MikeekiM

<sigh>...

Started out as a little interior condensation on my driver's side headlamp lens...

Now, it has only gotten worse...with the recent rains my interior headlight lamp is more than just a little misty (see photo)...

I guess I gotta pull the trigger on a new headlamp... I know there are other options of resealing and "baking" my lens... Problem is...I don't have access to an oven (it's broken), and I am not sure I can convince anyone to let me bake my headlight in theirs!

I have been told that the moisture can destroy the HID system, as well as the headlamp... And then, was told that it was not accurate, and that I didn't have to worry about such things...

Do you know what the real story is? Should I be worried about anything other than a simple replacement of the headlamp?

HairyMonkey019

iTrader: (7)

heat gun, or do what i did.... hair dryer, takes a while but way better to use a heat gun or hair dryer so u dont burn ur hands

water will destroy ur ballasts, they are exposed in th inside unless u use silicone on it asap

MikeekiM

OK... So search was my friend here...

Looks like most are saying that there is NOTHING wrong with the water tightness of the headlight assembly itself, but that the leaks are caused by the rubber gaskets that connect the headlamp to the ballast... According to one of the threads, there are three gaskets on each headlamp that should be replaced (8, 11 and 20 in this link).

There was another thread that suggested that the leak was coming from the radiator coolant return reservoir, and that the tubes near the headlamp needed to be sealed and the top of the headlight should be sealed with electric tape.

Sounds reasonable to me... How do I get to these gaskets? Do I need to remove the front bumper?

It's been years since I removed that front bumper...is there a DIY/instruction posting here that goes through the steps for front bumper removal?

Update: I just spoke to my service shop (who I have trusted for years), and he thinks that it doesn't make sense that the gaskets near the ballast would introduce water when washing the car... He said that he isn't counting it out...but his experience is to change the headlight... Thoughts here?

01tl4tl

dont know where you went for answers but as a longtime ziner you should know about our diy section, there are a few threads on the procedure for just replacing entire headlight housing- ck ebay for new ones aftermarket for not too many $$

AND yes based on the pic, you WILL have water damage to ballast- there is a drip hole on bottom of housing for that moisture - which goes directly onto ballast-
after repeated dousing water gets past the ballast seal and inside corrodes
Many pics found on azine

Soon you will have a low beam go out while driving- flicking switch restores light = time for replacement HID parts

BEST way is scrap pile the entire OE setup and install aftermarket, from $60-100 from 2 of our well trusted suppliers- meaning thousands of us using their product
That money gets 2 micro sized in comparison to stock ballast, the ignitor/invertors and 2 new bulbs
stay with stock 35 watt ballast and 5000k color bulbs
They call it a kit but since we have HID, its a simple cut and clip power leads and its ready to go - no extra wiring or relays needed, we have all of that currently installed

do it all at once its a few hour job = new housings and lighting kit,
popping the nose off is just 2 hidden screws in fenderwell and a bunch of pop out plastic clips
Save time over trying to salvage bad units with silicone
I suggest external sealing the new housings! just to not have to do it again
The weak point is the seal of lens to housings
pressure washing car adds to that seals failure

MikeekiM

OK... So the fat lady has sang... My low beams went out this evening... So I guess I either officially lost the ballast, or by a weird coincidence, my low beam bulb went out...

By bet is that I lost the ballast...

So now I have some questions...

#1 - I don't need to remove my entire front bumper...correct? I just need to remove the front grill/nose.

#2 - My mechanic advised me against going with an aftermarket HID kit. His experience is that the aftermarket kits are cheap and of a low quality compared to OEM. I'd love to hear opinions and experiences from AcuraZine folks here on this opinion. Good or bad, I do know that my service guys are huge on going OEM, so their opinion does not surprise me.

#3 - If I purchase a brand new headlamp, does it typically come with everything I need? Or do I need to purchase the gaskets and seals separately?

Looking at this link, I am thinking that I need to purchase #8, #11, #12 & #20

Of course, this assumes I don't need to buy the OEM ballast... I am leaning toward the aftermarket kit, pending confirmation from all of you that the quality/build is good.

