What are best upgrades to existing 4.6 headlights?

[bcredliner]

Yes, this is another tread on upgrading headlights.

I have read many posts on upgrading X5 headlights. Many talk about Depo replacements and others speak of opening the existing headlights and upgrading them. There are lots of different variations. I am looking for one complete recommendation of best specific things remove and products items to add. I don't care much about greater output, I am after an up to date look.

I would like to know if/how the upgrades were tested before sealing up the headlights.

I am clear on the opening the headlight options.

I am not clear on what should be used to seal the headlights so they can be opened again if necessary.

I have purchased the recommended angel eyes.

I have a 2002 4.6 with a 2/02 build date.

Thanks in advance,

[Ricky Bobby]

What are the build dates on the headlights? (back of housing) Is that 2/02?

If so, open up the headlights by baking, take out the waffle lenses, install the angel eyes, and you could also mount the projector further forward (closes the gap between the black housing and the projector) and change the shroud while you are in there, and could also trim the amber/white turn signal piece to be more "open" and look like the facelift style. I would spray with a matte silver paint as well if you go that option.

Re-seal with some Butyl rubber sealant (purchased from TRS or in auto stores sold as 3M Window Weld)

This thread is absolutely great as far as seeing the concept of opening the headlights, removing the waffle lenses, the disassembly of the headlight, and the projector mounting so you can close that gap that will exist when the glass lens is removed from the low beam. He also does the best variation on the turn signal modification in my opinion, only thing I would do is paint it silver instead of leaving it amber.

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...d-my-turn.html


I have been researching options for months and if I had non-permasealed headlights I probably already would have done all the mods in that thread.

[bcredliner]

FYI-I have Xenon lights with auto adjust.

Can't see the build dates, have not removed the headlights. Am I close to when they became extremely hard to open?

By waffle lens you mean both bright and dim waffles and the waffle between the dims and the parking light?

What are you referring to as the shroud?

Since you are suggesting to paint whats left of the amber turn signal I am assuming it I just remove it there will be an ugly gap?

Should I change out bulbs to more current color and match them with fogs? If so, what bulbs do you suggest?

To test them I am guessing I plug them in to original connectors before the sealing process?

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

FYI-I have Xenon lights with auto adjust.

Can't see the build dates, have not removed the headlights. Am I close to when they became extremely hard to open? 10/02 is the permasealed date, check the back of your housings on the black plastic, should be a build date icon which has an arrow pointing to a number (month) and in the middle is the year (02, 03, etc)

By waffle lens you mean both bright and dim waffles and the waffle between the dims and the parking light? I mean the glass lens surrounding the projector, and the larger glass lens surrounding the high beam.

What are you referring to as the shroud? The shroud is the chrome plastic piece that surrounds the projector, read that thread I referenced and you will see that you can "trim" the stock one so that you can fit a bigger aftermarket shroud over top of the projector. Or, if its too much work, just remove the lenses and leave the stock shroud as is, many here have done it.

Since you are suggesting to paint whats left of the amber turn signal I am assuming it I just remove it there will be an ugly gap? Some here have removed it completely, in my personal opinion, when its removed completely it looks like something is missing. I would cut with a dremel into the "facelift style" shape (as TriX5 did in the thread I posted), and spray black or silver to blend in better.

Should I change out bulbs to more current color and match them with fogs? If so, what bulbs do you suggest? If by "more current color" you mean more blue, no I don't suggest it. I suggest to buy a new set of Philips 85122 bulbs however, after 10 years your factory HID bulbs are probably very blue and about half their original brightness. Either way, stick to 4300k for most usable light. Do you have factory projector (H3 bulb) or halogen fogs (H11)? If you have projector fogs you can put an H3C HID kit in them at 4300k to match, if you have halogen fogs just get Hoen Xenonmatch halogen bulbs in H11 to match. I don't recommend Xenon kits in halogen housings.

To test them I am guessing I plug them in to original connectors before the sealing process? Yes, I would leave the lenses OFF and make sure you have the rest of the headlights assembled, then bolt them back on the car, check your alignment, as well as operation of all lights and especially the rings, once you are satisfied, put down a bead of butyl sealant and seal them up.

Hope that helps

[bcredliner]

I have viewed the link by weasel, very helpful. The pictures don't come up for the link by olt.

Since my X was made in 2/02 it can't be the hard to open version.

I have the projector fogs. What do you recommend for an HID fog conversion?

This helps a lot. Thanks for the quick response.

[J.Belknap]

Lamin-X when done.

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by J.Belknap

Lamin-X when done.

For protection or tint them?

[X5SND]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

For protection or tint them?

One or both. It's available in clear as well...which serves as a protective barrier against those pesky stones.

As for the projector fogs, definitely recommend the H3C elite kit from TRS. The shields will take some tweaking to get the cutoff looking proper, but it's nothing terribly difficult.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by X5SND

One or both. It's available in clear as well...which serves as a protective barrier against those pesky stones.

As for the projector fogs, definitely recommend the H3C elite kit from TRS. The shields will take some tweaking to get the cutoff looking proper, but it's nothing terribly difficult.

x2. H3C Morimoto kit (4300k) will serve you well.

[bcredliner]

Looked for aftermarket shroud, do you know a source?

By more current color I meant color of light of new BMWs.