Mazda Rotary Club

General => General Technical => I. C. E. & Electrical => Topic started by: carlbrainiac on May 22, 2011, 11:44:04 PM

Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 22, 2011, 11:44:04 PM
Hey guys. As some of you know I have recently become the proud owner of a 1992 rx7 FD3. I was driving it tonight and couldnt help but realise just how useless the lights are lol. Granted its an old car but they are hopeless lol.
 
So I was wondering what you guys have done to improve matters.
Now I know the obvious thing would be HID light upgrade. But I hear that is expensive and not particularly reliable. Then theres Xenon lights. Dont know much about those. Is that just a bulb you put in place of the standard ones or..? And my dad was mentioning just getting a higher wattage halogen bulb and fitting it in the standard set up. Would this work as this Im assuming would be the cheapest and easier option.
 
Sorry Im not very clued up about cars so all help greatly appreciated.
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: Ada7 on May 23, 2011, 12:31:30 AM
HID kits aren\'t that expensive. Have a look on ebay and you\'ll get a kit from as little as £30-40 i think

Adam
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 23, 2011, 12:42:56 AM
Really? Wow I thought they ran into the hundreds. And what about reliablity of the HID? And is it just one kit or are there lots of different companies doing them and some are better than others?
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: andyb123 on May 23, 2011, 11:38:46 AM
Xenon bulbs are brighter than halogen and you can get xenon bulbs that are direct replacement for the H4 bulbs you currently have

be careful with HID kits as some only replace main beam and not full beam (you need 2 sets of HID bulbs to replace both functions - my car had a HID kit already fitted when I bought it and now I wish it didn\'t as it only has 1 function)

make sure if you buy a HID kit that it is dual function AND that it will fit an RX7 in place of single H4\'s

xenon bulbs will be direct fit in 5 minutes where as HID will mean re-wiring from the battery and then splicing in to the stock wiring to switch it
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 23, 2011, 12:49:36 PM
Cool. Will go for xenon bulbs then. Where is the best place to get them from and how much do you reckon? And will I need two in each head light to get dipped and high beam? Or does it just make the one bulb brighter on high beam?
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: andyb123 on May 23, 2011, 04:24:35 PM
you can get them from Halfrauds for about £20 for the pair, or you can get a complete lighting kit by going on ebay and typing "RX7 xenon headlight kit"

I can\'t vouch for the sellers or products on there but £15-16 vs £40 is probably worth taking a chance on?
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: fil_auto on May 23, 2011, 04:32:23 PM
These any good to you?! ;) ... I\'ve no need for them ;)
Say £15 notes delivered ?!
Cheers Phil

(http://www.k-p.co.uk/fil_auto/PHILIPS%20-%20Power2night%20-%20Performance%20light.jpg)
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 23, 2011, 04:44:42 PM
It\'s ok I just brought some from the motor factors round the corner and as our company is part of the car workshop I got em at trade price :)
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: fil_auto on May 23, 2011, 05:00:40 PM
Good times and no worries buddy :)
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 23, 2011, 06:42:51 PM
bugger I knew it wouldnt be that easy. Got home. Took the bulb out of the head light ready to install my new bulbs and these were already in there:-
 
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b175/carlb4/IMAG0129.jpg)
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b175/carlb4/IMAG0128.jpg)
 
Which is basically exactly the same as what I brought today. Luckily I didnt open the ones I brought today so I can just take them back tomorrow. Accept the ones I brought are clear lense all the way down with just a blue tip. These ones are all blue. But doubt that would make much of a difference as they are exactly the same wattage. Can you get higher wattage? Or would it really not make that much difference. As even with these bulbs the lights are still pretty useless so I guess I now need to look at HID kits?
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 23, 2011, 07:08:57 PM
Just had a look on Ebay and saw that you can get 100 Watt versions of these Xenon bulbs but says they are for off road use only. Not legal for on the road. That true?
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: Rotormotor on May 23, 2011, 07:24:08 PM
I bought one of the H4 HID kits off eBay and they are bloody brilliant.
Make sure you get a Bi Xenon Hi/low kit though as this retains the main and dip beam.
4300k light temp is the best to go for as it has the highest light output and closest to natural daylight.
I wouldn\'t go any higher than 6000k as the light starts to get very blue and not as bright.
Most of these kits are now plug and play and just connect into the original bulb sockets and onto the battery.
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 23, 2011, 08:02:59 PM
Do you mind if I ask how much you paid. Also do you have a link to the one you got?
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: d6277n on May 23, 2011, 10:44:36 PM
Stock lights = awful. I got one of the older HID kits of MRP a couple of years ago. It\'s only a single HID unit but it was still a worthwhile upgrade, although at some point I\'ll probably shell out for a twin HID kit now they are cheaper. Only downside is it seems to cause interference in the radio reception when the HID lights are on, to the point that I can\'t use the radio. Don\'t know if anyone else has found this, and it doesn\'t really bother me :confused:

Chris.
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 23, 2011, 11:43:46 PM
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/55W-H4-BI-XENON-HID-CONVERSION-KIT-MAZDA-323-81-RX7-/350444807777?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5198236661
 
That one there still says 55 Watt though? The bulbs I currently have are 55 Watt. How is it different?
 
And what makes these ones more exspensive?
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAZDA-RX7-78-95-H4-ULTRA-VDX-HID-Bi-XENON-6000K-KIT-/300499464065?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item45f729ef81
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAZDA-RX7-78-95-H4-ULTRA-VDX-HID-Bi-XENON-8000K-KIT-/380321404459?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item588cec162b
 
I guess the old rule of thumb would be dont go for the cheapest. Dont either go for the more exspensive. Instead go for the middle ground. Thus:-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAZDA-RX7-78-95-H4-ULTRA-HID-Bi-XENON-8000K-KIT-/380325415738?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item588d294b3a
 
Thoughts?
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 24, 2011, 08:01:20 PM
Before I go to the exspense of HID I have ordered these to give em a try:-
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360043032431&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: wolfie1 on May 24, 2011, 08:50:53 PM
i fitted the white xenon ones def better than standard
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 26, 2011, 10:16:22 PM
Very happy with those bulbs I got. Highly recommend them. Dont need to go to the exspense of HID now :-)
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: RobMatthews on May 27, 2011, 09:52:33 AM
dude you have just almost doubled the load on the standard wiring designed to oly take half of what your asking it to do.

so whens the car-b-q?
Title: FD headlight upgrade. What did you do?
Post by: carlbrainiac on May 27, 2011, 10:33:42 AM
Nah it should be fine. I discovered when I took the bulb out the other side to install my new one that I was expecting it to be the same 55 Watt one as the other side but the guy had already put a 100 watt one in but it just wasnt that bright I guess coz of its age.
 
So surely I should be fine?
 
If not what should I do? Thicker wiring?