Thanks everyone!

HairyMonkey019

iTrader: (7)

just open them, clean it up, and install a brand new aftermarket HID kit which requires splicing. So much more inexpensive than buying new headlamps. While opened up you can even remove the amber piece from them.

thinhthan

yea you will need to take apart the headlight from the lens and reseal it again

01tl4tl

For the fastest way, just order some aftermarket housing which come sealed

the two aftermarket kit suppliers we suggest- DDM and HID Kits | Conversion Kits | Xenon Headlights | HIDeXtra are both of very good quality at amazing price-
WAY better than OE and you can mount the WATERPROOF parts away from the housing, many use the back of front bumper or side of frame rail to put ballast- its that small- OE is a brick sized object
oh, its 1100 bucks for a complete oe setup! and will fail again!

who knows a TL better- your guy or us?

the part removed for access is the bumper cover and a lightweight metal piece across the bumper- NOT the main heavy metal brace that is the impact stopping portion.

Just the cover and a few small bits that secure the housings, not a big deal
There are pics on here of a ziner who did it in a parking lot!
It looks scary but its only plastic
helpful to have buddy to speed removal of both sides at once for bolts and pin clips

01tl4tl

a local import speed shop or stereo install place that sells hid setups can do the light swap, in your area they are plentiful

ck the Regions link- then see local meetups- to find some ziners near you for DIY help- several tons of them in the SJ and south area

your guy likes oe because no thinking is required, and can you imagine the profit on the parts!- what they get on a deal from acura and what they charge you- of course they want OE
not-- you coming in with parts that are fine for the job
another reason to use a specialty shop for this job or DIY

binary_10essee

I installed an aftermarket HID kit from HIDExtra.com (popular on here, with some others). I haven't had a problem. Paid $60 in all. Came with everything I needed. One ballast was defective/dead upon arrival. I got a warranty replacement in 2 days.

I installed those several months ago and they're still running strong as can be. No issues whatsoever. To replace the headlights, I did have to remove the front bumper. Unless there's a trick to get around it, I'm pretty sure that's required. There are support beams beneath each headlight assembly that need to be removed.

MikeekiM

I see a DIY for removing the front grill... Is there a DIY on the front bumper removal?

binary_10essee

There's another video that goes with it, from the same guy. That's where I learned.

acutee

If the ballast is gone, it is best to go with aftermarket HID, like said above.

Anyway, the culprit is the seal between the ballast and the headlight housing. It is a spongy flat o-ring gasket, over time it got shrunk from the ballast heat. It obsorbs water like a sponge pad, and until the headlight is used, heat from ballast cooks up the water that obsorbed in the spongy gasket and sends the moisture into the headlight. It is easy fix as long as you know where the root cause is. I came to this conclusion from many experiments, it can't be wrong unless you are one in a milllions that got a defect leak around the housing. My headlight was replaced under warranty, but it did happened again after a car wash and the headlight was used right after that. If the headlight was not used, the spongy gasket will get dry by itself in a natural way, which won't send moisture to the headlight. By looking at the condensation, you can tell it is moisture, not dense water got leaked in.

01tl4tl

these housings are over 10-15 years old!
with the glazing of plastic lens surface and whatever gasket theory applied above- or leakage at the main lens seal - which has also been found in many cases
= its way better to buy aftermarket housings online- can even find them blacked out which is very cool~

200 bucks worth of `New everything` = awesome lighting to see and avoid objects on the road

Most of us plan to enjoy their TL thru several thousand more miles and many years.
Why not do yourself a solid and make the car really nice, with color and brightness of lighting - the likes of which you have never seen before (unless original buyer of car!)

MikeekiM

Would you mind providing some links to some aftermarket options? They don't necessarily need to be links to stuff that your recommend, or that you believe the pricing is good... I just need some ideas of what to look for, and what's out there... You sound like you are very familiar with aftermarket product ideas, and I'd like to tap that knowledge.

Thanks...

MikeekiM

Thanks for the video... This helps me immensely!!!

