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This is a posting on thinking out loud! Haven't done it; but might! Would like to open it up for discussion.
I must be one of the few that like the single bulb with the large plastic cover. But, I don't like the low output of the halogen bulbs. I changed over to the xenon bulbs, but they do not work well with the plastic cover. The cover is not designed for that type illumination and sends light in inappropriate directions. Others have used bulbs similar to halogen bulbs but are much brighter and say they get good results. I don't doubt this.
What I was thinking about were projector lights and maintain the plastic lens. The idea being to fabricate a method of placing the projector casing in the same area that the current bulbs are and then take the lens cover to a plastic shop. There the technicians would remove a circle of the lens cover and insert a circle of plain unfocused plastic. This modification would update the lighting and maintain the appearance of the car.
Comments????
Last edited by afterburner1; 06-28-2016 at 10:43 PM.
Reason: Clarity
This is a posting on thinking out loud! Haven't done it; but might! Would like to open it up for discussion.
I must be one of the few that like the single bulb with the large plastic cover. But, I don't like the low output of the halogen bulbs. I changed over to the xenon bulbs, but they do not work well with the plastic cover. The cover is not designed for that type illumination and sends light in inappropriate directions. Others have used bulbs similar to halogen bulbs but are much brighter and say they get good results. I don't doubt this.
What I was thinking about were projector lights and maintain the plastic lens. The idea being to fabricate a method of placing the projector casing in the same area that the current bulbs are and then take the lens cover to a plastic shop. There the technicians would remove a circle of the lens cover and insert a circle of plain unfocused plastic. This modification would update the lighting and maintain the appearance of the car.
Comments????
https://www.amazon.com/Starnill-LED-...iglink21907-20 9004 not the 9007 that this link runs too just click on the fist blub in the choices
I have placed this bulb in the drivers side
The difference is like night and Day... Pun!
Last edited by Jonathan-W; 07-01-2016 at 01:25 PM.
I changed over to the xenon bulbs, but they do not work well with the plastic cover. The cover is not designed for that type illumination and sends light in inappropriate directions.
The "xenon" bulbs that you changed to, were they the HID type, as part of a system that includes a ballast booster?
This is a posting on thinking out loud! Haven't done it; but might! Would like to open it up for discussion.
I must be one of the few that like the single bulb with the large plastic cover. But, I don't like the low output of the halogen bulbs. I changed over to the xenon bulbs, but they do not work well with the plastic cover. The cover is not designed for that type illumination and sends light in inappropriate directions. Others have used bulbs similar to halogen bulbs but are much brighter and say they get good results. I don't doubt this.
What I was thinking about were projector lights and maintain the plastic lens. The idea being to fabricate a method of placing the projector casing in the same area that the current bulbs are and then take the lens cover to a plastic shop. There the technicians would remove a circle of the lens cover and insert a circle of plain unfocused plastic. This modification would update the lighting and maintain the appearance of the car.
Comments????
Your thinking out loud about this will always be welcome, as it is a well known fact that the XJS stock headlights do not provide decent night illumination. I know that this is true on face lift cars with the single plastic lens lights.
Well, I've recently seen a Website where they sell generic projector sub assemblies that will need to be placed inside the headlight assembly of whatever car you're buying them for. This is done by detaching the front lens from the headlight assy, installing this projector inside and then closing it back up by epoxying the front lens back to the rest of the headlight. Needless to say much easier said than done, but with participation of a few XJS enthusiasts in the project, an effective way to do this could probably be developed.
Unfortunately, the XJS is not a popular car, as my wife's little Z3 is. I say this because I just recently purchased a set of new, bright LED "Angel Eyes" projector headlight assemblies for her car and I've learned a little with this experience. After I complained to them about the unacceptable long lead time, they explained to me that they take the basic sets that sell normally for $250 to $300 (and which "I wouldn't have been happy with") and they go through a process similar to the one I mentioned above, which takes a long time to complete by a "job specific" trained tech and this finished product is supposed to be the best available as per the knowledgeable Z3 forums crowd. The end price was over $600, which is not bad considering what an XJS -nothing special- stock headlight assembly cost, that's when you can find them. I still haven't installed the wife's lights, but wouldn't it be nice if they made these bright LED projector headlights for the XJS?
