My dad lookin at buying some, for pretty cheap. Just wonderin if anyone seen or put this in an XK8, how you think they look. I never been a been fan of cars with the bright blue headlights, but usually I just see that on lancer's, so they junk anyway.

 

I'll guess if that the pre-2003 has a projector-type lens, you can easily add an HID kit (ballasts, bulbs, wiring) to your XK8. I actually designed and built projector HID lamps for my 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee below.



I would think it would be a straightforward installation on the XK8, but then again, I haven't taken a headlamp out of one yet. The wiring on the HID kits are very simple. Just need to find out which H size the Jag bulb is, and get a good (german) ballast package with the OSRAM made bulbs. Wiring may be the only challenge, as you may have to get the HID bulb, connector cables too. Another issue you would have to deal with will be the actual fitment of the bulb into projector, and how you will keep it secure to the projector housing. I personally used a industrial silicone sealer to both bond, and seal the bulb to the projector. Of course, I fired it up the headlamp to make sure the bulb was fitting correctly in the projector (slight chance the 'offset' may not be exact since it was used for halogen, and not HID). Any offsetting outward can easily be achieved by a large washer between the projector and bulb. It may sound more DIY than a pro job, but my Jeep lasted for 6 years, and they're still going strong. Of course, I replaced the bulbs at 120,000 miles, as they had started to actually dim at the end of their life span.

Good luck, and email me if you have any questions specifically.

 

Just find the HID kit that corresponds to the factory bulb on the car.
I've got a Klight setup in one of my other cars. They make kits that replace halogen bulbs, and literally just plug into the original sockets and housings. All you have to do is find a place to screw down the Ballast.

 

This will probably sound dumb but what is a Ballast?

 

We just put them in, and they worked. They definatly brighter, but it's still sunny out so we couldn't tell if they were blue. It didn't look blue.

There is a little cover over where we put the bulbs into, we think that filters the light into white light

 

Yea the lights were still white, and they really didn't look any brighter...I haven't driven the XK enough at night to tell from the inside if it was brighter or not, but I didn't notice a difference

 

Can you show us a pic or two of what you installed? Box, kit...? Also, the color of the light will be most often blue/purple at the cutoff where the shield in the projector prevents light from going upwards, into the oncoming traffic. How about a pic of the lights showing onto a garage or a white wall of some sort.

thanks!

 

A sample of the wall pic...

 

That's what we put in. It's just the bulb, just unplug the stock one and plug that one in.

I'll see what I can do, but our garage is all brown wood.

 

Those don't appear to be real HID's.
Real HID's have a ballast, which is a box that the bulb plugs into that makes the high voltage needed by the bulb.

 

O really...maybe we will complain or something. How much do real ones cost, cuz these were only 10 bucks, lol.

 

Yah, that wasn't what i thought you were trying to do. For 'true' HID in using that projector, you need this kit, or similar. For closest to OEM 'color', strangely the 4200 kelvin is the most common. So, go for something similar...don't let the extra blue or violet persuade you differently. Like i said earlier, you will get just a bit of blue/violet at the cutoff (right where the onlookers will see it...giving it cool factor) but leaving the white light illuminating the road. Hope that makes sense. Matt

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/XENON...spagenameZWDVW

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If you do get a kit, either the 5,000K or 6000K will give you the most natural looking HID appearance. just a thought.

 

What's involved in the instillation of a kit like that, with the ballast and what not.

It was hard enough just to screw in those new light bulbs, I don't know how we'd do all that. Does it all fit easily into a XK8?

 

Got to do something about those Texas Tech plates. Really lowers the value of the vehicle (j/k) Gig'em, Ags!

 

It's not as hard as you'd think. The only 'from scratch' task you would have to perform would be to run a power wire and a ground to the battery - need to power those ballasts. Mount the ballasts anywhere near the headlight, as you only have about 12" of bulb wire. The ballasts are about 4" x 4" x 1" in size, so that should give you a go-by to see if you can find a spot to mount it. It doesn't take up that much room, just need to find a stable spot (not touching any wiring either, as it gets warm during use) The newer kits as shown in the above post actually includes a mounting plate for each ballast, so that makes it easy. The wires to trigger the ballast on is just a plug n play wiring harness from your old bulb connector. Insert the new HID bulb into the projector, connect it to the wire from the ballast, and you're set. It may seem like alot, but once the parts are laid out, there isn't that many steps to it - maybe 30 minutes top.

let us know if you pursue it further!

 

It figures i'd run into an aggie on here. what are the odds...

I found this clip in the archives for your viewing pleasure.

[sm=groupwave.gif]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0ZIKz3AOd4

 

if use those cheap bulbs they work for like a week and there not that bright... if your gonna buy real HID after market kit... at least make sure it's german made.. they last forever.. i used a x type HID .. ripped it off two assemblies and put it in my own car... works great.. big difference.. but is illegal depends where you live.. only HID allowed on the road are HID with axle level sensors...

 

Good stuff! Too bad you're so far away in Ft. Worth. It'd be fun on game day to hit the sports bar and raz each other.

 

Ken, sure sounds like a good time. At half time, we could just go outside, look at our cars, and talk jag-speak. If you're ever in the area, drop me an email. I was just in Conroe yesterday for bid-ness. Its not that long of a drive...but boring. Maybe on A&M/Tech game day, we could rock-paper-scissors for location. LOL

when it gets closer, i'll look you up!