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Head light upgrade

Kckc

New member
Joined
14 Aug 2013
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4
I haven't had my 996 c4s out much in the dark yet, but we are coming into the winter and in comparison to the sl350 belonged to my brother which I had been driving about the headlights are very poor. What is a common upgrade that won't cost the earth? :?: :?:

Thanks folks
 
Oh not again. :evil:

I've just had 3 years of this with the MGF with parts bin headlights which wouldn't penetrate a tissue paper never mind the night. Then all those forum doom-mongers pointing out, righteously, that as HIDs were never a factory option for the car [or whatever yadayada] that they are an automatic MOT failure.

Then I set my sights on a proper, grown-up, man's car with solid engineering and enough years in production [how many was it again?? :hand: :hand: ] to snag any bugs: and you have the nerve to tell me that my overnight progress will illuminated by a faint flickering glow?

Really? Oh bother!

And just like the MGF I'll be looking at over-priced deep-bowl bonnet mounted Cibie Oscar replicas, thinking back to nights of plenty light and sighing....

blackieandmesecondimpcropped.jpg
 
The problem is, they were at best average for their time, but this is almost always true, as the perfomance is defined by the legal requirements at the time, the technology of the time, and in cost constraints terms, by what ever the manufacturer had to do to seem to keeping up with the Joneses: basically three pretty compelling reasons all headlamps of any era will be average for that era.

Now years and a generation or two later in car terms, and they are shocking in comparison (you could probabably compare some other car technologies and come to the same or even more vehement conclusion, eg sat navs)

So having upgraded both my 993 and 996 from their relative candles (compared to my brand-spanking daily driver xenons at the time), I can say the process was worth it.

For the 996.1 originally without projector headlamps, I just used the plug-and-play Litronics (mono-xenons) and for the 993, which was supplied with projector headlamps, I just upgraded the internals as per factory (but using modern components - ie HIDs)

As for MOT, neither washers or levellers are required.

The washers are like rear wipers: if they are there they have to work, otherwise it doesn't matter, and the levellers are exempted on hard sprung sports cars like 911s, and explicitly for vehicles with no, little or 'negative pitch' luggage capabilities.

Having said that, non-OEM standard HIDs pose issues in non-projector assemblies (not an issue for 996.2 onwards), as the off-axis/unfocused beam produced by inappropriate HIDs in incandescent parabolic assemblies can fail an MOT due to the uncontroled light beams.

Additionally, extreme non-OEM spectrums and output power can fall foul of the same output control requirements.
 
Question answered, i'm going to get some plug and play units for now at least, cheers gt4 :thumb:
 
They are slightly not plug and play on the 996.2: there is an additional wire splice you need to make in the headlamp multiplug in the wings.

The 996.1 were true plug and play.

I'll dig out the post ...
 
GT4 said:
Convert to Litronics (Porsche for Xenons), if you can.

They are "Plug and Play" on 996.1 and a small wire hack on 996.2

Note: you won't have the washers (unless you already have them, and you won't have autolevelling)

Neither of which are MoT requirements for aftermarket lights.

Had mine almost three years and two MoT tests now.

afterdetail4.jpg


If you have 996.2 lights, you will need to splice pins A4 and A5.

See here:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/inde...itting-bi-xenon-headlights-on-02-and-up-996s/

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=8612

Don't forget you can sell your old units on eBay etc, my price to change was £300.
 
GT4 said:
They are slightly not plug and play on the 996.2: there is an additional wire splice you need to make in the headlamp multiplug in the wings.

The 996.1 were true plug and play.

I'll dig out the post ...

GT4 I'm obliged to you for taking the time and trouble with all this knowledge. I shall watch this post until the car becomes mine then we'll address the issue in appropriate fashion.

I suppose I hark back to simpler times when you popped Cibie/Marchal aftermarket globes and 100 watt bulbs in the headlights, rewired the same so that dip stayed on with full beam and maybe slung a pair of Oscars across the front for night driving and those "git out of me way you nana" moments. Bet the MoT was a lot simpler too back then.
 
