TSX projectors in the E34?

[RVAE34]

Someone I know has TSX projectors real cheap. Thinking of picking them up. Anyone done the retrofit in an E34?

I was beside a Honda S2000 the other day and the lights blew me away how wide the spread is!!!!! TSX and S2000 use the similar setups. At this point I feel pretty confident about the retrofit just unsure whether trying to fit my H1 HID in the DS2 bulb space is a good idea. I may end up having to get the DS2 bulbs and ballasts I guess if I do, I will be selling my old setup.

[Mr Project]

I think alarmedbread (local guy) did TSX units in his E30...very similar setup to the E34. Supposedly a very good result.

[ladiesman217]

shouldn't you only need the bulb itself? I'm sure the connectors could be located/salvaged/ fab'd easily. Ballasts should be the same if they are both 35w hids

[RVAE34]

Nice. At the price I can get them for, it's worth it as long as the diameter is close. I have an extra headlight assembly to fit before actually mounting.

Any insight on whether it's easy to retrofit the H1 into the DS2 slot? They have similar wire clamping. I just wonder whether the DS2 will be different in length. Or major diff in output. It seems that most HID's are the same length, just diff mounting bases in aftermarket HID kits to work with all diff cars

Edit:

To ladiesman,

I already have 5k prolumens. It would be easier just to use them

[eightynine535]

I think alarmedbread (local guy) did TSX units in his E30...very similar setup to the E34. Supposedly a very good result.

link to thread?

[RVAE34]

I just PM'd him

[ladiesman217]

Edit:

To ladiesman,

I already have 5k prolumens. It would be easier just to use them

yes I know...

But it would be even easier to just get a different set of bulbs and P'n'P with your existing ballasts instead of trying to modify the existing seats in the tsx projectors to take an H1. At least to me. Seems an awful lot of potential irreversible work just to avoid buying new capsules

[Mr Project]

I just PM'd him

Heh, so did I. Poor guy just minding his own business....

[RVAE34]

Ha. This will have to be a long term project. No money for harness and bulbs. No $ for the projectors themselves really, but I can starve a lil for the projectors themselves being so cheap.

[Shane K]

What about just using the projector lenses? They are just held in with a clip, as long as you got the same OD lens they should drop into the stock projector. You already made a big improvement with the cutoff mod. I don't know alot about HID but isn't it the cutoff and the projector lens that affect the beam pattern?

[AlarmedBread]

Swapping the projector housings is pretty easy, just have to take things apart as if you were smoking them and modify the rings that hold the projector a bit. Good diy on smoking here, just pretend it says "Now test fit, modify, and finally secure your new projectors in place".

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=94540

You will need new ballasts if you want the DS2 bulbs to perform correctly, H1 and D2S have a slightly different hot spot on the bulbs so I'm not sure how this would effect light output. I got a ballast kit from prolumen thinking it would work fine with the DS2 bulbs, but I was misinformed and they do not fully ignite, it always has a blueish tint and never turns to white like it should. The light output and beam pattern are much better though, and I've been driving it daily for 8months in a city that cracks down on HID retrofits w/o problems.

I did try a friend's ballasts and they made the bulbs light up fully, so it does make a big difference, but not enough to justify spending more money IM(cheap)O.

[RVAE34]

My TSX projectors will be here today. practically stolen for $80!!! I will be selling my old setup once I get the new ones in if anyone is interested.

I am also looking to get some D2S bulbs if anyone has some. Maybe Habbie will trade my used H1's for some used D2S's

[boone.msi]

goodluck, i presented this option over a year ago, and all i got was WTF & WHY? questions...

The idea is golden, but to my knowledge not one e34 has gone through with this mod.

[ladiesman217]

I'm sure I was one of them, and if so I apologize.

I still feel the same way... but am retaining the right to change my mind after seein RVA's results.

