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Thread: Euro Spec (Umnitza ZKW) headlight installation instructions

  1. #1
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    1997 ///M3 1987 325i convertible 1995 Porsche 968

    Euro Spec (Umnitza ZKW) headlight installation instructions

    Euro E-36 headlight installation project.

    Good Morning,

    Well, after much deliberation, I bit the bullet and bought commercially available Euro headlights for my E-36 1997 ///M3. Like I have heard so many folks before me say, "...why did I wait so long?..", I have no idea, but, had I known that there was really THIS BIG OF A DIFFERENCE, I would have bought them the day I brought the car home.

    Shameless Commercial Vendor Plug: I purchased my Euro Spec E-36 headlights (ZKW) from Umnitza and also got the "PnP wiring harness" and the "Stone Guard" film, and will conver this installation as well.

    Please Note: If you have an aftermarket radar detector or cold air intake, be ready to get creative when mounting the drivers side headlamp assembly.

    First thing, gather around you all the tools you will need:

    A pair of hemostats, the longer the better.
    A set of diagonal wire cutters.
    A sharp x-acto knife
    A long handled flat blade screwdriver.
    A phillips screwdriver.
    19mm wrench
    Your favorite 1/4 inch ratchet wrench and assorted sockets (small).
    Something sticky (more on this later)
    Electricians black tape.
    Patience (I don't know about you, but I usually need about gallon of high test before I tackle a big project.
    Two beers.

    Off we go...

    Open up your new Euro headlights and install whatever flavor of bulbs you desire, mine have H-1 bulbs so, out with the wimpy 55 watt bulbs and in with the 100 watt uber bulbs.

    Step One: Remove the turn signals in the front bumper. Slide a thin flat blade screwdriver between the headlights and teh turn signal from the top and push lightly on the gray plastic flange with the three ripples in it, pull the turn signal towards the front of the car. Not sure? Check the Bentley Manual.

    Remove the plastic radiator cover.

    If you have the factory anti-theft alarm, the a-oogah horn MAY be just behind the passenger side headlight assembly. If it is, remove it and lay it aside.

    Take your 19mm wrench and hold the black plastic nut behind the three attaching bolts on top of the old headlights. Slap your ratchet wrench on it and unscrew the metal screw/bolt from the three attaching points at the top of the old headlight. Be carefull to not allow the 19mm plastic nut to un-adjust itself.

    With the turn signal dangling from it's wiring harness, slip your 19mm wrench under the black plastic nut just off the turn signal housing, slip your wratched wrench from the top of the old headlight down on top of the screw and remove.

    Look down from above along the remaining side of the old headlamp housing, next to the radiator plastic side. You will see the sinister fifth screw. STOP! Shove something gooey / sticky into the socket you used to remove the other four screw / bolts BEFORE you attempt to remove this bolt. If you don't, it will fall down into the depths of the radiator support and you'll be fishing around down there with a magnet and a string like I did. I used some Red Line CV joint grease to provide adhesion and not drop the bolt / screw while removing it.

    Once all five bolts / screws are removed. Drink the first beer.

    Step Two: Take out the handy-dandy "PnP wiring harness" and take a look at it. It has two U.S. Spec 9005/9006 connectors and a rubber boot with copper / brass pressure connectors on it and one mysterious gray wire.

    Using your hemostat's and being very carefull not to dork anything up, grab the brown wire brass pressure connector for the ground in the PnP wiring harness and slip it over the headlight housing connector pin at the 12 o'clock position.

    Grab the yellow wire brass pressure connector for the low beams in the PnP wiring harness and slip it over the headlight housing connector pin at the six o'clock position.


    Grab the white wire brass pressure connector for the high beams in the PnP wiring harness and slip it over the headlight housing connector pin at the nine o'clock position.

    Grab the gray wire brass pressure connector for the high beams in the PnP wiring harness and slip it over the headlight housing connector pin at the three o'clock position. Strip about 3/4 of an inch of insulation off the other end of the gray wire.

    Step Three: Repeat the above step on the other Euro E-36 headlight assembly.