Thanks! Man, I wish I knew all this stuff before my ballast went bad... Sounds like this was a completely preventable situation!

01tl4tl

I think there is more to the failure problem than a gasket as one ziner wants to believe

The rest of us suffered actual seal failure at the lens
There is much discussion on covering that bottom hole with silicone- but its also a heat vent= which is very much needed!

links? HID Kits | Conversion Kits | Xenon Headlights | HIDeXtra or one of the pop up ads on azine- here

housings = got mine on ebay and I read something on here that users called DEPO don't know if that's a brand or what? internet search for- buy headlight housings + your year TL should produce results- last I knew housings were $75-100 each plus 60-70 $ for the total hid kit

HairyMonkey019

iTrader: (7)

I'm telling you man, just open it up and clean it. It's Very easy to do. And replace the OEM HID harness with an aftermarket one.

Headlight lenses tend to have seal problems after a while. One way of fixing it is by using a heat gun or hairdryer and blowing the heat along the outside seal and apply pressure on it while the lamp is on the car.

It's how I fixed my girlfriend's leak on her Lexus.

MikeekiM

OK... Watched the video above, as well as another one by the same YouTube uploader on removing the bumper... It all looks easy to do...so no worries there... I do have a few more questions though...

1. Refurbishing Existing Housing - HairyMonkey019: Can you tell me more about how to take apart and clean the housing, and then how to put it all back together and where/how to seal it all back up again? I am comfortable doing the work, but I don't want to re-invent the process. Since you seem very familiar (and comfortable) with the process, I would like to do this without "learning things the hard way".

Once I get the headlight assembly out, what do I need to do? Do I need to remove existing silicone? Are there screws or clips that keep the lens from the rest of the assembly? When I put it all back together, do I just use regular silicone from a tube? Is there a baking process that is required, or just let it sit and cure?

Any videos or still photos of the housing being taken apart and re-assembled?

2. After Market Ballast Fit - The video shows that there are three screws that keep the OEM ballast in place. Does the aftermarket ballast fit right into that same area, and do I simply use the same 3 screws to put it back in place?

3. Do I need New Gaskets - Should I buy #8, #11, and #20 gaskets? I don't want to take everything apart, only to find that I am missing some key pieces. Bottom line: I'd like to take the bumper off and on once... I really don't want to do this over and over as I learn what pieces I SHOULD have purchased...

I'm excited about getting this done soon... The rain season is approaching, and I'd like to take care of this sooner than later...

Thanks all... With every reply post, I am feeling more and more confident about getting this done myself...

HairyMonkey019

iTrader: (7)

First you want to remove the housing from the car and all bulbs.
There is a metal clip holding the lens and back part together at the end of the housing close to the hi beams.

From there you want to heat it up with a heat gun/hair dryer or pop it in the oven if you feel safe.

I didn't do the oven method because it fucking burns when you take it out.

Using the hair dryer/heat gun method just go along the seal and heat it up and slowly pry it off. I recommend starting from the pointed area. Use a screw driver or scraper to start it off. (Don't use much of the screwdriver as it will create indentations in the plastic.

It will take a while, but it is worth it and the seal is a lot less stringy when you don't use the oven method.
__________________________________________________ _

Once everything is apart you can do the cleaning. Just use a microfiber towel and wipe it down trying to avoid streaks, but IDK how it would be on the reflective part. I usually avoid touching that, but try it on an area that you can't see.
__________________________________________________ _

To reseal Just heat up the silicone and move it towards the edges with a screw driver. Put the lens back on the housing and apply heat and pressure all the way around. A friend would be helpful, but isn't necessary.

You can also do this while having it bolted up to the car and apply the heat around the edges while applying pressure to the area of where you heated it..




As for the ballast at the bottom, I just cut out a piece of lexan and siliconed it on. The OEM ballast is dead weight at that point.

Aftermarket ballasts need to be mounted somewhere else, but that's more of personal preferences.

MikeekiM

Hmmm... Based on those instructions, it sounds like I could try and dry out the housing with an air compressor, and then simply reheat the surrounding silicone and hope that I seal the water-tight compromised area... In fact, I think you may have suggested that in an earlier post...