[RVAE34]

I just got em. It is going to be a bitch!! The distance b/t the lens and bucket is almost half as much as the E34. That means that I will have to either cut the 4 tabs off which are the mounting holes. Or cut into the sides of the E34 plastic inner headlight housing to recess the TSX's. Definately doable, will just require a lot of thought before cutting time.

It does look pretty easy to modify the H1 to fit the D2S slot

[RVAE34]

After a few days of just looking at the headlights and trying to figure out the best way, I think I have got it.

I cut two sections out of the existing bucket. Just large enough so that I could change the rotation. One side I cut out has a place for two screws. The other side does not, so I will use body panel glue to cut the nice clean section I removed back in place. I will remove enough from the bottom to account for thickness of the TSX mounting midsection. This will allow the assembly on that side to be wedged into place.

Crazy part is the fact that the seam where the grey plastic starts to change angle and bevel (pic #3) is the perfect line to cut in order to fit the TSX projector lens snug in the chrome surround of the E34 euro's. Makes it perfect first cut

They fit snug as you see them suprisingly enough. I was able to turn them in all directions and they stay in place.

Here are some pics of the progress so far.

[MacR]

Very nice my man!

[Itsnotme1988]

Lookin' AWESOME! Can't wait to see when it's done!

[Hypr5]

I've done it. I loved it. That was a few years ago and the car is gone now

However, I also have them in my e39

Good projector.

[attack eagle]

Window weld is your friend...

[RVAE34]

Good to know^

I just tried putting the H1 in the space to get an idea of output width. It is at least 3-4 x's wider than it used to be.

Only problem will be sealing everything. I think it may be better to let it ventilate than to try and seal up to tight. Good airflow is better to remove moisture than little cracks which trap it in. I think at least

[attack eagle]

I used the stuff when I put my smileys back together after smoking them. needless to say I never have to worry about my lenses coming off.
When I went to use it again it was not hard as a rock, but VERY VERY solid as compared to regular silicone... Had to drill it out of the nozzle. No wonder guys use the stuff to fill bushings.

Seems to have good adhesion and gap filling properties as well since the nozzle was 1/2" diameter and it was solid.

I'd try making some 1/8th abs fill plates nonetheless. easy to work with, cut with shears, large scissors, curvable with a little heat... scuff em up good with soap/water and a scotch brite to get good adhesion before glueing them in with windowweld... then back fill around the light completely.

Let me be the first to say... WELL DONE!!!

[RVAE34]

So you think I should try and seal it completely? If so, I won't be able to remove them. It seems that if all that space was open, then they would breathe and not trap moisture. They would cool better too. The bulbs would be sealed, just not the glass outer lens of the smilies.

I am pretty stoked about this mod. I don't think anyone has done it to an E34 either as a previous post mentioned. Pretty straight forward. I was shocked to see how much wider the light spread is over the factory Euro Ellipsoid!!! It's going to look amazing

[attack eagle]

they will get dust in them (quickly) if you do not. that will defeat the entire purpose of doing this mod.
I'm assuming you had to cut out the vent tube? perhaps retrofit one behind the cutoff shield where it would have minimal to 0 impact on light projection.

Looking at it you don't need to remove them anymore, you can replace the bulbs without removing them, so yeah, seal em up.
You could try only sealing the front half, with the projector lens in, and leaving the rear section as a screw in.

[Hypr5]

So you think I should try and seal it completely? If so, I won't be able to remove them. It seems that if all that space was open, then they would breathe and not trap moisture. They would cool better too. The bulbs would be sealed, just not the glass outer lens of the smilies.

I am pretty stoked about this mod. I don't think anyone has done it to an E34 either as a previous post mentioned. Pretty straight forward. I was shocked to see how much wider the light spread is over the factory Euro Ellipsoid!!! It's going to look amazing

I did it to a 95 525i with TSX projectors, osram bulbs and denso ballasts about two years ago.

After that car was wrecked, I moved them to the e39

Light output is much improved. (on both vehicles)