But BMW owners tend to be far more enthusiast about this type of enhancements than Jaguar (and specifically XJS) owners will ever be, plus I'm sure that far more of these little Z3's were sold than Jaguar XJS' cars were sold, hence the superior BMW after market goodies presence.
https://www.amazon.com/Starnill-LED-...iglink21907-20 9004 not the 9007 that this link runs too just click on the fist blub in the choices
I have placed this bulb in the drivers side
The difference is like night and Day... Pun!
Thanks for the link, Jonathan.
You mention that "the difference is like night and day" (pun or not...LOL). From this I read that the intensity appears to be significantly increased, so my question is, how much more intensity are you really talking about? Would it be as much as the HID xenon systems provide? And if so, wouldn't this be a reason for concern about blinding the on-coming traffic? I ask this because I have repeatedly heard critical comments from members in this forum against installing significantly brighter headlights without going through a projector device, plus keeping the stock lens pattern because it would blind the on-coming traffic. Of course, I cannot say whether these comments have been made from their actual experiences, or rather with no base and from what "they just think" it may be.
Of course, the bulb design itself and the way in which it brings together the back reflection is also a key factor for the way the beam comes out, plus whatever the final lens pattern hurdle may introduce, as in what afterburner1 calls "sends light in inappropriate directions". Question, what do you notice, other than the difference in brightness, if you stand in front of your car with the headlights on at night, provided that both lights have been properly aimed? Does the LED light necessarily blind you in a manner that the stock light doesn't?
BTW, what is that little rectangular black module in the picture connected to the light? Is it some kind of amplifier, or ballast?
Forced Air, Et.Al. The stock bulbs were replaced with HID 6000K with ballasts but the focus is off because of the outer lens and inner reflector. I fabricated a Casper Shield www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XFYbJn68U0 to block some light from reaching the internal reflector. It was made from copper pipe and pressed on the bulb. Help some but not a winner! The problem as I see it is the HID'S are not compatible with the facelift lights.
Speaking only to the facelift model, the projectors seem to be a good alternative if they are focused and act as independent headlights. Some I've seen, after you remove the front lens, snap right into the hole where the 9004 bulb was. After you replace the outer lens the light may not be focus properly. I just don't know. Hence there may be a need of a clear plastic circle insert.
It seems obvious, I change lights because the 9004 did not produce enough illumination, but since my cataract surgery everything appears brighter!
Padre
I don't know the answer to your question.
Since you have both a pre and post car, I would pull a headlight assembly from both cars and see if they are interchangeable
Last edited by afterburner1; 07-02-2016 at 09:56 AM.
He, he!!! I am going to mess with the lights on my XJ wuzza six.
sorta up grade the inner pair with a fresh set of H sealed beams.
Rockauto sourced. Here and ready for install. Better than originals,
I suspect so. latest tech, nope, by far.
Gathering parts to take the outboard 5+'s to a full 7". Halogen sealed beams sourced from Rockauto as well. Older spare set of bezels to be "enlarged? Buckets and rings OTW courtesy of a Jag guy. Scruffy? Yeah, I can fix that.
low beam... I am not pointing down the street... it is a curve anyway
here I took this last night,
I get no one flashing me the high beams so I think they are ok for on coming traffic
I am not completely happy with the low beam pattern so I am going to add a disk to the end... the 9004 s ends are blacked out so I will do similarly with a disk to cut off the light coming forward...
Padre
I think it look fine and I don't think you are going to Monteray Ca to show it. The purests will have a fit. But hell, it's your car and your money. Just keep your original lights and when you feel like it you can change back, or not!
This is a posting on thinking out loud! Haven't done it; but might! Would like to open it up for discussion.
I must be one of the few that like the single bulb with the large plastic cover. But, I don't like the low output of the halogen bulbs. I changed over to the xenon bulbs, but they do not work well with the plastic cover. The cover is not designed for that type illumination and sends light in inappropriate directions. Others have used bulbs similar to halogen bulbs but are much brighter and say they get good results. I don't doubt this.
What I was thinking about were projector lights and maintain the plastic lens. The idea being to fabricate a method of placing the projector casing in the same area that the current bulbs are and then take the lens cover to a plastic shop. There the technicians would remove a circle of the lens cover and insert a circle of plain unfocused plastic. This modification would update the lighting and maintain the appearance of the car.
Comments????
Small catch in your plan... If you mount a lense/projector headlight inside a headlight not meant to carry that, you'll need to do a good bit more. A circle the size of the projector won't be enough as the light is sent in all directions from the lense outwards. So the result would be a spot of clear light in a punctual area with a blurred pattern around it.