Then I would just need to replace the ballast...

The ballast only powers the low beams, is that correct? My high beams seem to be working just fine (as well as the parking lights)...

01tl4tl

you will need ballast and ignitors/invertors plus bulbs
just get the kit and be done with it

MikeekiM

HairyMonkey019 - I saw your build thread where you discuss some of the wiring issues with the aftermarket ballast... Was there any key learnings that you can share with me to make my process go smoothly? Sounded like you had some splicing to do... True?

Or is it pretty much plug and play?

MikeekiM

Yes, I am pretty sure I am just going to get the kit...

At this point, the two things that are outstanding issues are:

1) Should I try and repair/fix the existing housing, or get a new one...

2) Is the aftermarket ballast plug-and-play, or do I need to know anything special about the wiring and splicing...

Oh, and as far as the kit is concerned, I am assuming I should just go with the Signature kit...not the "Power", "Stealth" or "Volt Canbus" series...

HairyMonkey019

iTrader: (7)

Just splices it, oem ballasts are garbage. But main reason you want to open them us because your lenses now have water marks

01tl4tl

cut a few power connectors off and splice on new connector on inline splice/butt connectors, could not be easier!
Its so clear, we don't even need to post instructions~

you can TRY the resealing and possibly MELT the housing or its tabs where it mounts to car
Then buy the replacement aftermarket housings!

All depends on -do you want potential buyers looking at clean perfect headlights or some cobbled together bs with water damage and age glazing of the lens??
Which makes them think the car was taken very good care of?

MikeekiM

Definitely want to do the right thing quality wise...

Would you recommend something like this for aftermarket housings?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Pair-Set-Headlight-Headlamp-Lens-Housing-Assembly-DOT-02-03-Acura-TL-/331354012462?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A2003%7CMake%3AAcura%7CModel%3ATL&hash=item4d263cfb2e&vxp=mtr

01tl4tl

those are DOT legal so they are the right ones for use- ck around for prices but 75 a side is not bad- about what I paid several years back

Also you can sell your used ones on here in The Black Market- just as they are- to a ziner who wants to open them and black out the insides while not being without the car--note shipping cost can be excessive

If you search thread post in the last year by me about the install- there are many tips
Many others here have contributed to the knowledge I now share- not taking credit as the sole source of all things acura~~~ just a compiler of info

MikeekiM

Before I pull the trigger on a set of aftermarket housings...are they all pretty much the same, and I should just shop on price? Or are there quality and/or visual differences that I should be aware of...

This site, as an example, has different priced housings...but I can't tell why I would want to buy one over the other... Any advise here?

01tl4tl

if it says DOT is stamped on it- that's legal and quality made
there are only 1 or 2 actual makers of the part so look for best price but the ones you linked are fine and decent price

remember to CALL hidextra and mention acurazine- also look online and on their main page for 10-15% coupons,
the super December 50%!! sale is just around the corner
for those thinking of doing the high beam conversion or realize its time for the new low beam setup- with early sunset these days Im always driving in the dark!

MikeekiM

Closing the loop on this thread... This past weekend I installed my new headlamp housings and HID eXtra 35w 5000k kit...

First, I want to thank everyone for all their help and advice... Especially 01tl4tl who I traded numerous private messages for clarity to avoid polluting this thread with dumb questions. But there were others who helped to...you know who you are... THANK YOU!

Too bad most of us have the battle the learning curve for just one installation... I am certain that I can do this job in a fraction of the work effort the next time around...

Honestly, the most time spent was me contemplating where to mount the ballast...

Took most of the day because of a combination of taking videos (for a possible DIY video), neighborly interruptions (I had the garage door open, which is an invitation to being social), and general inexperience...

The Good:

• Installation - Easy and straightforward installation
• New Housings - Love the cleared corners and black-out highlights of my new housings. The lenses are crystal clear! My car is garaged and I thought my original lenses were already clear, but these sparkle!