Is it possible to open up the non-Litronic lights, add projector lenses, then fit aftermarket xenon bulbs and ballasts?
 
I have the litronics on my 996.1 and on driving home from purchase thought they weren't very bright. I hadn't really used it much at night after that so didn't think any more about it until I came to set the headlights for driving in Germany. On removing the units to set for continental driving I found they were already set, once I put back to normal they were much brighter.

So if they seem dim it might be worth checking that initially if you have litronic lights
 
996driver said:
I have the litronics on my 996.1 and on driving home from purchase thought they weren't very bright. I hadn't really used it much at night after that so didn't think any more about it until I came to set the headlights for driving in Germany. On removing the units to set for continental driving I found they were already set, once I put back to normal they were much brighter.

So if they seem dim it might be worth checking that initially if you have litronic lights
How would I do that?
 
Kckc said:
996driver said:
I have the litronics on my 996.1 and on driving home from purchase thought they weren't very bright. I hadn't really used it much at night after that so didn't think any more about it until I came to set the headlights for driving in Germany. On removing the units to set for continental driving I found they were already set, once I put back to normal they were much brighter.

So if they seem dim it might be worth checking that initially if you have litronic lights
How would I do that?

You need to remove the headlights which is really easy - it must be if I can do it! There is a tool to unlock them, they then just slide out.

You remove the rear cap/board and inside there is a small switch that needs to be moved from O to T. (T is the tourist setting). I found mine were already set to T so once I got back from France I moved it back to the O setting and that was much better. It is only for Litronics though. Some photos here:

http://porsche911owner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/porsche-911-headlights-continental.html
 
fitted hid's to my 2003 996 about 19 months ago.

2X h7 kit from ebay £60 +P+P

2 mots and about 9000 miles later no issues what so ever.

Please note that my car has projector style headlights .
 
eca02apc said:
Is it possible to open up the non-Litronic lights, add projector lenses, then fit aftermarket xenon bulbs and ballasts?

No (or it is at least 80% of the full Litronic lamps by component)

Even the entire front lens would need to be replaced as the Fresnel lens is not compatible with a projector lens)
 
996driver said:
Kckc said:
996driver said:
I have the litronics on my 996.1 and on driving home from purchase thought they weren't very bright. I hadn't really used it much at night after that so didn't think any more about it until I came to set the headlights for driving in Germany. On removing the units to set for continental driving I found they were already set, once I put back to normal they were much brighter.

So if they seem dim it might be worth checking that initially if you have litronic lights
How would I do that?

You need to remove the headlights which is really easy - it must be if I can do it! There is a tool to unlock them, they then just slide out.

You remove the rear cap/board and inside there is a small switch that needs to be moved from O to T. (T is the tourist setting). I found mine were already set to T so once I got back from France I moved it back to the O setting and that was much better. It is only for Litronics though. Some photos here:

http://porsche911owner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/porsche-911-headlights-continental.html

I think kckc means how would he tell they were Litronics.

We'll firstly, they aren't: no 996.2 onwards were fitted with Litronics as Litronic is Porsche speak for mono-xenons (as per 993 and 996.1), any xenon application after 996.1 was bi-xenon.

Also, kckc has incandescent projectors: the test for xenons is the blue to white start up glow and the little self-leveller dance (there is also no remote levelling dial beside the headlamp switch in the car)

NB: washers prove nothing as they are available as a separate option.

Talking about options, xenons (mono- or bi-) are denoted by M601 option code on your under-bonnet or service book VIL.

Regarding the continental setting ALL projector headlamps have this, so xenon or not, so ALL 996.2 (and 993 and 996.1 Litronic) have continental settings.

The light output is not reduced per se, but the left-hand kick-up on RHD cars (opposite on LHD) is flattened by beam shutters.

This is equivalent to the little stickers you put on the headlamp lens.

More info on the continental setting here (or check out your manual, in the lighting section):

http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=72520
 

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