I personally would, if you want updated lights, move to the quad light setup, get a set of clear lights with integrated projectors (the lights from a 5 series BMW - E34 - have projectors and will fit) and move on from there... The appearance is then still "rather" original with an updated light output
Daim
I agree with the your comments on the size of the insert. But don't the projectors have their own reflectors? My point was better lighting and maintain originality. I've installed HID lights, but, they have a problem with scattering the light. Years ago JC Whitney sold aircraft landing lights. They were seal beams and exceptionally bright. After installation as a high beam you had to shield the top half of the bulb Jonathan-W
Perhaps you could explain the installation of the LED bulb.. Is it a drop in, does it require a ballast , do the stock sockets match, Is the light focus like the 9004 bulbs?
Sure would like to have details.
Last edited by afterburner1; 07-03-2016 at 10:43 PM.
ok I used a 1 inch mirror.... that is going to be fun...
Originally Posted by JessN16
Got a question about the bulbs linked from Amazon....
I have an 89 with the quad headlights. So, will this work:
1) Buy sealed beam conversion kit (i.e., a dummy light fixture with a standard H7-type bulb inside);
2) Install the LEDs instead of the halogen bulb?
Jess
it is a drop in. it has it's own driver the black box... you see in the whole shebang picture... it matches the stock socket(s) perfectly... (blub to housing and electric ) the focus is of a little wider and I am addressing what I consider an large oversight on the part of the designer...
the 9004 bulb's end is blackend out so that no light goes forward from the element from a measured angle ...... these LED blubs lack that consideration.. producing a impressive light but not necessarily beneficial...
so I got out an HB4 and some paper (HOW OLD SCHOOL!!!!) traced the end of the LED bulb and mapped out a shield for the end ... to block the forward light from the same angle as the orgl 9004....
after all that time and effort I did this....
this is a product enhancement for the starnill LED bulb... all rights reserved! grin!
Thanks a bunch. I looked at those round-fixture LEDs you linked from eBay but the cost for four of them is substantial. It would be much cheaper to go the other route (converting to enclosures, then using the individual LED bulbs), to the tune of about 1/3 the cost if I'm doing the math right.
If I knew for a fact those round-fixture LEDs would work, I might be inclined to put the money aside and do it, but I've heard about some problems with fitment in some applications and the last thing I want to do is drop $600-$700 on unusable lights.
Jonathan-W
On your last post I think you left out the picture of your modification. Looking at your other pictures is it the blue disk/mirror on top on the bulb? If it is, how did you attach it to the bulb and where did you get the tiny mirror?
Also if you purchase two LED lights are the black boxes (ballast or driver?)included?
You know, you may have provided a solution for the light scatter on the XENON HID
units. Attaching the mirror to that bulb might work with or without the Casper shield.
Last edited by afterburner1; 07-04-2016 at 10:01 PM.
Reason: Cranialrectalitis
all this comes in the kit... (not the papers on my desk or the highlighter exct.)
Originally Posted by afterburner1
Jonathan-W On your last post I think you left out the picture of your modification. Looking at your other pictures is it the blue disk/mirror on top on the bulb? If it is, how did you attach it to the bulb and where did you get the tiny mirror?
Also if you purchase two LED lights are the black boxes (ballast or driver?)included?
You know, you may have provided a solution for the light scatter on the XENON HID units. Attaching the mirror to that bulb might work with or without the Casper shield.
here is the "whole shebang" and yes it is all provided in the box...
my mod is adding a 1 inch mirror on the top.... to shield light from going forward... I bought the little mirrors at a hobby shop... a pack of ten were $ 0.99 I used windshield adhesive....
oh... you can not put the mirror on until you have the fixing ring that holds the bulb in in place... opps.... I had to remove the mirror and re attach it....
Jonathan-W On your last post I think you left out the picture of your modification. Looking at your other pictures is it the blue disk/mirror on top on the bulb? If it is, how did you attach it to the bulb and where did you get the tiny mirror?
Also if you purchase two LED lights are the black boxes (ballast or driver?)included?
You know, you may have provided a solution for the light scatter on the XENON HID units. Attaching the mirror to that bulb might work with or without the Casper shield.
I would be cautious adding anything to an HID bulb VERY HIGH VOLTAGE IS IN PLAY...
06-28-2016, 04:38 PM
Headlight Modification
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