The Bad:

• Ballast Installation Mistake - I overtightened the screws when mounting the ballast and pretty much destroyed the plastic mount. I thought it was made of metal. If I had realized it was plastic I would have been a bit more gingerly (that said, it is not uncommon for me to overtighten screws). The next time I have the bumper removed, I will likely use some Sugru to strengthen the mount.

The Interesting:

• Ballast Install Location - Installed my ballast inside R/L fenders. Drilled a hole to hang the ballast with the connectors pointing downward. Provided additional support with cable ties.
• Bulb Installation - Hadn't realized that I should install the bulb in the housing first, and then attach the wire harness. I tried to install the bulb in the wire harness first, and then tried to place the bulb in the housing. Didn't work and had to reverse and try again.
• Turn Signal Bulbs - Amber bulbs for turn signal don't look great, and are much more noticable now that the amber reflector has been replaced with a clear reflector. I need to find a good chrome/amber bulb.
• Parking Bulb in Lower Corners - I bought amber 194 bulbs for my cleared corners to stay "legal". The bulbs are visible if you look closely, but for the most part, the clear reflector does a good job of hiding it.
• High Beams - High beams are a different color. I kept the originals installed. Not sure I care, as I don't really use them much. Are there 5000K high beam bulbs on the aftermarket? HIDeXtra has an HID kit, but I really don't want to install another ballast. Not sure where I would even put it.
• Fog Lights - Fog Lights are also a different color. I am likely going to replace the bulb with a 5000K LED bulb. I havent been using my foglights lately because my glass lens cracked and I replaced with Lexan. The Lexan melts with heat. LEDs should be a lot cooler.
• Heat and Venting - I covered the hole left by the absence of the OEM ballast with duct tape (as many of you have reported doing). I drove for an hour and felt the lens and it didn't seem to be very hot. Just a little warm. I am confident that everything will be fine, after all the original airflow was restricted with the OEM ballast installation, right?
• Splicing HID Kit into Car Wiring - This had me worried the most, because I couldn't get a visual on what this was... At the end of the day, it was very basic... For those of you who haven't done this before, this is the story... The OEM HID is connected to the car's power using a special clip-in plug... This plug will not plug into the new ballast... The HID eXtra ballast connects to the car with two wires with male spade connectors... As a result, you simply need to clip off the connector from the car's power connector and crimp on two female spade connectors. Red goes to red, black goes to black. Easy peasy... Think of it as simply cutting off the special connector plug and replacing with spade connectors... The word "splicing" confused me, and might confuse others.
  
  Well...that's about it... Here are some photos of my new headlights!

MikeekiM

Here is the LED 9006 bulb I am considering for my foglights (in white):

RAZIR PLASMA LED Fog/Daytime Running Light (PAIR) | HIDeXtra

Anyone have any experience with these?

01tl4tl

good job! good tips and admitting extra time wasted areas should help others

Splice--ok it should read cut wire and crimp on new connector to wire

call hidextra- their tech people will know exactly what to hook you up with for fogs and they may even have a plain 12volt high beam bulbs in the correct matching color

If you drive in real FOG- go with 3000k color- that's yellow and doesn't bounce back bright white light in your eyes

We had a few mornings- like today- with visibility at 10 feet (could not see car in driveway!) to maybe 1/4 mile = not see top of the freeway on-ramp!

I swap out the regular aftermarket small `blue/5000` driving lights- mounted under the bumper in the front lower grill- for the winter fog color units = 3000
Nice when everything is made to click and play with just mounting bolts or bracket to change the light housing

01tl4tl

on your ballast mount location- fender well- do you mean inside engine compartment?

most use side of frame rail or back of main bumper (steel beam)

gorilla glue, zipties for extra ballast mounting security (a favorite tool of diy'rs and race car techs everywhere) or whatever you have! to hold bracket, if you decide to use it

and a reminder- those new connections need to be waterproofed with a sleeve of heat shrink wrap- (shrinks when heat applied from hair dryer or similar temp)
Usually thats installed before final connections are made, or some black electrical tape wrapped around connection is ok too
The other new wiring has orings to waterproof their connectors