    Step Four: Insert the Euro Spec E-36 headlight housing into the front end of your car by tilting if. Lower the out board end nearest the turn signal first and insert slowly. You may have to wiggle it here a bit and take a swig of that gallon jug of patience.

    Once if is inserted. Stop.

    Step Five: The turn signal bulb assembly has three wires comoing out of it. Pull all the excess length of wire out of the side of the car and take a swig out of beer #1. Remove about four inches of electrical tape from the wiring harness, starting at the end nearest the turn signal bulb assembly. At a point about two inched from the bulb end of the turn signal assembly, strip 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of insulation off of the wire CAREFULLY with your x-acto knife. Making a mistake here is not a good idea.

    Each turn signal indicator's "...city light..." wire is color coded, either: with a yellow or purple stripe. Yellow is on one side of the car, purple on the other.

    Strip the insulation away from 1/2 inch of the city light wire, slip the non-affressive side of the hemostat between the delicate copper strands of wire and the rubber insulation. Trim off the excess rubber insulation. At this point you should have the turn signal housing, one inch or rubber insulated wire, 1/2 inch of bare copper stranded wire and more rubber insulated wire, leading under the electrical tape and disappearing into the bowels of the wiring harness.

    Twist the gray wire's 3/4inch of bare copper wire, around the turn signal harness bare copper wire firmly. Starting at the turn signal indicator buld holder, tightly wrap this splice with electrical tape. Do a nice job, if water gets into this splice, you will not be happy.

    Step Six: Change out the 7.5 amp fuses in positions #11 and #12 with 15 amp fuses.

    Step Seven: Let the turn signal splicing job dangle, finish off beer #1 and begin bolting / screwing in the Euro Spec E-36 headlight assembly. Start with the Screw / bolt nearest the turn signal housing. Next, make sure your sticky stuff is still working in the sockey, stick a screw / bolt in the sockey, turn it upside down and make sure it does not hit the floor and screw in the hole between the radiator and the headlight housing. Do not tighten anything yet.

    Hold the black plactic bolt on the outboard upper bolt hold down on the headlight housing, make sure it does not move. Screw in / bolt in this screw / bolt. Repeat on the inboard upper bolt / Screw.

    Now, tighten down the bolt between the radiator and the housing. Next using the 19mm wrench and your socket wrench, tighten the bolt nearest the turn signal indicator. Using your 19mm wrench and socket, tighten the two upper attaching bolts / nuts. Not too tight now.

    If you are like me and have the factory alarm, you now have to find some place to re-attach the alarm a-oogah horn. Best of luck.

    Turn on the headlights and make sure everything works as planned before going onto step eight.

    Step Eight: Repeat steps One thru seven for the other side of the car.

    Drink the second beer.

    Wait until dark and adjust the new headlights by shining them on the garage door and using the adjusters on the back of the headlight housing. There is a seperate one for high-beam and low-beam.


    Shameless Commercial Vendor Plug: Once again, I would like to thank the folks at Umnitza, Matt Grintsaig deseves alot of credit for putting together a great product and a truly wonderfull wiring harness for their products. Even if you don't end up buying your Euro Spec E-36 headlights from Umnitza, do yourself a favor and buy the wiring harness.

    I hope this comes in handy!
    1997 Arctic Silver ///M3

  2. #2
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    thanks for the really really detailed DIY! do you have any pics of the installation process?

  3. #3
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    --97 SC'd ///M3--04 ///M3 VERT--07 ESCALADE--

    Euro Spec (Umnitza ZKW) headlight installation instructions

    pics or ban

    -zkw- -hella- -bosch- -depo- -prolumen- -kwd- -bbs- -predator chromium- -predator ice- -simota- -ecis-

    //-install guides-//-total lighting group buy-//-zkw group buy-// -exhaust group buy-//-ellipsoids+hid group buy-//-led tails group buy-//

  4. #4
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    Well written.
    Steve

  5. #5
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    Euro Spec (Umnitza ZKW) headlight installation instructions

    Great DIY, i also bought my lights from them. I got the DEPO and they look really good with the DDE. My next step is to get the 6000k HID kit to finish the look.

