Headlights performing poorly?

[spotfitz]

While I am a new user here I thought this might be a good thing to post to this old thread. It might help someone. I hope it helps.

Z cars are notorious for frying their headlight switches. These switches can cost big $ new. The last one I bought new ran me $185 plus shipping for my '74 260Z. They are getting harder to find and the price keeps going up on them.

Relays for headlights, even in stock form are a necessity with these vehicles and can help most older vehicles as well. I went as far as to replace all existing wires from the fire wall forward, but used existing factory wires to control the relays for the headlights, running lights and turn signals for my 32 yr old Zcar. While it's not all taped up and wire loomed yet, at this stage it gives a better idea of what is going on with the wires. This is not a kit and I highly recommend the Maxi fuse block! Behind the fuse block is a ground branch for all the grounds to interlace. Here is a pic of what I have done:

http://album.hybridz.org/showphoto.php?pho...500&ppuser=7958

and a pic of my new-to-me '92:

http://album.hybridz.org/showphoto.php?pho...500&ppuser=7958

I'm doing alot of reading/research before I start any questions for my Pathy, but I am enjoying the professionalism of the site. Good job Admins!

[94extreme]

oppsy.. have to be a member to see those pictures.. :sniff:

[The Drift]

help me out here, cuz im as confused as a baby in a topless bar

Lucky ass baby

[spotfitz]

oppsy.. have to be a member to see those pictures.. :sniff:

 

It's free to join. I wasn't trying to get anyone from here to join over there.

 

Is there a place to put pics here?

 

I hate imageshack, or what ever it's called.

[96SE]

Has anyone come up with a Pathy-specific write up and pics for this? My weakest area is definitely the electrical side of things but I would like to learn how to make this work. Ten year old stock lights don't cut it.

[ILoveMyPatty]

It's free to join. I wasn't trying to get anyone from here to join over there.

 

Is there a place to put pics here?

 

I hate imageshack, or what ever it's called.

Upload them directly from your computer.

[spotfitz]

Well, I'll try this,

Wiring: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/spotfitz/det...re2.jpg&.src=ph

and my '92 Pathy:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/spotfitz/det...re2.jpg&.src=ph

[88pathoffroad]

Has anyone come up with a Pathy-specific write up and pics for this? My weakest area is definitely the electrical side of things but I would like to learn how to make this work. Ten year old stock lights don't cut it.

Wiring is as generic as it can get. You don't need a vehicle-specific diagram unless you're completely clueless, in which case you might want to ask a friend or mechanic for help anyway. Use a test light or voltmeter and the rest is damn near child's play...

[pathfindervirgin]

Okay, I have read through all of the posts. I have a couple of questions that I dont think were answered by anyone. Where is the ground wire located for the headlights? I noticed one ground wire attached to the body just in front of the rad near the prop rod. Also, is it NORMAL for the Pathy's to have such poor headlights? I am not all that confident in myself to fool with the harness, can I put in better headlights? I hear everyone talking brands and types, I'm not all that fluent on the different lights. I just figured out the search feature, I'll try not to ask the same question as everyone else!

[QuismO]

Okay, I have read through all of the posts. I have a couple of questions that I dont think were answered by anyone. Where is the ground wire located for the headlights? I noticed one ground wire attached to the body just in front of the rad near the prop rod. Also, is it NORMAL for the Pathy's to have such poor headlights? I am not all that confident in myself to fool with the harness, can I put in better headlights? I hear everyone talking brands and types, I'm not all that fluent on the different lights. I just figured out the search feature, I'll try not to ask the same question as everyone else!

the ground wire in the harness is the one in the middle. if you're looking at the harness head on, from left to right, it's high beam positive, ground (negative), low beam positive. a ground wire is any wire bolted directly to the frame. so if you don't want to mess with the harness's ground/negative wire, that's no problem as it's general practice to bolt a wire to the frame and use that as a ground wire.

 

i honestly thought it was just my pathy that had poor headlights, then i rode in my cousin's 98, and his is horrible too. the "super-white" lights don't really do much, except make your headlights LOOK white, but in general, you won't be able to see any better, sometimes it's even worse.

 

you can try the relay method at the beginning of this thread, ALL that have done it, notice a big difference.

[LD50]

Does anyone still check in here?

 

Anyways, I'll give it a shot. I checked summit and the previously mentioned harness is apparently no longer available, however I found another similar harness. Will this do the job we want it to?

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.a...&N=700+311187+0

 

It looks super easy to install... Basically just tap into the hi/lo switch wires, hot and ground?

Edited December 24, 2006 by LD50

[88pathoffroad]

For $2.99 each you can buy new 9004 connectors, $5 a spool for three different colors of wire, and two $5 relays. There's your $48 headlight wiring kit.

