slant of several feet or more! There are lines on the BB headlight lens that you can look at and line them up with the projector by sight. Make sure it looks level now. The projector chrome surround can be used as a sight guide.

Then it's a reverse of removal. Hook up the high beam solenoid (from the projector) to the high beam wiring loom. The Ballast is powered from the low beam loom.
I fitted an LED bulb to the now redundant low beam lens just to fill a gap and to serve as a 'get you home' if the ballast fails. The LED comes on with high beam.




In the Blackbird it looks like stock fitment, and looks really cool. The light output is simply amazing and so much sharper (and less dazzling) than just a HID bulb alone.

Hope this is of interest to someone.

Edited by DrDoofenshmirtz on Tuesday 3rd February 20:39

[Jazoli]

That looks great and a proper job, bookmarked for my next road bike, I like HID's if done properly and that is

[sjtscott]

Interesting write up since I also currently have a blackbird.
So more importantly does it pass a MOT now?
Legality wise thats all I care about none of the other stuff that usually gets mentioned in relation to HIDs

[Benbay001]

To make it even more simple you could fit a H1 LED lamp instead of an HID projector.

Good to hear it works well.

I thought you needed seperate projectors for both high and low beam?

If i had a quid for the number of times ive put all the parts for this into a basket and then desided not to buy them..

[Benbay001]

How does the lense of the old reflector style light effect the light?

[Mr2Mike]

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

Not my pic, but an example of the light output we all yearn (and what you get with a projector)...

Not me, I've never enjoyed driving on dipped beam on a car with projectors. I find the very sharp cut off means you can't actually see as far as you can with a traditional reflector system where the cut off is more gradual, even though the light output is lower.

[Benbay001]

Mr2Mike said:

Not me, I've never enjoyed driving on dipped beam on a car with projectors. I find the very sharp cut off means you can't actually see as far as you can with a traditional reflector system where the cut off is more gradual, even though the light output is lower.

its that same being able to see further with a reflector that causes dazzle

[Mr2Mike]

Benbay001 said:

its that same being able to see further with a reflector that causes dazzle

Not unless the bog standard headlamp with halogen bulb is causing dazzle? I find HIDs far worse for dazzling, even with projectors.

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

sjtscott said:

Interesting write up since I also currently have a blackbird.
So more importantly does it pass a MOT now?
Legality wise thats all I care about none of the other stuff that usually gets mentioned in relation to HIDs

Yes, it will pass.
A lot of people assumed that ALL HID or LED headlamps must have self levelling and washers, and that if they weren't fitted, it would fail. But this is incorrect. The MOT test states...

LED and HiD headlamps: automatic levelling or cleaning device inoperative or obviously defective.

If there is NO levelling or washer fitted - it's a pass. If they are fitted, and don't work - it's a fail.

There is an awful lot of ill-informed hearsay about this - but the above is FACT as the MOT test currently stands.

Edited by DrDoofenshmirtz on Saturday 3rd January 17:29

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

Benbay001 said:

How does the lense of the old reflector style light effect the light?

The old reflector is completely redundant now. All the light comes out of the projector housing.

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

Mr2Mike said:

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

Not my pic, but an example of the light output we all yearn (and what you get with a projector)...

Not me, I've never enjoyed driving on dipped beam on a car with projectors. I find the very sharp cut off means you can't actually see as far as you can with a traditional reflector system where the cut off is more gradual, even though the light output is lower.

I know what you mean. In my experience headlamps are always set far too low from the factory. You can usually set them up a bit higher without annoying other people.
The sharp cutoff on a bike makes a cool lean angle gauge at night though

[Prof Prolapse]

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

Yes, it will pass.
A lot of people assumed that ALL HID or LED headlamps must have self levelling and washers, and that if they weren't fitted, it would fail. But this is incorrect. The MOT test states...

LED and HiD headlamps: automatic levelling or cleaning device inoperative or obviously defective.

If there is NO levelling or washer fitted - it's a pass. if they are fitted, and don't work - it's a fail.

There is an awful ill-informed hearsay about this - but the above is FACT as the MOT test currently stands.

I don't give a st about legalities either.

But with no auto levelling how do you avoid blinding people when negotiating a hill?

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

Benbay001 said:

To make it even more simple you could fit a H1 LED lamp instead of an HID projector.

Good to hear it works well.

I thought you needed seperate projectors for both high and low beam?

If i had a quid for the number of times ive put all the parts for this into a basket and then desided not to buy them..

LED systems are still prohibitively expensive. They still need a reflector housing, and IMO would dazzle just like HIDs do in a standard headlamp meant for Halogen bulbs.

HID projectors have a built in reflector which gives you high and low beam.

Edited by DrDoofenshmirtz on Saturday 3rd January 17:45

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

Prof Prolapse said:

So with no auto levelling how do you avoid blinding people when negotiating a hill?

Self levellers ONLY activate when you first switch on the lights. They compensate for heavy loads in the boot etc. They do not actively self level when you're driving along.

[DuraAce]

Very good. Now If you'd like to pop round to mine and fit a couple to my BMW.....

[Prof Prolapse]

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

Prof Prolapse said:

So with no auto levelling how do you avoid blinding people when negotiating a hill?

Self levellers ONLY activate when you first switch on the lights. They compensate for heavy loads in the boot etc. They do not actively self level when you're driving along.

Erm no. No they don't, they adjust on the fly. In the case of cars, when your wishbones moves. That's why you get momentarily dazzled before they adjust.

I actually doubted myself, so I just went out to her Mini, (which uses the same system as BMW) and double checked. I started it, it self adjusted, then I made small adjustments to the sensor at the wishbone simulating driving. The light aim dipped, and the motors could be heard turning. So I struggle with how you're not wrong on this?

So, I think, what you've done is made lights which blind drivers travelling in the opposite direction when going up and down hills. Probably no more than a nuisance in most instances but not a very clever idea on the narrow unlit country lanes where driver's eyes are more sensitive, and they have to rely on spacial memory alone to avoid you landing on their bonnet. Then again you could be unlucky and the angle of the road surface could blind a more sensitive motorist regardless of the circumstance and the result would be the same.

It would be an interesting conversation with the police and insurance. It certainly is difficult to see how this is safer than a fractionally dimmer headlight which doesn't risk being wiped out by oncoming traffic?

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

I stand corrected then.
My SAAB doesn't actively self level whilst driving, only when you first switch them on. I will avoid hills at night at all costs now!!

[Prof Prolapse]

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

I stand corrected then.
My SAAB doesn't actively self level whilst driving, only when you first switch them on. I will avoid hills at night at all costs now!!

It will do so out of the box as it was fitted in the factory. Commonly load sensor(s) mounted like the front one below from a 9-5 (may actually be the same as your 9-3) fail;



Not necessarily that of course. I believe a tech2 diagnostic will advise which of the sensors are broken and need replaced. Personally I'd wiggle the sensor with my hand first.

[balls-out]

Although even being dynamic, its about load adjustment. Going over the brow of a hill will cannot be properly compensated for my monitoring suspension position.

[Benbay001]

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

LED systems are still prohibitively expensive. They still need a reflector housing, and IMO would dazzle just like HIDs do in a standard headlamp meant for Halogen bulbs.

HID projectors have a built in reflector which gives you high and low beam.

Edited by DrDoofenshmirtz on Saturday 3rd January 17:45

Sorry, i meant an LED lamp in a projector housing.
Rather than a HID lamp.