Retrofitlabs bi xenon upgrade advice

[craiginuk]

Hi all,

Am looking to fit this kit as one of my lights is not flicking up to high beam so seems a good solution and a good upgrade.

https://retrofitlab.com/products/bmw-z4-e85-2002-2008-bi-xenon-xenon-headlights?_pos=2&_sid=6c721a30a&_ss=r

Has anyone fitted these and would you remove bumper and lights to get to the projectors or do from inside the wheel arches? Wheel arch seems fiddly.

Thanks
Craig

 

[Ed Doe]

I've seen a few threads on these over on the M3 forums - I'd imagine you might be able do it without removing the headlight but I'd imagine it'd be awfully fiddly and very difficult.

Given how clean and dry you want everything inside the lights to be, I'd take the time to do it properly and remove the bumper and headlights, bring them inside and do them on the kitchen table!

 

[StudioWizard]

Hi all,
Am looking to fit this kit as one of my lights ...

It will definitely be better to remove the headlights completely. It's hard enough to work on them even with full access. I can't imagine doing it from behind the wheel well.

Btw, are you also noticing the lights are not as bright as you'd like? I was considering replacing the entire assembly on mine, but now I'm thinking I could do this much more cost-effectively and with a better result. My only concern is possibly breaking some old internal parts in the process. How old are your assemblies?

 

[craiginuk]

Thanks all - yep was swaying towards bumper and light removal to do inside. Thinking about it, I've battled just to get the cover back on the lights from the wheel arch.

Not noticed they are not bright really. A lot better than my F30 330D daily's halogen candles! Main driver for me is that the left headlight shutter does not flick out of the way onto main beam. Used assemblies seem like hen's teeth so this seemed a logical option and if the lights improve it's a bonus. My units are from 2007. The new projectors include the coil and mechanism for the shutter all built in.

 

[craiginuk]

Fitted these tonight. Glad i removed bumper and lights as would have been near on impossible through wheel arch.

Lights are so much brighter however need a little tweaking. There are 4 x small rubber spacers about 5mm high on each of the original projector mechanisms. I left these off so the heads sit in the same place as original (new projector slightly longer) Anyway the lights are adjusted very short now so J think I need to fit 2 of them to change mounting angle to bring the beam pattern back up.

Oh and the bad news is left hand light still won’t flick on to main beam so the shutter mech must not have been at fault. I’ll swap left and right units over to see if the fault follows the light unit or the wiring. Then if fault follows the light perhaps try and swap the ballast controllers under the lights over. Not sure if these are used to control the flap solenoid?

Anything else I can check?

 

[enuff_zed]

[ref]craiginuk[/ref], sorry I coiuldn't help with the ballast controller, but I did find this, about five miles from me.
Is it any use?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296044567723

 

[craiginuk]

[ref]craiginuk[/ref], sorry I coiuldn't help with the ballast controller, but I did find this, about five miles from me.
Is it any use?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296044567723

Thanks - yep not sure what the control unit actually does. The light fires up and works fine - just shutter doesn't flip out of the way on left one for high beam.

 

[enuff_zed]

[ref]craiginuk[/ref], sorry I coiuldn't help with the ballast controller, but I did find this, about five miles from me.
Is it any use?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296044567723

Thanks - yep not sure what the control unit actually does. The light fires up and works fine - just shutter doesn't flip out of the way on left one for high beam.

With its title being ballast resistor I doubt it actually does anything with that flap tbh. Could be wrong.
Think I'd be checking the loom and plug in the left side of the car next.

 

[enuff_zed]

Does this help at all?
The top box is the Light Control Module.
E7 is the headlight itself.
X130 is the multiplug.
Looks like main beam signals through pin 8.

 

[craiginuk]

Ah ok thanks - will have a look. When you say light control module - is that same as control unit xenon light 631 269 07488?

 

[enuff_zed]

Ah ok thanks - will have a look. When you say light control module - is that same as control unit xenon light 631 269 07488?

The rotary switch to the right of the steering wheel.

 

[x-driver]

I've heard of broken wires inside the headlight cases. Check it out.

I've replaced my xenon projectors through wheel arches without any issues. But it's easier if you lift the car a little.

 

[StudioWizard]

Did you replace the projectors with OEM or aftermarket ones?

Is that picture on your profile what they look like now? If so, they look pretty awesome!!! I have the black trim ones, but have thought about replacing and/or getting a spare set of chrome trim ones as I plan to keep this car a LOOOONG time.

 

[x-driver]

I went with EvoX-R 2.0 from Retrofitlab You won't notice the difference just like that. When the light is turned on you will see it glows differently as EvoX-R has clear glass lens while original doesn't.
The picture in my avatar shows original projectors however.

When installing I did some photo comparison. Don't mind the yellowish light, the phone can't shoot the exact colour. And the xenon bulb in the new projector was also brand new. With time those bulbs turn more white-blue.

EvoX-R


Original

 

[x-driver]

Some more comparison.

Here I compared with bixenon projector taken from e60 (I think) and fitted to my e39. I believe it's the same Hella E55 as the original in Z4.
Same bulbs used (cca 5 years old Osram cool blue intense). Left is EvoX-R, right is original Hella.



----
This is the light output from my Z4 with original projectors and 3 months old xenon bulbs (Tungsram) which I later replaced with Philips 85123+. With 3 months of usage the bulbs will give more light output that brand new bulbs.

----
This is Z4 with EcoX-R 2.0 and brand new Philips bulbs.

----
Same location, same camera settings, original photos, so pure comparison.

 

[craiginuk]

I've heard of broken wires inside the headlight cases. Check it out.

I've replaced my xenon projectors through wheel arches without any issues. But it's easier if you lift the car a little.

Thanks I will have a proper look over the weekend hopefully. Would be great to get this sorted.

 

[StudioWizard]

The bottom photo shot of the road looks like the best lighting. Is that before or after the upgrade? (It says original photos, but just confirming.)

 

[StudioWizard]

You won't notice the difference just like that. When the light is turned on you will see it glows differently as EvoX-R has clear glass lens while original doesn't.

Does the original not have a clear lens because it became that way over time or are you saying it wasn't manufactured with a clear lens? I'm asking because I bought two used ones and one has a very clear xenon projector lens and other has a cloudy xenon projector lens.

 

[x-driver]

Photo descriptions are above each photo

Original wasn't manufactured as clear lens.

Most OEM projectors out there come standard with what is known as “fresnel” lenses. These projector lenses have circular lines molded into their surface, and are often produced with less than optically clear glass. So what? Well the fresnel lines and frosted/ translucent glass dim the output and soften the beam pattern so the projectors aren’t performing to their full potential.

 

[craiginuk]

Does this help at all?
The top box is the Light Control Module.
E7 is the headlight itself.
X130 is the multiplug.
Looks like main beam signals through pin 8.
Screenshot 2024-02-21 110735.png
Screenshot 2024-02-21 110832.png

Thanks that was a big help. Plugged the passenger side unit into the drivers side and the main beam flicks up fine. Checked voltage on drivers side pin 8 in the connector and there is 12v. Nothing on the passenger side pin 8 so the fault is either between the headlight controller or a break in the harness between the controller and the light. I am guessing headlight controller the culprit. Does a replacement need coding to the car?