[LD50]

Good point. I think I'll have to do this when it warms up outside.

[RedPath88]

*BUMP* For new and old members alike

[LD50]

Does this diagram make sense for what needs to be done with our pathfinders?

 

[Kittamaru]

Can someone recommend a good DIY kit for a noobie mechanic?

 

I'd like to learn to do stuff like this myself instead of relying on a mechanic.

[Kittamaru]

Anybody? That guide left me kinda in the dark

 

Also, where is a good place to get HID bulbs?

[88pathoffroad]

HID's aren't just bulbs. They need ballasts to produce the high voltage that HID's require to produce light. HID's are arclights, much like a welding arc. Electricity at high voltage passes between two electrodes gapped precisely far enough apart to produce the desired light. Standard bulbs use filaments that heat up and produce light when current is passed through it. Totally different animals.

 

Um...try your local library for an auto electrical book? I can't do classes over forum posts.

[Kittamaru]

I'm assuming HID lights fit into a standard headlight socket though, right?

 

And I'm good on the "what to do"... it's the "what I'm working on" that has me somewhat stumped

[StoneHands]

i thought hid's worked on low wattage? like the ballast produced like 35w? sorry for goin a bit off-topic. but i dont think hid's would be good for non-projector headlights, you would be blinding everyone!! lol

Edited March 10, 2008 by StoneHands

[mws]

HID's take a large voltage spike initially, and then they drop down and draw quite a bit less power than regular bulbs.

 

Although companies sell HID elements "designed" to fit into standard sockets, don't go there without knowing what you're doing.

 

You should NEVER put HID's into DOT assemblies originally designed for incandescents. The US DOT standard requires a certain percentage of light (3% if my memory serves me) to be aimed into the eyes of oncoming traffic.... If you put an HID in one of those reflectors, you WILL blind drivers.

 

Why should you care? Blind drivers are more likely to drift into your lane and kill you. Dead sucks.

 

For this very reason, California is beginning to crack down on illegal conversions. I am sure many other states have or will do the same.

 

DOT reflectors designed for HID elements aim far less into oncoming traffic. European reflectors aim even less - most are close to 0% - even reflectors designed for incandescents.

 

So if your vehicle came from factory with HID, keep it. They are freakin' awesome. If it did not, you MUST replace reflector with European style. And even then, you are technically illegal.

[StoneHands]

dont they have glare shields or casper shields? for non-projector housings? not saying that its legal but at least you wont blind anyone lol

[mws]

dont they have glare shields or casper shields? for non-projector housings? not saying that its legal but at least you wont blind anyone lol

 

Usually, but that does not address the real problem. The shield keeps oncoming traffic from looking directly into the arc, but the reflector is still not focused correctly.

 

Point your vehicle at a dark wall and turn on low beam headlights. You will see a pattern on the wall, with a pretty pronounced cut off line - really bright below, dimmer above. But not DARK above. You can still see things due to the reflector aiming that 3% high. With a European spec reflector, it will be near pitch black, with effectively 0% aimed high.

 

I have a set of Hella European reflectors on another vehicle. The difference is huge. The downside to these style reflectors is that they do not light up street signs or overhead freeway signs. That is another clue... If you can read street signs at night, do NOT install HID's.

[StoneHands]

gotcha

[Mr. Pickles]

I finally got around to doing the relay mod about 2 weeks ago. Its a night and day difference, for real. I've got Sylvania Silverstar bulbs (no flaming, please! , I like them regardless). They are MUCH brigher after. Its a little fuzzy at the moment, but IIRC it was reading something like 11.5V stock at the bulb, and closer to upper 12's after. Going by the stat's 88 posted back in the day, you do the math. Its sooo much brighter on a dark street, and I took it out for a test drive and my ricer-driving neighbors wanted to know what I had done to make them so bright.

 

BTW, there was a question about that pic/schematic, and if it was accurate. Yes, its the same, just ignore the 2nd high beam headlight (the one that says "if present"). I think you're best off anyways by running new wiring all the way around at the given gauge and ignore the stock stuff all together. I ran 12 gauge throughout. Make the connections at the relay(s - if you're doing it for high beam too), battery, and at the headlight harnesses at the bulbs, and bypass the rest entirely. All told, I only did it for low beams for now since I have plenty of auxiliary lights, so $5 for the relay, maybe $2 worth of 12 gauge wire off a spool I already had, $2.50 for an inline buss fuse setup, and maybe $1 worth of connectors, zip ties and stuff plus a little elbow grease. Good to go.

 

I was halfway curious to try the HID's a while back, and picked up a set of APC supposedly Euro-spec housings for a Hardbody that I was going to swap in, but I think I'll just stick with my stock setup and grill, thank you very much.

Edited March 22, 2008 by Mr. Pickles