I just installed an HID kit from Catz on my 95 ES300. It is rated at 4500k but I am having a problem telling the difference between my old headlights and these HIDs. The color is definitely whiter but it doesn't seem to light up the road like I expected. Does anybody have any ideas? I adjusted the vertical alignment using the level on the headlight.

 

Sorry I can't answer your question, but maybe you can help me with my problem.

You mention aligning the lights. Do you just turn the little rods to do that? I don't want to break anything by turning too hard.

 

To offset this problem, I took another approach. I decided to retrofit a set of Audi HID projectors into my car. Several writeups have been done on the HID upgrade using the conversion kit. In some cases, people were able to modify some things to get their desired results. One fact you should keep in mind that the original halogen projector AND the original plastic headlamp combine to cause light to scatter thus creating cold and/or hot spots in the projection. Not that the light isn't usable (several members can vouch that statement) but, if you want OEM HID results, you're gonna have to do things the OEM way. Here's one question, how much more light or color do you want? Do you want it to look just like factory/OEM Xenon? If so, you may have to upgrade those low-beam projectors on your headlights. BUT seek out folks like E-Gainer, Amrit50, themasta3, and XenonEs3. These guys have done what you're doing. I'll have results and pics when I return from vacation. Keep us posted.

 

Seattle ES300,

To adjust the vertical alignment, for each headlight there is a long metal screw looking thing that you turn using a screwdriver or a socket set. Look at the level that is on the headlight while doing this. There is a horizontal alignment screw that I have not messed with. It has red circles on part of it and a 0 printed on it. As you adjust this one, the 0 moves in between these circles. Hope that clears things up.

 

THANKS!

 

Just curious, what brand of bulbs/ballasts are you guys with ES conversions using?

Edit: People on this forum frequently talk about the polycarbonate lenses on newer cars with HID lighting as thinner and clearer than the ones found on the older ES, SC, and GS with projectors. It seems to me that the lenses on even lower-end newer cars, with halogen, and free-form reflectors (not even projectors), are thinner and clearer. I think the newer vehicles are simply taking advantage of improvements made in plastics over the past 10 years. Anyone else share my hypothesis?

 

As far as I know the kit I have from Catz is made by the same company that makes the Bellof kit. The ballasts are panasonic and I am not sure what the bulbs are.

 

Any further luck, Zerwick? I went to liteswap.com, the site I found in another thread, and they had a picture of what looked to be a 92-94 ES (lens doesn't have the 3 lines going across like the 95-96), and it looks perfect. But lights are tricky to photograph, and it's possible that they altered the exposure to make the lights look better.

BTW, I think Lexus uses Panasonic(Matsushiita) ballasts on some, if not all of their factory HID systems. Can't recall if the bulbs are Philips, Osram, or a Japanese brand.

Could the problem be in the harness, and the lights not getting enough power (crucial on igniting the arc)?


http://www.liteswap.com/leesw55.html The lights in the picture look whiter, more like 4300K OEM HID, than the bluer lights I'd associate with 5500K.

 

Well they aren't as bright as the picture on liteswap.com and maybe you are right about the fact that the ballasts aren't getting enough power. I don't know if this will help but I plan on getting my battery tested because it looks like the top is leaking and it has got a lot of corrosion on the top. Do you think the battery could have anything to do with this?

Thanks!!

 

Zerwick,

It could also be a ground issue as well as power. I would check your battery to make sure it is operating correctly. Usually the 1st two things to troubleshoot in a situation like this is first the ground and then the power. If you do not have a good ground, the light might not be as bright. Try putting the HID kit's ground connection closest in contact with the metal.

Another thing to do to compare the output would be to put a halogen bulb on one side and leave the HID on the other. The difference might be more apparent. Also, if it was raining or similar, the road will not be as lit up due to the water.

The bulbs of Catz and Bellof are GE which are OEM in many applications.

Lights are tricky to photograph, but the pics on Liteswap's site are not fabricated or photoshopped. The ES300 in the pic is a 92 ES300.