EXT: TSX Retrofit in Eby Housing

[Akira_kj]

DIY Ebay tsx retrofit

Many steps are very close to the USDM headlight version so I wont include as many pictures. They are already here on the site … Its on the DIY page already.

Warning---- This isn’t cheap… when your done there is about $350 of equiptment on either headlight… Im not responcible if you follow my directions..even to the letter.. and you F up your equiptment. Your warned. Use common sence.. this is a DIY so you need to DIY im not here to do it for you so don’t ask me questions about this unless you have seriously searched EVERYWHERE. To recap… your stuff, if you mess it up, its your fault not mine. And don’t expect me to fix, replace, or care about how you messed up. I did this myself, my first try with help from this site. I AM NOT RESPONCIBLE FOR ANYTHING YOU DO TO YOUR CAR OR YOUR SELF OR YOUR EQUIPTMENT. This is to help others, not to end up a hassle for me or this site

[Akira_kj]

Step one:
Aquire- get your hands on-

-Ebay projectors (black, chrome, or paint whatever color you want)
-TSX projectors got mine from CB7dazz ebay has some, junk yard where ever
-a HID kit including D2S bulbs and Harness: must include Ballast, Bulbs, and Harness
-a dremel tool (plug in version would have made mine faster but I went for the $20 rechargable version from walmart)
-Quik dry JB weld 9the reg stuff took too long to dry and ran alittle.. not as pretty as it coulda be if it had stayed where I wanted it.
-Time, dedicated time around 6 to 10 hours including bumper removal—aim—reinstall—and replacing bumpers
-Nuts and bolts I used machine bolts ( I think around 5 or 6 inches long) and #24 nuts… atleast 10 bolts (if you lose acouple) and about 50 nuts You wont use them all but it helps when they are alittle small. Bring your TSX projectors with your and find bolts and are around the length of the projector from the mounting holes to just before the end of the bowl area… the tip sticks some ways out the end so it doesn’t need to be overly long uness you like cutting and griding bolts with a dremel.

[Akira_kj]

Step two:
Tear down-

-remove your bumper (not super easy but search and it makes it A LOT easyer, I even did a write up about this before)
-pull off your headlights (remember to do step 1 and have everything you need cuz its no fun to go get parts after dark or without o your bumper on … big target to cops)
-Remove the bulbs from the ebay projectors and cook them, I did 200 degrees for 10 mins each (on a cookie sheet with lots of oven gloves, I would sugest going a lower temp for 5 min first to see if that works… less risk) and it was butter pulling them apart… nothing seemed melted except alittle hot glue used inside the projector to hold the side reflectors inplace and it didn’t even melt enuf to effect that if you change your mind ˝ way thru the build. All you need here is a flat tip screwdriver. Put it in the gap around the edge and turn the screwdriver.. it will separate. There are a few small tabs around the outside.. just lift them up, try not to break them… they are VERY soft from being heated.
-remove the 2 screws from the “cover” inside the clear plastic cover
-start removing the projectors by turning the mounting screws from the back.
-use some good vice grips or and extra ˝ hour of prying and pinching with needle nose plyers and a flat tip to get the lock washer off the housing… 3 each for each side
- dremel off the posts the old screws came thru

[Akira_kj]