There is live voltage going thru the wires and a stray spark is the last thing you want~

Thought I had mentioned installing the bulbs first, get that tricky 1 arm to secure the bulb on, then slip the housing on car- and now wire it up and complete install tightening.
The Torx screw that secures the rear plastic thing can be omitted

Overthinking = close to number 1 problem of diy repairs
Don't google anything- get it off our diy or regular post- made by real ziners with all their findings of shortcuts, and long ways to completion

Make sure your lights are adjusted now, if lowered they will be off
if OE shocks with 10 years on them - lights will be off alignment

A + screwdriver is the tool for adjusting, slides down back of housing and fits into a gear, turn screwdriver like it was another gear to raise or lower low beams.
there is a side to side adjust too
Never know what the new housings came set at- beside nowhere close to what you want!

MikeekiM

You mentioned that it will take 50 hours to properly burn in the bulbs?

Man, with a 40 minute morning drive to drop my son off and go to work, and then another 20 minute drive from work to home, that's only 1 hour a day (and only if I turn my headlights on all the time)...

It's going to take 2 months for me to burn these babies in!

01tl4tl

final note: The new bulbs need about 50 hours usage to get fully stabilized in color and brightness = they get better with use
Drive with them on all the time to get some hours built up!
not to mention the safety factor, especially for those with dark- asphalt-road colored cars~

lol we were typing at the same time!

the new bulbs will be about 80-90 percent right away, and get 100 percent soon enough
better than what you had- already?!!
Should last 3000 hours before replacement!

01tl4tl

new lights- got a better reason for a road trip?
from your location to several nice places that are fun drives in the TL= will put some hours on them
Reno? Yosemite? (120 is great fun in the TL) great to bed in brakes as well

MikeekiM

No... I tucked the ballast between the engine compartment and the front fender. Here's a photo of the driver's side installation...



I purchased weatherproof female spade connectors, which basically had built in shrink tubing around the wire, but not the spade connector.

I used electric tape to wrap the new connectors individually (so that they don't come in contact with one another), and then together (to keep them in a nice tidy bundle). The other connectors I just counted on the o-rings to provide the water tightness. In hindsight, it would not have been such a bad idea to wrap these in electric tape too... Maybe I'll do so the next time I am behind the bumper (when I change the amber bulbs and install new fog LED lights!).

You may have... but even if you did, apparently I didn't take note of it... Had to figure that one out myself... No big deal though...

Yup... I didn't worry about that...

I spent more time thinking about where to install my ballast than actually working on the project!

Hmmm... I am not quite picturing what you are saying here... Where are the adjustments located? Are you just talking about the two bolts on top that secures the headlight to the top frame? Where is the side-to-side adjustment?

01tl4tl

no - look at top rear of housing for a V channel raised in the plastic
Screwdriver slides down that channel (designed for this) at a slight rearward angle
until tip reaches the top gear of the adjuster mechanism
rotate the Phillips/ + type screwdriver to turn the gears and raise/lower the aim.
side adjust are on the ends- never did mine- ck diy~

the 2 top bolts are mount bolts- that's all
unless serious adjustment is needed or the gears break

MikeekiM

I contacted HIDeXtra, and they suggested the 9005 HID kit for my foglights...

I understand why they did...but I am VERY concerned about installing those in my foglight housings...

As many of you know, the foglight housings are made of glass... And the glass is easily shattered and you can't actually replace the glass... You need to replace the entire housing, and run the risk of the glass breaking by a high velocity pebble again in the future...

I ended up going with a Lexan lens conversion... Took out all the glass and silicone sealed-in Lexan replacements.

These guys are virtually indestructible from road debris impacts... I love them...

The only thing is that I noticed that the lens was starting to get slightly discolored exactly where the center of the bulb was shining... It appeared that the heat from the bulb was causing the lens to melt every-so-slightly... As a result, I completely stopped using my foglamps... I like the Lexan because from an appearance perspective, I am quite happy with lenses that don't shatter, even if I don't use them... But I didn't want to destroy them with heat...

So converting to HID lights scare me... I am not sure the Lexan can take it!