  6. #6
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    pics would be great.

  7. #7
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    where did you end up putting the alarm horn? I can't find a place to put it.

  8. #8
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    back by the positive terminal is where we usually move it.

  9. #9
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    ten seconds from ban...

    Originally Posted by m3fuz:The sock represents all that is OT - filthy, sweaty, smelly, a bit retarded, but you just want to envelop yourself in it. Beware the sock.

  10. #10
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    thanks a lot. i will be using this tomorrow. hopefully it will be as easy as it is to read.
    2005 330ci (sold)
    1998 328i (sold)
    1997 M3 (sold)
    1989 325ix (sold)

  11. #11
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  12. #12
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    Thanks! I'll be reading this very carefully over Christmas morning .

  13. #13
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    Just put mine in a couple days ago. Can see a LOT better. I haven't changed the 7.5 fuses out yet, but why do you have to put 15 amp ones in?

  14. #14
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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by umnitza
    only for HIDs
    Word..

  16. #16
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    I would like see more pics please ..

  17. #17
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    OK, so I installed my Depos today in the Autozone parking lot on my way home from picking them up when I realized I had no clue how to wire them even tho I had the PnP harnesses.

    First thing I did was drive home ('twas dark out) with fogs on & passenger side hi beam bulb still plugged in so they'll work & get on bfc & do a search. I came upon this thread which was a great help.

    My only problem is that I can't seem to get the hi beams to come on at all, or the lo's & the fogs together. I played around with the brass connectors, swapping the grey & white while the brown stayed at 12 & the yellow at six but all I was able to do was get the passenger side hi beam on simutaneously with the passenger side lo beam, the driver hi when the stalk was pulled back, but not the way it should be.

    BTW, the drivers side city light came on at first & the lo's worked with the fogs until I tipped the stalk.

    Can someone please

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dinan E36
    Great DIY, i also bought my lights from them. I got the DEPO and they look really good with the DDE. My next step is to get the 6000k HID kit to finish the look.
    Where In San Jose you live? I live in Sunnyvale

  19. #19
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    Sweetness...

    Just installed my ZKW's today. I've owned my car since 2000 and to echo RFC2307's post, if I'd known the difference I would have upgraded years ago. Of course, I wouldn't have had the post to rely on, so maybe it's good that I waited...

    They sure do look sweet, and make a world of difference in visibility.

    Some notes:

    1. If you plan on using Sylvania bulbs, put them in before you start. Once installed, there isn't much clearance behind the light housing. I *didn't* do this, and may end up taking the lights out again tomorrow...

    2. You may want to consider using a wire tap connector (available at radio shack or auto parts stores) for 18/16 gauge wire, and wrap with electrical tape. Doing the "city lights" mod is a nice effect.

    3. While you're at the auto parts store, pick up some 15A fuses, if you don't have two spares handy.

    I got the Enhanced kit which has a bluish tint to the eye rings, so I'll probably end up putting in the Sylvania Silver Star bulbs. But even with the stock bulbs, these babies are sweet.

    Thanks to RFC2307 for the detailed post, and to Matt at Umnitza for his help.

    BB
    BigBilly
    1987 M6 Cinnabar Red (I think) / 2014 M5 Alpine White / 1998 328iC - sold
    Hey everybody - it's been a while. Glad to see BF.com is still thriving.
    Any pointers on care and feeding of an E24 are appreciated.

  20. #20
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    I thought the 15A fuses were only for HID?

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by bimmerboy328i
    I thought the 15A fuses were only for HID?
    that is correct.

  22. #22
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    What would happen if I did put them in not using HID? Would it hurt anything, or will I just blow a fuse?

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by bimmerboy328i
    What would happen if I did put them in not using HID? Would it hurt anything, or will I just blow a fuse?
    Yeah I don't have HID, but I just got the Bosch + DDE Plus setup and instructions call for newer fuses too. I don't think this would really affect anything, would it?

  24. #24
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  25. #25
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    i'll make sure to book mark this thread, i plan to buy zkw's whenever i get enough money together, thanks man

    shahab

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