Step 3:
Build Up-

-Eyeball the location of the tsx projectors in the ebay housing… they will fit in the old projectors position but they are smaller radius so the cover on the clear cover wont look 100% if you want to go back to that ugly thing lol
-Put the D2S bulb in and put the projector in the housing… put the D2S harness on the bulb … it sticks out just enough for the wire to clear the housing without the plastic covers on
-Line up the top left and make sure they are relatively aligned
-MAKE SURE THE HARNESS CAN BE PUT ON AND REMOVED OFF THE BULB IN THE POSSITION YOU DECIDE. I pretty much did not mod the ebay housing except dremeling off the old bolt mounts. HID bulbs last but not forever. You’ll thank yourself later
-Drill your first hole for the top inside (closest to middle of car) to the size of the machine bolts you decided to use
-Push/screw the bolt thru your TSX and put 2 nuts on so it keeps the projector together and gives you a stand off from the housing
-remove the loop on the bulb clips with a wire dike or needle nose pliers.. Leave just enough to secure under the clip… so it hold the bulb in but can be undone to remove the bulb without having to COMPLETELY dismantle the headlights again if a bulb dies
-Put the TSX in the housing use the 2nd nut to adjust how far away from the housing your projectors will sit.. Again make sure the harness can get to the bulb and turn on to it.
-Mesure the distance from the housing to the head of the screw on the projector side
-Put 3 more screw in with a nut on the inside.. this is temporary use your measurement to get the screws to just be touching the inside of the housing this is so you can make sure your aim is horizontal no rotation in the aim… this is hardest to correct later
-go check your aim in your car…bolt up the headlights completely… this is very important to the final aim… flat ground a level,a wall, and something to mark the housing where the bolts need to be drilled thru. Do it right. Try and mess with the bolts here to see where the best aim is all the way around( up down left right and rotational)
-pull it back out once you have a good aim
-drill the last 3 holes one at a time… checking each time the other bolts are where they need to be (putting one in a time see if there is any gap under the non drilled screws, you don’t want this. Also KEEP CHECKING IF THE HARNESS GOES ON AND OFF EASYLY)
-The screws should have this order into the housing- screw head-projector-nut-distance-nut-headlight housing-nut
-Leave the nuts just on the inside of the housing alittle loose for hand adjsutments
-once its all drilled repete the steps for the other side and use the first side done to check the rotation aim… they will line up each other, the step in the light Should be the same distance apart as the headlights.
-Leave the nuts just on the inside of the housing alittle loose for adjusting
-Do a honest to goodness final aim on a 25 foot away wall… 1 inch drop over the distance for the light.. cut off same distance as the projectors are part at the center.. The specifics can be found all over the place… search aiming projectors online
-tighen the nuts on the back of the housing and mark the screw (black marker) after the nut once you have them aimed.
-pull both off the car again
-tighten the bolts down realy well (don’t mess with the ones on the back get them exactly as they where when you aimed them)
-put the back on the car and test the aim again


-pull them back off
-you can either JB weld up the other holes from the old wires or just put the rubber plugs back in and seal them with silicone
-Do like the USDM TSX Retrofit did and make a larger PVC cover for the harness or find another DIY to seal up the back hole’
-fill in the old screw holes with some JB weld from the old projectors
-some people like to JB weld the bolts but I didn’t, the roads around here are ruff so I skipped this and just tightend the hell outta the nuts
-test aim AGAIN
-place the clear cover back on headlights and cook again for 5 or 10 mins between 150 and 200 degrees and press them back together
-reinstall in to car
-aim again but use the mounting screws for any minor ajustments
-replace bumper

Where you put the Ballast and how you hook it up is up to you you can use the USDM TSX Retrofit DIY post for this or what ever.

[Akira_kj]

whatcha think?

[Gemini]

whatcha think?

Nice, I have been thinking about this alot but I might use a bmw projector(if they fit) Good job. Get pics of cutoff and output.

[Akira_kj]

I was thinking about some Benz Bi-xenon projectors but the size was the only thing that stoped that in its tracks. honestly there isnt much room on the passinger side... then again a battery relocation would open up so much space. Then the only thing would be vert limitations.

Might be my next project. Ebay housing isnt too bad for high beams but its nothing like a bi xenon lamps output... its Hid from top to bottom.

One thing to mention.. I did do a color mod with 1 #8 washer on both sides(uses 2 per side but only 1 washer thick) and it skews the cut off somewhat. It gives it the slightest bowing up. I dont get any High beams so its not a big problem. I thought Id mention it.

[Gemini]

I was thinking about some Benz Bi-xenon projectors but the size was the only thing that stoped that in its tracks. honestly there isnt much room on the passinger side... then again a battery relocation would open up so much space. Then the only thing would be vert limitations.

Might be my next project. Ebay housing isnt too bad for high beams but its nothing like a bi xenon lamps output... its Hid from top to bottom.

One thing to mention.. I did do a color mod with 1 #8 washer on both sides(uses 2 per side but only 1 washer thick) and it skews the cut off somewhat. It gives it the slightest bowing up. I dont get any High beams so its not a big problem. I thought Id mention it.

I will be trying this soon, I need to measure the bmw projectors.

[Akira_kj]

I love to see the project if you take the steps, take the pictures too lol.

[ampao]

Intereting!

Im just afraid ebay Projectors would fog up. Is that common? (and how do I avoid that?)

[slick]

better pics please cuz there is only like 4 and you need alot to show off. pics help out a whole lot on stuff like this.

i am hoping to finish my retro this week. i have been to lazy to finish.

[Scoop208]

Yes More Pics Plz I Have Those Exact Same Ebay One Pieces And Not Many On Here Have Done Retro With Those Exact Ones You Have

[JoshM]

Akira_kj hasn't signed on since 07-08-2008... GL with getting more pics.